Project
IN-WORK - Inclusive communities at work
Project sponsors
The project develops inclusive and work-integrated learning in higher education institutions. It is focusing on the students who need special support in their studies and will improve the study and employment opportunities of these students. The project will plan and implement pilot training for higher education teachers and staff to strengthen their ability to take into account the opportunities offered by working life in learning and in guiding students into working life. At the same time, the role of higher education as a bearer of social responsibility and a regional developer will be developed. The project partners are Universita Degli Studi D Macerata from Italy (coordinator), Universitat Rovira I Virgili from Spain, European Universities Contunuing Education Network from Belgium and Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences from Finland.
- Using surveys, interviews and research data, identify the main obstacles to the entry into working life of young people in need of special support and develop interventions to remove these barriers
- Designing and implementing pedagogically appropriate processes and procedures to increase the university's openness and participatory operating culture
- Experimenting and exploring work-integrated learning methods to promote employability and access to employment for students in need of special support
- Disseminating the results and insights gained from the project.
Project results
The project achieved its objectives. The project aimed to improve the work-integrated learning of university students with special needs and thereby contribute to both their employability and a more inclusive working life. Measures were taken in each country to achieve these objectives.
The project produced concrete outputs which can be read and downloaded from the project website https://www.in-work-project.eu/english. The outputs are as follows:
1) A description of the needs and available resources for young people with special needs in the different countries
2) Guides describing how support needs are taken into account in working life
3) Training material for the development of skills of higher education staff
4) Pilot report
5) Guidance on the organisation of work-integrated learning for students with special needs in higher education.
From the perspective of JAMK and the School of Professional Techer Education, the project also achieved the following:
- increased attention to the fact that the support needs of students with individual support needs should also be considered in the context of working life and in all learning environments where learning takes place
- The project launched an 'Experts' Afternoon' for those responsible for individual support in higher education, which is intended to be held annually.
- A module on learning in the workplace was added to the new curriculum for the training of non-specialist vocational teachers
- A course on the theme was also added to the open university
- Launched continuing training on the theme
- New cooperation networks were built within JAMK as well as regionally, nationally and internationally around the theme of inclusiveness.