Connecting the Dots: Coaching for employability with Erasmus+

BACKGROUND:

This training course was designed to meet the needs of youth organisations, youth groups and public bodies working with the ERASMUS+ Programme, to develop and improve employability and entrepreneurship conditions and opportunities in international youth work.

It consists of coaching techniques for youth workers who look for new tools and methodologies to increase participation in the programme and promote the employability of the youth groups they work with. This way, it also seeks a multiplying effect in a greater number of young people and organisations.

The course concept was originally designed by the trainers, Juan Ratto-Nielsen and Jan Gasiorowski, inspired by a series of training activities on youth employability and recognition of non-formal learning. They have been delivering this course format to public and private organisations across Europe, since 2012.

AIMS:

1. Offer practical tools to enhance your employability and entrepreneurial competences

2. Support your professional and personal development

3. Provide you with useful tools and coaching methods to use with the young people you work with, in international youth work and within the framework of ERASMUS+ and European Solidarity Corps

OBJECTIVES:

1. Reflect on personal interests and professional development needs

2. Reflect on personal and professional paths

3. Identify skills and potential for professional development

4. Anticipate possible scenarios to develop careers in youth work

5. Exchange best practices and experiences to improve the quality of youth work and employability and entrepreneurship, such as the new Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (EntreComp)

6. Find unexplored labour dimensions of work in youth work

7. Explore new initiatives for entrepreneurship and employability in youth work

8. Expand the range of viewpoints and the application of competences and skills with diverse groups of youth

9. Increase the transferability of employability and entrepreneurship competences acquired in the field of youth in and out of the ERASMUS+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes

METHODOLOGY:

The methodology is based on cognitive behavioural coaching techniques. They consist of a variety of non-formal learning exercises and techniques, such as group work, roleplay, creation activities, peer-interviews, feedback activities, debriefing, etc., that are used to introduce, experiment with and analyse the different contents.

The structure and approach of the training follows a method of organisational development called Appreciative Inquiry. It has a dual objective: to support the learning process by providing a framework for the sessions, and to offer an up-to-date hands-on model that can be used to practise coaching.

The training course is a sequence of five days divided in 5 phases or stages:

1. DEFINE – Identify individual needs, expectations and objectives of the learning process.

2. DISCOVER – the identification of processes that work well.

3. DREAM – visualise the processes that will work well in the future.

4. DESIGN – plan and prioritize those processes that could work well.

5. DESTINY or DELIVER is the implementation of the proposed design.

You will be encouraged to recognise your strong points, sources of motivations and professional goals. You are expected to assess your own skills and become aware of your objectives. The ultimate goal is to capitalise on the different competences you will have identified and developed in order to design a professional career path in accordance with your present assets and potential skill and goals.

The other expected outcome is that you will be able to apply the tools and methods you have used for coaching back in your organisation.

PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS:

Youth work professionals (youth workers, mentors, trainers, etc.) interested in acquiring a coaching approach in their practices towards youth employability and entrepreneurship.

Should have a working level of English (min. B2 level) to participate actively (discussions, sharing, group activities, active listening, etc.).

Over 18 years old.