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The International students of our partner, the Turkish school Uluslararası Şehit Mehmet Karaarslan Kiz Anadolu Imam Hatip Lisesi, Istanbul, Turkeye have met on 22.02.2023 with the President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and informed him about the VISAGE4JOBS and their activities in Turkiye. The students explained their great satisfaction to be part of this project thanks to the Erasmus+ programme.

On 20 February 2023, the team of WINSS met with the mayor of Zeytinburnu region, Mr.Murat Aydın. This region of Istanbul has the most marginalized community, and WINSS’ President Mrs. Figen Sekin gave information about the Project outcomes. The Mayor informed about their Municipalities activities with regards to Vocational Educational Training Courses; Language Courses, Sport Activities, Inclusion actions etc. Further collaboration actions were negotiated.

WINSS team has organised a meeting on 12.02.2023, where their staff interviewed foreign students who are studying Turkish in order to find a job in Turkeye. The trainers from WINSS provided career guidance tips and provided general information about the project outputs. The trainers informed them about our project outcomes and have negotiated to include them in the forthcoming piloting phase.

Together, both Turkish partners organised dedicated meeting on 11.02.2023 with important stakeholders – the students and teachers from Kocasinan Vocational High school and they hosted our students in their school and discussed the Project activities together. They will participate in the piloting with the students from Uluslararası Şehit Mehmet Karaarslan Kiz Anadolu Imam Hatip Lisesi, Istanbul, Turkeye.

Refugee students from our partner,  the Turkish school Uluslararası Şehit Mehmet Karaarslan Kiz Anadolu Imam Hatip Lisesi, Istanbul, Turkeye have met on 01.02.2023 with the Minister of education in Turkey Mr. Mahmut Özer and informed him about our school projects especially about how the Visage4Jobs helped them for labour market preparation thanks to the Erasmus+ programme.

The first training seminar was organised on 17 January 2023 by our partner, the Turkish school Uluslararası Şehit Mehmet Karaarslan Kiz Anadolu Imam Hatip Lisesi, Istanbul, Turkeye. The School Director Mr. Abdülbaki Murat discussed about the Project outcomes and explained the forthcoming implementation steps of the Project. The meeting concluded with agreement on action plan for the piloting phase.

The team of WINSS, Turkeye have participated an online meeting with the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and we have discussed about how we could cooperate during the pilot trainings and the inclusion of disadvantaged people into the labour market. We have Informed the participants about our project outcomes and they gave their feedback. WINSS discussed possible sign of a memorandum of cooperation and to involve them as mentors in the piloting phase to ensure organisation of job interviews, where marginalized students may share their strengths and to become more motivated and to extend their self-confidence and self-esteem.

On 17 December 2022, our partner,  the Turkish school Uluslararası Şehit Mehmet Karaarslan Kiz Anadolu Imam Hatip Lisesi, Istanbul, Turkeye has organized MUN and informed the participants about our school projects and presented Visage4Jobs for awareness and invitation to participate in the pilot implementation phase.

On 24 November 2022, the team of WINSS, Turkeye has organised a meeting with 30 teachers who work with refugee students in a Cosmopolitan settlement. They shared their experiences and they have reviewed the pre-employment school career guidance programme toolkit and provided feedback. At the end of the meeting WINSS negotiated their involvement in the forthcoming piloting phase.

Our project was presented and discussed with the official guests from the ESMOVIA team from Spain. Their great experience on the management of EU projects was beneficial for our project team. We have discussed future cooperation possibilities.

ESMOVIA is a Spanish well-known organisation located in Valencia that organizes training experiences aimed at students and teachers from all over Europe. They mainly offer internships in companies, as well as Spanish courses, seminars, study visits and professional development courses, all of that through European programs such as Erasmus+ or the European Social Fund.

Year after year, many European organizations, such as vocational training centers, secondary schools, universities, public organizations, and associations, trust ESMOVIA, to complete their mobility projects and traineeships in Spain.

We have also met the Dean of the South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Blagoevgrad, prof. Preslav Dimitrov, PhD, who introduced his projects and connections with Kazakhstan universities.

Our consortium supported the Erasmus+ 35th anniversary days (13-14-15 October 2022) by organising special teachers’ training based on the draft version of the Pre-employment school career guidance programme toolkit. The seminar was held on 14th October 2022 in the conference hall of Uluslararası Şehit Mehmet Karaarslan Kiz Anadolu Imam Hatip Lisesi, Istanbul, Turkeye.

The event was opened by the General principal of the school – Abdülbaki Murat. He presented the project concept and welcomed the audience. After that, a warm welcome speech was given by the director of the Bahcelievler Directorate of National Education, who welcomed the participants and pointed out the importance of this project for the improvement of the situation of vulnerable students in the area, who are coming from more than 60 countries.

After that, the event continued with the presentation by the project coordinator, the Principal of 94 SU “Dimitar Strashimirov” from Sofia, Bulgaria. She introduced the main issues, which face Roma students and the possible interventions, which the teachers and pedagogical counsellors are implementing in their daily supportive activities.

The major training part of the event was dedicated to the process of 15 steps towards successful job preparation of marginalised and disadvantaged students from the 11th and 12th grades in Bulgaria.

The seminar was followed by “Questions and Answers” session by Ms. Figen Sekin, President of  World Innovative Sustainable Solutions, Istanbul, Turkeye as well as presentation of role play games.

In the period 13-14 October 2022, the second transnational partners’ meeting was organised in the lovely Istanbul in Turkeye.

The four project partners were welcomed by the General principal Abdülbaki Murat.

Then the partners were welcomed by violin performance and then by the students from 5th, 8th and 9th grade, who presented sketches, lyrics and presented their art-works.

The meeting was mainly concentrated on the progress of the five project activities in accordance to the action plan. The partners exchanged views on the further adaptation and enhancement of the pre-employment programme and its supportive tools. The partners shared where and how the project was disseminated.

Our project consortium agreed to organise the second transnational partners’ meeting and the train the trainers event in Istanbul, Turkey on 14th October 2022. at Şehi̇t Mehmet Karaaslan Uluslararası Kız Anadolu İmam Hati̇p Li̇sesi̇, Turkeye (address: Bahçelievler Merkez, 13, Erde Sk., 34180 Bahçelievler/İstanbul, Тurkeye, 34180, Istanbul). We welcome all interested stakeholders to join us.

Event link: https://www.erasmusdays.eu/event/visage4jobs-train-the-trainers-workshop-and-transnational-partners-meeting-13-14-october-2022-istanbul-turkey/ 

In the period 28-30 September 2022 a national conference was held in the city of Varna on the topic: “The Impact of the Erasmus+ Program on the Development of Youth, Tourism and the Vocational Education and Training Sector in Bulgaria”. The conference was organized by the Human Resources Development Center and the National VET Expert Team. The event was attended by representatives of universities, schools, professional training centers, information and professional guidance centers, as well as representatives of tourist organizations, chambers of commerce, National agency on VET, etc.

The official guest of the event was Mr. Petar Buchkov, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, who welcomed the participants and presented the innovations in youth policies and the expected new project programs that the ministry will launch in the coming months. Ms. Lyudmila Nenkova, co-chair of the Varna Tourist Chamber, also addressed the audience.

An important emphasis was placed on the main priority of the Erasmus+ Program on the social inclusion and labor market integration of students from vulnerable and marginalized groups in society – persons with disabilities, persons of Roma origin, etc. In this regard, Mrs. Stanislava Stancheva from the PG on SS “Ivan Vl. Michurin”, Dolni chiflik presented good practices related to the environment, motivation for career and education.

New opportunities for marginalized students for preparation and implementation in the labor market were also presented by the Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team, who presented the “VISAGE4JOBS” model.

Training seminar with regards to the implementation of inclusive education in Bulgaria and draft presentation of the VISAGE4JOBS project results was held on 10-11 July 2022  in Bulgaria.

55 teachers and resource teachers from 94 SU “Dimitar Strashimirov” were trained with regards to tools and good practices, which may help them on better integration and realisation of accessible learning in Bulgaria with regards to the latest recommendations and strategies offered by the European agency for special needs and inclusive education.

The training seminar was accompanied by practical session including creation of inclusive practices on different subjects as part of the vocational curriculum in Bulgaria.

The kick-off transnational partners meeting was conducted on 14-15 April 2022 at 94 SU “Dimitar Strashimirov” in Sofia, Bulgaria. The meeting was attended by representatives of all partners’ organisations – 94 High School “Dimitar Strashimirov”, Sofia, Bulgaria (Project coordinator), World Innovative Sustainable Solutions, Istanbul, Turkiye, Uluslararası Şehit Mehmet Karaarslan Kiz Anadolu Imam Hatip Lisesi, Istanbul, Turkiye and Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team, Sofia, Bulgaria. The meeting was attended by the Regional Mayor of Slatina district Mr. Georgi Iliev. He declared the support on behalf of Sofia Metropolitan Municipality. He appreciated the partners’ efforts towards labour market inclusion of Roma students and youth with special needs. The meeting was attended by 43 teachers from the school, who provided feedback on the project concept and expected results.

Then, the meeting continued with administrative and project management activities. There was a presentation of the quality assurance and internal evaluation strategy and tools and discussion about National advisory boards and their role in the project. Partner WINSS presented the dissemination strategy and tools and the partners discussed about the creation of project website and social media pages as well as the production of project leaflet and poster.

The second meeting day was dedicated to the celebration of literacy at primary students, which was attended by the partners.

After that, the meeting continued with detailed discussions abut the draft structure of the pre-employment school career guidance programme toolkit based on Carl Rogers person centered methodology.

Upon completion of the grant agreement with the Human Resource Development Centre (The Bulgarian National Agency of Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes) our project officially started on 1st March 2022. The project coordinator Mrs. Latinka Kovacheva conducted the first online meeting via ZOOM, where she started the planning of the project activities. The partners agreed on the kick-off meeting dates, which will be 14th and 15th of April 2022 in the premisses of the 94 SU “Dimitar Strashimirov”.