Arrasate, is a traditional town of the the Basque Country (Spain), best known as the birthplace of the Mondragón Cooperative Corporation (MCC), the world’s largest worker cooperative. In 2002 the MCC contributed 3.7% towards the total GDP of the Basque Country and 7.6% to the industrial GDP.

PATiE, project partners met in Arrasate for their fourth meeting, having as a main topic of discussion, the finalization of the form and the content of training modules and the organosis of pilot courses based on these modules.

Psychodrama as a tool for the trainers in adult education, is the subject of the training material, that is developing by the project consortium. The training material, includes a curriculum outline, eight training modules, and a “Trainers Guide” for each of the training modules. Till today, four training modules have already been developed, for the remaining four finishing at the end of this year.

Pilot courses will follow, in the cities of the four core partners, namely in Rethymno (Greece), Wadowice (Poland). Florence (Italy) and Arrasate (Montragon, Spain). In the courses, 12 Vocational Trainers, will act as learners, been taught by a professional certified psychodramatist, tools and Technics developed in the eight training modules.

The training modules include:

• Module1 Experiential psychodrama
• Module2 Power of the group
• Module3 Sociometry
• Module4 Warm up
• Module5 The Power of playing
• Module6 Working with symbols
• Module7 Conflict management
• Module8 Sharing

ECTE is participating as a core partner in PATiE project (www.patie.eu) and exploits training material outcomes in “training the trainer actions”. Moreover, trainers from many European countries are participating in training events organised, having as a subject experiential learning tools and thus that of psychodrama.

Within the framework of the European Project “GSSkills”, the second meeting held from 7 to 9 October 2014, in Eibar, Spain. From Greece, except the Chamber of Chania, which is the coordinating partner, participate the European Center for Employment Training (ECTE) based in Rethymno, the organization “Les Compagnons du Devoir et du Tour de France” based in Paris and is a member of UNESCO, and the company for economic development of Debabarrena “Debegesa, “, located in Eibar, Spain.

During the meeting, a workshop took place between transnational partners, where was presented the results of two surveys that run between May and September in the three countries on the skills you need to have technical thermal and geothermal installations. The presentation focused on both the overall results, and the results for each country separately. There was also a presentation of the current situation of each country in the field of solar thermal and geothermal installations.

Then it became split into two groups (electricians / plumbers), where technicians from the three countries discussed above derived results, whereas questions were posted, related to their subject matter, in order to extract and present findings that will help in the implementation of the next phase of the program.

The participants visited to the Institute Tknika, an Innovation Centre and Vocational Training, which aims to connect research, business innovation and education. On-site, there was an overall presentation of the Institute and its objectives, the education system in Spain in terms of training, followed by tour of products manufactured or are under construction on site.

Technicians visited a building located in San Sebastian that was built in 2011, by the company Dalkia, which with the help of solar thermal and geothermal plants, produce as much energy as they consume 125 residences.

Finally, there was a meeting between the parties to discuss the progress so far in the program and set timetables for the next steps. The purpose of the program “GSSkills”, refers to the development of skills in green forms of energy such as solar and geothermal and addresses to plumbers and electricians working on photovoltaic systems and geothermal energy.

It is worth noting that the program is the only one approved in Greece and Crete. The program is cofunded by the European Commission.

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.