Discover Shona’s VET (vocational education and training) project working with animals in Aruba (Erasmus+).

Project supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, in partnership with Askham Bryan College and Aruba Donkey Sanctuary.

Discover Dominik’s VET (vocational education and training) project working in a carpentry in Sweden (Erasmus+).

Project supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, in partnership with Kirklees College and IDEUM.

Discover Ashleigh’s VET (vocational education and training) project working with animals in Malta (Erasmus+).

Project supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, in partnership with Askham Bryan College and Aruba Donkey Sanctuary.

Discover Amber’s VET (vocational education and training) project working with animals in Aruba (Erasmus+).

Project supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, in partnership with Askham Bryan College and Aruba Donkey Sanctuary.

Discover Ryan’s VET (vocational education and training) project working in a carpentry in Sweden (Erasmus+).

Project supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, in partnership with Kirklees College and IDEUM.

Discover Liam’s VET (vocational education and training) project working with animals in Aruba (Erasmus+).

Project supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, in partnership with Askham Bryan College and Aruba Donkey Sanctuary.

Discover Nicholas’ VET (vocational education and training) project working in a Carpentry in Sweden (Erasmus+).

Project supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, in partnership with Kirklees College and IDEUM.

After just a few months into a Vocational Educational Training (VET) project, young participants already started to disseminate the impacts that this Erasmus+ opportunity had on their personal and professional life.

Despite the fact our project Go Further Reach Higher (GFRH) started just 5 months ago, it already offered more than 40 young students the opportunity to undertake a VET experience abroad. Some went to Aruba and Malta to work towards animal care professions, while some went to Sweden to develop and learn some new skills in a carpentry. This project has been funded with the generous support of Erasmus+ UK.

Presentation

Back in their college, some of the students had to produce a small presentation which they showcased in front of their classmates. It’s what Derek, a student at ProCo. NW Ltd, did. He created the following PowerPoint about his animal care project in Malta:

Testimonies

All participants had to produce a testimony about their experience in the form of a comic page. On it they explained their motivation in taking part in this project, their activities and what they’ve learnt personally and professionally. All these comics are progressively published on the ‘Experience’ section of our website. You can also read them all onto the special GFRH we created on our partnersspace.eu website.

Word of Mouth

Before the start of their project participants received a GFRH TShirt which they often wore during their activities or free time, with the logo of Erasmus+ on their back. They acted as ambassadors of GFRH in speaking about their project to the local community people abroad and to their friends, classmate at their return in the UK.

Video

Even professionals ensured the promotion of the project. One of ProCo. NW Ltd Animal Care tutors, Helen Murphy who went to Aruba to support trainees there, created a small video to give a test about her experience:

Magazine

Kirklees College published an article on their Construction Employer Forum Newsletter. (Click on the following pictures to open the article)

Network meeting and mid-project evaluation

On the 13th July, Everything is Possible organised a network meeting and mid-project evaluation with all the colleges involved in the project. We were very pleased to hear them giving such a good feedback about the impact these VET projects had on their students.

Project supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

Discover Liam’s VET (vocational education and training) project working with animals in Malta (Erasmus+).

Project supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, in partnership with ProCo. NW Ltd and the National Cat Society of Malta.

So many great things have been happening in our community theatre throughout the prolonged winter we had and the first slow arrivals of spring, which is now in full bloom (indeed one of the things I enjoy here in Hungary is observing the seasons, which in difference to other countries I have lived in – such as England or Israel – each carry a very different character). I would tell you about a couple of them, which to me have been (only) some of the most significant. European Voluntary Service.

At the end of February I have hosted an evening in our theatre for the people of Jászberény. I started it by performing a short mime show created by myself about my refusal to join the Israeli army when I was 17. This experience, explained from both a personal and a comic point of view, provided an intro into the main part of the evening: an informative talk which was meant to shed light on the history of the conflict in the region I have grown up in, of Israel-Palestine. The feedback from the audience was both very appreciative and interested. I was pleased of that, glad to have been contributing knowledge on an important issue in the world, and also felt that the event was building a step up in the acquaintance and connection between me and the local community.

A month later I repeated the performance and talk, with some adaptations of course, for a local crowd of teenagers, who have been incredibly interested too. Again I was delighted to feel I have brought something of value and interest to them.

The second of the few most significant events in the last term was opening a new class of visual theatre to a group of 10-14 year-olds. This class is a laboratory for experimentation with ideas new to the students and sometimes new to me too. We explore the use of visual art in performance by many different approaches and through the use of very different means: what can we create with broken chair parts? What costumes and sets can we create with old brochures? How can we play with an image projected on a curtain through a projector, and with “eyeballs” made of polystyrene balls being placed on different parts of our body? The main idea is experimentation and play that stem from looking at something in a different way, and it is a delight watching the students create to the stimulations and responding to them from a visceral experience. Watch this space for more detail that I will provide after we had our final show in June. We are currently working towards it, with all groups, while the spring is turning summery and the apples and cherries in our garden are beginning to grow.

Roni M, EVS (European Voluntary Service) volunteer

European Voluntary Service (EVS) project supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Commission.