WHAT ARE THE RESULTS?

Train the Competent Erasmus+ project provides a new, hitherto missing training tool for European organizations working on the field of disability to support with an effective new tool their thousands of service users to become professional co-trainers peer supporters.

The program gives a new perspective, a new career opportunity for disabled people. The new skills and knowledge will broaden their job opportunities and expand their possibilities for active and fulfilled lives. At the same time, participants will be able to support their peers towards the labor market and also those professional awareness raising equality training / awareness programs designed for employers, HR professionals, decision makers that are proven to be a major step towards successful employability of the population with disabilities.

To rely on their experiences and to meet their needs the project Involved disabled people into the whole project process, used experience of disability as a starting point of the training as well as the main axis of the whole training process.

Tailor made training program – what are the outputs, how can be used?

IO1 Train the Competent Trainer manual with its six modules gives a deep basic knowledge on theory and content for professionals and adult educators/trainers and equips them with the most important training skills to prepare them to train participants with disability to become professional co-trainers or peer supporters. The elaborated training guide enables professionals/trainers/educators to provide a modular training for groups of disabled learners, and to adapt the training material to the special needs of different participants, local context/circumstances.

IO2 Train the Competent Workbook content part is designed – in an easy-to-understand form – for co-trainers, peer supporters. It also contains all the activities which help the trainer to train disabled trainees with a great variety of interactive activities to acquire social and work-related competencies.

The two books can be used in a complementary way. The trainer can choose on which module or which subparts of the modules to work on with the trainees depending on their needs, goals, preparedness, prior knowledge on the topic.  The trainer can choose from the wide variety of the activities those which fit the best to the trainees’ special needs, abilities, learning style, type of disability, to be able to practice, master the content, acquire the given competency in a tailormade made manner.

The testing results in 8 countries proved the innovative pedagogical method is successfully applicable anywhere in Europe in different cultural context with different disability groups.

Utilizing the method, given the scope and the modularization, parts of the content could be used by other organizations even if they are not working with people with disability. The materials can serve the same purpose of promoting employability among other audiences.

 

The materials are free for use and adaptations with mention of the source: