Is ecology still attractive?

Ecological problems more and more influence our lives and adult education is not an exception. Various integrated programs are being created and ecological matters are included into many school subjects. We can talk about ecological problems during the lessons but our experience shows that the most effective ways is practical activities. One of the most efficient and creative ways is participation in project so since the year of 2000, Vilnius „Židinio“ gymnasium teachers and students have been participating in programs supported by Grundtvig, Comenius, Europa Workshop, Nordplus Adult and JTBA.

In September, 2014, Vilnius „Židinio“ adult gymnasium teachers and students started an Erasmus+: Grundtvig Strategic Partnerships project „Collect. Recycle. Manufacture“. The aim of the project is to recycle used paper and to use it for a specific purpose as a way of solving ecological problems. Other participants of this project are adult education institutions from Greece (European Center in Training for Employmen, Crete), Ireland (Kerry Action for Development Education, Tralee), Italy ASTERISCO-Associazione per lo sviluppo socioeconomic, Palermo) and Portugal (Associação Intercultural Amigos da Mobilidade, Barcelos).

All countries actively participate in project workshops which were the main objective of the first project meeting in Lithuania, from the 18th to 22nd of January, 2015. Project partners presented their organizations and the research results on paper usage and recycling in their countries. They have also conducted interesting researches on how much paper is used in their local communities. All countries calculated the amount of paper they use per year and converted this number into the amount of trees that were used to produce that amount of paper. Each country has undertaken to replant the exact number of trees.

Project coordinators introduced the participants to a handmade paper making methodology. During seminars, project members produced their own handmade paper sheets and other artistic pieces from paper pulp. Project meeting ended with an exhibition from handmade art pieces from paper pulp produced during the seminars.

Each team left Lithuania having an assignment to test out the methodology they have learnt and to organize seminars in their countries to their target groups on chosen handmade paper making methodology. From January to April, project participants held 17 seminars to various target groups such as seniors, social workers, kindergarten teachers, elementary school students, disabled people, local citizens, adult educators, trainees, volunteers and students. During these seminars we were making paper sheets, postcards, pictures, Shrovetide masks, Easter decorations and eggs, penholders and lampshades. Each seminars ends with an exhibition of participants‘ handmade art works. Participants of the seminars are happy to try a new and interesting activity which, by some of them, will be applied in their work and for others will become a great leisure time activity. And the most important part is the fact that at the same time we recycle and produce new, lovely things.

These seminars achieved a great success; therefore, we will continue series of seminars in the autumn. Everyone, who is interested, is welcome to visit our Vilnius „Židinio“ gymnasium website.

GSSkills Project – 3rd workshop in Chania, Greece

Plumbers and electricians from France and Spain met in Chania with colleagues from Crete experience in photovoltaic and geothermal installations. In the context of the European Programme “GSSkills”, that the Chania Chamber of Commerce is coordinating, transnational partners from Greece, France and Spain, met for the third consecutive workshop in Chania. In the program “GSSkills”, except the Chamber, which is the coordinating partner, are partipating European Training Centre for Employment (ECTE) based in Rethymnon, the educational organization “Les Compagnons du Devoir et du Tour de France”, based in Paris and is a member of UNESCO, and the “company for the economic development of Debabarrena” Debegesa “, based in Eibar, Spain.

In the workshop in Chania, participated five people from France (three technicians and two administrative employees of the organization), four people from Spain (three technicians and an administrative employee of the company) and 15 from Greece. In the afternoon of the first day, was held on the site of the Chamber a meeting among the partners, which involved a summative information of progress of the project and raised and timetables for completion.

The morning of the second day began with three visits:

  • in the company CretaCon Green Energy SA brothers Ntagkounaki located in Tavronitis
  • in the company Mazanakis Therm Ulysses Mazanaki based in Chryssopigi
  • in the Laboratory of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems of the School of Environmental Engineering of the University of Crete whose director is Professor Mr. Theocharis Tsoutsos

During the visits, members of the mission together with local electricians and plumbers had the opportunity to see up close solar and geothermal installations and discuss. At noon of the same day, it took place the second workshop of the program. Initially, there was a presentation of the training on thermal plants, geothermal and photovoltaic plants in the three countries.

After a presentation of case studies companies / educational institutions, proposed solutions on the problem of mismatch of skills and knowledge acquisition, were analysed. At the end, participants were divided into two specialised groups, for discussing the mismatch of skills and knowledge in the sector. One group consisted of electricians and solar installers, discussion of which headed Mr. Manolis Karapidakis, Associate Professor of TEI of Crete and research fellow of the program. The other group consisted of hydraulic, discussion of which headed Mrs. Vassilios Fortsas, partner of the Development Company of the Chamber to help implement the program and Mr Konstantinos Androulakis, director of the European Training Centre for Employment (ECTE) is partner program.

In the afternoon of the same day, in a main dissemination event, results of the program, were presented, from research performed, analysis and conclusions. At the same time, there was a broader discussion on alternative energy sources and their use. The event in Chamber conference room, was open to the public.

Greetings

  • Mr. John Margaronis, President EVECH,
  • John Brokalakis, President of the Association of Electrical Installers v. Chania
  • Limogiannis Costas, Chairman of thermohydraulic Chania.
  • Mr. Nick Kalogerakis, President of the Hellenic Association of Photovoltaic Investors, spoke about Renewable energy sources in Greece,
  • Mr. Manolis Karapidakis, Associate Professor of TEI of Crete, spoke about the program and the major conclusions drawn, while
  • Mr. Theocharis Tsoutsos, Associate Professor of the University of Crete, spoke on “Near Zero Energy Hotels “(Hotels near-zero energy consumption). The discussion was moderated by Mr. Michael Papavasileiou, Deputy Director EVECH and task manager.

THE PRESIDENT OF CHAMBER
In his address, the President of Chamber, John Margaronis said:

“This program, launched in December 2013 and completes its activities at the end of February 2015, has three objectives:
Identify the skills necessary to be a technician to meet the installation needs of geothermal and solar thermal systems. To identify best practices in education. To create a network between educational institutions, public authorities, professional associations and the business community in the fields of geothermal and solar thermal installations in the three countries-etairous.Gia the needs of the program, Chania Chamber as coordinating partner, worked with the European Training Center for Employment (ECTE) from Rethymnon, the educational organization “Les Compagnons du Devoir et du Tour de France” from Paris who is the oldest teacher training organization in Europe, and the company’s economic development Debabarrena “DEBEGESA” from Eibar, Spain.

This is the third meeting that takes place between partners, which is the closure of the program. This followed the first meeting in Paris in January 2014, where he was a first meeting between partners and were the implementation timetables. A second meeting was held in October 2014 in Eibar, Spain, where the survey results were discussed during the previous period, while professional technicians from the three partner countries exchanged views on the necessary skills. Notably Chania Chamber took with him to Spain six professional technicians.

Big beneficiaries of this program are the communities of the three partner states, as through professional associations and technicians, transferring know-how and good practices. Of course, you should not conceal the fact that in this difficult economic climate, through this program and others planned for the future, the Chania Chamber is unable to draw significant financial resources that allow both to continue its operation of, and to play its important role as the engine of growth for the prefecture of Chania.

In closing, he said. Margaronis, I would like to thank everyone who contributed in their own way to the successful implementation of the program, and I hope to be given the opportunity with a new funding to implement programs developed on the basis of the results obtained from “GSSkills”

OPMIS – Open Minds in Sciences

“Subjects” teaching replaced with “topics” for Raising creativity and attractiveness of science and mathematics leading to educational system reforms

It is obvious that investing appropriately in learning will contribute to overcoming the economic and social crisis and meeting the Europe 2020 targets on employment, poverty reduction, education, sustainability, innovation.

Students from very early age are using quite advanced computers. New methods have to be adopted in education that is necessary for industry and modern society. Raising creativity and attractiveness of science and mathematics, therefore, is of major importance for the sustainability of “quality and efficiency of education in Europe”, which is one of the main objectives referred in strategic framework of “Education and Training 2020”.

However, although the professional development and the improvement of the quality of vocational training educators have been recognized as a priority at European level, there is not a clear view of the particular and specific competences needed by trainers and training approaches, to fulfill the scope of making mathematics, science and technology more attractive.

OPMIS project is aiming at changing the “mindset” of approaching science and mathematics, focusing in an innovative teaching by “topic” method, rather than the old fashioned way of teaching by subject, increasing attractiveness and preparing students for the future with the skills that is needed for today and tomorrow.

Identification and collection of already established training methodologies and practices in Europe, will help to harvest the potential of existing European experience and generate new knowledge for trainers, upgrading their skills and respective specific competences. The development of a “teacher toolkit”, an open source training platform. together with training visits of both trainers and learners will help in testing and applying the identified interdisciplinary teaching material and methods.

Main target group is students of primary and secondary local school communities. Specific target group is trainers, that their role is vital in achieving goals of quality and efficiency in education. Project partners will set-up up an international cooperation mechanism, including except the members of the project consortium, science institutes and local educational communities.

  • European Center in Training for Employment – ECTE, structuted the project proposal OPMIS, for a consortium of institutes consisting of
  • Haccetepe University – (Turkey),
  • FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY HELLAS – ITE (Greece)
  • Inspectoratul Scolar Judetean Romania – (Romania),
  • Periferiaki Dieuthinsi Protovathmias & Deuterovathmias Ekpaideusis Kritis – (Greece),
  • COMUNE DI TERNI – Associazione La Pagina – (Italy), in the context of ERASMUS plus program calls.

Exyonet – Network for Employability of Young (Ex)Offenders – Conference

Unemployment rate among young people having reach 60% in Greece and been a main problem in South European countries, good practices towards employment, are of great importance to be identified and endorsed into policies.

The six entities involved in Exyonet project, know first-hand youth difficulties of adapting into a world of work in crisis and to the startle of social and technological changes.

The European Project EXYOnet (European Network for employability of young, is the first European network address to the young (ex) offenders employability and social exclusion inside the EU Youth in Action Program. This network put together the efforts of 6 entities of different European countries in 18 months, through the experiences that have been carried out by United Kingdom, Greece, Romania, Turkey, Italy and Spain.

European Center in Training for Employment, ECTE as a member of Exyonet network, participated in a visit to the European Parliament in Brussels, and met members of Parliament and policy decisions technicians, engaged in employment and youth issues. Subhect of the discussion was the consortium work in practices and politics recommendations that have been be added in the joint document: ‘WHITE PAPER: Good practices and policy proposals for Young (ex) offenders employment.

It was decided, a conference event to be organised in Brussels by Exyonet partners, in February 2015. In big event, will participate European parliament members and policy decision technicians,engaged in the field of employment and Youth. Good practices identified, will be presented in a form of white book, whereas there will be an extensive dialogue on youth employment existing policies and future strategies.

Learners and Staff mobility through Erasmus+ in Rethymno, Crete

Learners and Staff mobility through Erasmus+ in Rethymno, Crete

Mobility is more than travelling, because it fosters the geographic, mental and emotional adaptability of participants, and they learn and live under unfamiliar conditions. This engenders personal changes in their attitudes and behaviour.

ECTE—European Center for Employment, is an educational institute based in Rethymnon Crete. Its “international department” among others, is specialized in European mobility programs, with long experience in past mobility programs, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Grundtvig, Erasmus, IdA (placements for vulnerable social groups like people with special abilities, single mothers, long term unemployed youngsters.) Since 1994, more than 600 Mobility projects have been implemented (list of past programs)

ECTE is acting as a Hosting Partner (HO-PA), Coordinator – Sending Partner (SE-PA) and Intermediary Partner (INT-PA). If you are planning to apply for some of the below KA1 projects, ECTE can be your partner in Crete!

  • Mobility for Higher Education Students and Staff
  • Mobility for VET Learners and Staff
  • Mobility for School Staff
  • Mobility for Adult Education Staff
  • Mobility for Young People and Youth Workers