Toolbox — For Training and Youth Work
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Simulation Exercise, Exercise, Manual
Soft Skills+ eLearning Platform
An accessible e-learning platform offering ancourse for educators, 24 lesson plans and 12 digital games to support adults with intellectual disabilities in developing communication, social, emotional and adaptive skills.
https://softskillsproject.eu/
Aims of the tool
The Soft Skills+ platform aims to strengthen essential soft skills among adults and young adults with intellectual disabilities, particularly in the areas of communication, adaptive functioning, emotional intelligence and social skills.
It aims to support learners in expressing their needs, understanding others, recognising and managing emotions, navigating social situations, solving everyday problems and participating more independently in community, educational and professional life.
The platform also aims to increase the capacity of educators, trainers, youth workers, disability support workers and volunteers to provide accessible, person-centred and adaptable soft-skills education.
By combining educator training, face-to-face lesson plans and interactive digital games, the tool promotes inclusive learning, personal development, social and emotional well-being, autonomy and improved quality of life.
Description of the tool
Soft Skills+ is an integrated e-learning platform and training toolkit designed to support the teaching and development of essential soft skills among adults and young adults with intellectual disabilities.
Rather than offering a single activity, the platform brings together interconnected resources for both educators and learners. It can be used as a complete learning pathway or as a collection of individual resources selected according to the needs, abilities, interests and learning goals of each person.
The educators’ section includes the online course “How to Teach Soft Skills to People with Intellectual Disabilities”. The course provides practical knowledge, examples and adaptable strategies through four thematic modules:
1. Disability Awareness, focusing on understanding intellectual disabilities, challenging stereotypes and promoting empathy and inclusive attitudes.
2. Delivering Soft Skills Training and Digital Games, offering practical strategies for teaching soft skills and integrating digital games into educational activities.
3. Person-Centred Approaches, supporting educators in building meaningful relationships and adapting learning to individual strengths, preferences and support needs.
4. Managing Challenging Situations, addressing the recognition and understanding of challenging situations, prevention strategies and de-escalation techniques.
The educators’ section also contains 24 adaptable lesson plans for face-to-face learning activities. The lesson plans cover four main competence areas: Communication Skills, Adaptive Functioning, Emotional Intelligence and Social Skills. They provide guidance for implementing structured activities and for integrating the digital games into a wider educational process.
The learners’ section includes 12 interactive digital games, with three games for each of the four competence areas. Through accessible and engaging real-life scenarios, learners can practise expressing their needs, listening to others, managing daily routines, using public transport, handling money, recognising and naming emotions, showing empathy, interpreting facial expressions, communicating assertively and dealing with conflicts.
The games provide a safe and supportive environment in which learners can practise skills, make choices and explore the consequences of different responses. Customisable accessibility features allow the learning experience to be adapted to individual needs and preferences.
The platform can be used in adult education, youth work, disability services, community programmes, vocational preparation and non-formal education. A possible learning process begins with the educator reviewing the relevant online course content, selecting a competence area, delivering one or more lesson-plan activities and then using the related digital game to practise or reinforce the skill.
Reflection, discussion, repetition and the transfer of learning to everyday situations should be included according to the needs of the learners. Educators are encouraged to adapt instructions, language, timing, group size, materials and level of support.
In youth-work contexts, Soft Skills+ is particularly relevant for supporting young adults with intellectual disabilities during transitions towards greater independence, community participation, education, training, volunteering or employment.
Disclaimer
SALTO cannot be held responsible for the inappropriate use of these training tools. Always adapt training tools to your aims, context, target group and to your own skills! These tools have been used in a variety of formats and situations. Please notify SALTO should you know about the origin of or copyright on this tool.
Tool overview
http://toolbox.salto-youth.net/5926
This tool is for
The primary target group is adults and young adults with intellectual disabilities aged 18–65, particularly people with mild intellectual disabilities who may benefit from support in communication, social interaction, emotional regulation and adaptive skills. Within the SALTO and youth-work context, the platform is especially suitable for young adults aged 18–30 with intellectual disabilities, including young people with fewer opportunities who are preparing for greater independence, community participation, further education, training, volunteering or employment. The platform is also intended for educators, trainers, youth workers, disability support workers, social workers, psychologists, adult-education professionals, facilitators and volunteers working in formal, non-formal or community-based learning environments.
and addresses
Social Inclusion, Disability, Personal Development, Conflict Management
It is recommended for use in:
Training and Networking
Strategic Partnerships
Materials needed:
Access to the Soft Skills+ eLearning Platform and an internet-connected computer, tablet or smartphone with an updated web browser.
For individual use, learners may also benefit from headphones or speakers, depending on the selected activity and their preferences.
For group or face-to-face delivery, educators may use a computer, projector or interactive whiteboard, printed or digital copies of the lesson plans, pens, paper and any additional materials indicated in the selected lesson plan.
The materials, communication methods, level of support and digital settings should be adapted to the accessibility needs and preferences of each learner.
Duration:
The duration is flexible and depends on whether the platform is used as a complete learning pathway or whether individual modules, lesson plans or games are selected.
Educators can first complete or review the relevant sections of the online course. They can then select one of the four competence areas, implement one or more face-to-face lesson-plan activities and use the corresponding digital games to practise and reinforce the skills addressed.
The platform can therefore be used during a single educational session, over a series of workshops or as part of a longer-term individual or group learning programme.
Additional time should be allowed for accessibility adjustments, supported communication, repetition, breaks, reflection, feedback and the application of the skills to real-life situations.
Behind the tool
The tool was created by
The Soft Skills+ team
in the context of
Erasmus+ KA220
The tool has been experimented in
Training sessions in Italy, Croatia and Greece
The tool was published to the Toolbox by
Luisa Accardo (on 4 September 2026)
and last modified
4 August 2026
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