Exyonet is a network for Employability of Young (Ex) Offenders, financed by the EU Youth in Action Programme, Support Systems for Youth – sub-Action 4.3: Networks. It unites the efforts of six institutions in different European countries:

1. Ealing City Council (UK)
2. Romanian Foundation for Democracy (Romania)
3. Cooperative Arimo (Italy)
4. ECTE—European Center in Training for Employment (Greece)
5. İzmir Valiliği AB ve Dış İlişkiler Koordinasyon Merkezi (Turkey)
6. Meridianos (Spain)

The network partners, met in Ealing of London, in the 16th for setting up “a think tank” for preparing a white book and a good practice guide for practices and policies facilitating young people in social risk, to enter the social and working environment.

ECTE scientific team as member of the “think tank”, is working on posing good practices and policies for increasing employment opportunities for youngsters in social exclusion risk.

“Educational process of citizens with special needs in the countries of the European Union”, was the subject of transnational meeting held in Rethymno at 7-10 April 2014. The meeting was organised by the European Training Center for employment (ECTE), in cooperation with the State training and employment agency Mustafa Nevzat Pısak Vocational Education Center based in Istanbul.

At the meeting except the Director Mustafa Nevzat Pısak of Vocational Education Center and ECTE, Managers and executives attended educational centres of Istanbul, Istanbul municipality, Representative Director of support persons with disabilities section of the municipality, as well as the Vice-President of the Board of the largest Center for manufacturing and marketing of gold jewelry of Turkey (kuyumcukent mole), which employed over 200 people with disabilities.

The aim of the meeting hosted in ECTE premises, was the exchange of experiences, the development of common actions in future and the discussion of policies implemented regarding the education of persons with physical and mental disabilities.

After the meeting attendees visited public bodies of Rethymnon that support people with disabilities, like EEEEK Rethymno, Rethymno Special Kindergarten, Physical & rehabilitation medicine Center of Rethymno.

At the final outcome of the meeting, all participants agreed that the individualized approach and targeted intervention for persons with disabilities and persons who are in need of support, are key components and contribute to maintaining social balance and social peace.

Institutions that participated:

• ECTE – European Center in Training for Employment
• Kazim Beydt special Education Centre – Training and Education Centre for persons with disabilities.
• Kuyumcukent jewellery centre (Mall (mole) manufacturing and marketing of gold jewellery-employ persons with disabilities.
• Mustafa Nevzat Pısak Vocational Education Center (Vocational training centre)
• Innovative Educators Association – ( Innovative actions) trainers Association.
• Metropolitan Municipality – Instabul Municipality of Istanbul – Department of support for disabled citizens.

The use of psychodrama techniques appears to be capable of providing a valid answer to the majority of problems arised through a research implemented by PATiE project partners in Greece, Italy, Poland and Spain.

The results of the research were presented in a meeting held in Florence in 24th of February. At the meeting specific training modules on the psychodrama tools used in adult education, were derived connected to existing problems and difficulties in training process.

From the reports drafted by the adult educators, it was found that 90% of them use experiential methods in their courses. However, only 33% of educators know about the applications of psychodrama in education. The most highly valued quality of experiential techniques, are that of motivating and involving students and promoting independence in learning. Within this context, psychodrama tools and techniques, which are valid for improving collaboration among students, and motivating and developing their creativity, seem to be used with considerable benefits in teaching process.

Training modules in psychodrama that can help trainers towards managing effectively major difficulties and problems in training process will include:

1. Experiential methods of psychodrama Theoretical module discuss the basics of psychodrama – Knowledge
2. The power of the group Group theory/dynamics (psychodrama is mostly about group) ex: how to motivating group, there is need of a sort of background – Understanding
3. Sociometric group mapping Application
4. Warm up How to warm a group up – concrete technique
5. The power of playing psychodrama action
6. Working with symbols In psychodrama many symbols are used (ex: working with masks)
7. Sharing and processing section sharing the experience with group/learners
8. Conflict management

GSSkills project partners met in Paris in 9th and 10th of January, for the first (kickoff) meeting of the project. The meeting hosted by Le Compagnons devoir.

Partners analysed in details all work packages of the project assigned tasks and deadlines. First work packages, special skills, needed for low skilled workers engaged in the sectors of geothermal energy (plumbers) and solar energy (electricians), will be identified. Innovative training approaches, engaged by companies in each partner country, will be listed as good practices and presented in a success story book.

Finally, it was decided a workshop to be implemented in Berlin, in May.

Co-funded by the European Commission. Mutual learning in the field of skills and employment / EU Sector Skills Councils Restructuring

GSSkills – Geothermal and Solar Skills: VP/2012/009/0065