Quality Wave: Diving into Quality of Learning Mobility Seminar for Q! Ambassadors and friends

Background

Non-formal education, especially in learning mobility projects, can create life-changing experiences for young people and leave a great impact on the communities involved. If implemented carefully, learning mobility projects can even contribute to youth-led social change in Europe and beyond.

Unfortunately, some of the many funded projects are of poor quality and at the same time, the programmes are not being used by many potential beneficiaries because of the existing thresholds and barriers.

The new generation of youth mobility Programmes (Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps 2021-2027) and activities of the Youth Department of the Council of Europe offer increased opportunities and funding, new formats and priorities.

In response to the growing quantity of projects, the European Platform on Learning Mobility (EPLM) developed useful tools to support Quality in learning mobility projects: the Quality App and the Quality Handbook. A community of Q!Ambassadors is using and promoting these tools since 2019.

With this seminar, we want to support youth mobility professionals in using and promoting these tools so that the Quality approach can continue to spread and grow throughout Europe and beyond.

Do you want to surf with us on the Quality Wave?

The aim of this seminar is to provide support for Quality! Learning Mobility projects in times of increased budget and more diverse learning environments (hybrid, blended, online) and empower Q! Ambassadors throughout Europe to adjust the EPLM Quality Tools and promote them in their countries.

We will create space to:

• Explore and experiment with EPLM Quality Tools: Q! App and Quality handbook
• Have a critically constructive look at these tools and reflect on how they can be adapted to fit the current and future reality of learning mobility 
• Share experience and stories among experienced Q! ambassadors and new ones, with particular focus on what worked/didn’t work in the online, blended, hybrid formats
• Build a vision on “Why Quality learning mobility is important”
• Prepare international/national/local multiplying activities (training, promotion, support/coaching, E+ or ESC projects,…)
• Strengthen the Q!ommunity and discuss what support would be needed for the Q! Ambassadors in the future

Are you a future Q! Ambassador?

This little test might help you to find this out. How many boxes can you tick?

• You are a youth mobility believer
• No quantity without Quality is your motto
• You have experience in excellent, moderate and/or poor quality mobility projects
• You’re open to share your experiences with your peers (also about trying out online, blended, hybrid formats)
• You are motivated to lift up the quality of your own projects and support newcomers in doing so

25 participants can attend this seminar. The target group is twofold:

• Participants of previous Q!Ambassadors meetings since 2019 (Budapest and/or online) who want to share their experience as a Quality Ambassador on EU and/or national/regional/local level (approx. 15)
• Participants who want to become a Q! Ambassador and are eager to share the Quality approach in their country. (approx. 10)

We aim at reaching participants from a diversity of countries, including partner countries (sent by SALTOs). Preferably 1 or 2 participants per country with a diversity of profiles and experiences with youth mobility projects.

Practical info

This seminar will be hosted by JINT, NA Belgium/Flanders in the city of Ostend (by the sea) and will be supported by following team:

• Snezana Baclija Knoch (also Quality handbook editor)
• Peter Hurray (also Q! App administrator)
• Sofie Van Zeebroeck (JINT, also EPLM member)

Arrivals are expected on the 26th October (preferably before 3 pm) and departures are on 30th October after breakfast.

Plan C

The organiser will follow and apply all COVID-19 health and safety guidelines which are valid by the time of the seminar. All selected participants will need to be able to show the European digital corona certificate (EUDCC). All participants will be accommodated in single rooms. More information will be provided to the selected participants.

In case the COVID-19 situation prevails and prevents travelling, the organiser reserves the right to cancel the residential activity. In that case we offer an online training to new Q!Ambassadors on 26th October and have working sessions on adjusting the Quality tools on 28th and/or 29th October 2021.