Beyond Erasmus+

Background As the end of the Erasmus+ Programme 2014-2020 was approaching, organisations from five European countries with which we have previously collaborated in the development of projects in the framework of this Programme, we considered it essential to evaluate and measure the impact that Erasmus+ has had at local, regional and international level on young people and youth professionals who have participated in different actions of the Programme and the great change it has brought in their lives both at personal and professional level. At the same time, we consider it necessary to know and exchange our tools and good practices, and to present some proposals for improvements derived from the results. This project "Beyond Erasmus+" is a 16-month strategic partnership of exchange of good practices in the field of youth, coordinated by Iniciativa Internacional Joven (Spain) with partners from Poland, Italy, Lithuania and Ireland. Objectives The main objectives of the project are: -To develop key competences of participants, youth workers and other professionals in the youth field in order to develop higher quality projects in the framework of European educational mobility programmes; -To improve the efficiency and quality of the Erasmus+ programme through the exchange of evaluation and impact measurement tools between different institutions, organisations and professionals in the field of youth work; -To exchange experiences, good practices and methodologies on evaluation and impact measurement in projects carried out in the framework of the Erasmus+: Youth Programme by institutions, organisations and professionals from five countries; -To create an international network of organisations applying for and developing high quality projects in the framework of the European educational mobility programmes, in order to promote cooperation and exchange of good practices between Programme Countries. Implementation The main activities carried out were: -Transnational coordination meeting in Dublin (Ireland) to specify strategies, working methodologies and details of the following activities; -Local activities I: diagnosis and situation analysis, working meetings, identification of good practices and tools for evaluation and impact measurement; International training in Malaga (Spain) of six days for three youth workers per organisation on evaluation, impact measurement and recognition of key competences; -International training in Malaga (Spain) of six days for three youth workers per organisation on evaluation, impact measurement and recognition of key competences key competences; -Local activities II: training workshops at local level, interviews with participants of the Erasmus+ Programme; -Presentation and dissemination activities of the products and results: eBook and videos; -Final event in Kaunas (Lithuania) for the presentation of the project products, and a final evaluation among the partner organisations. The general methodology of the project is based on the pedagogical principles of non-formal education, liberating pedagogy and emotional intelligence. Achievements Through this strategic partnership we achieved different results, among the most relevant we can mention: -An eBook in 5 languages (English, Italian, Macedonian, Greek and Spanish) where the exchanged good practices, new tools, recommendations and other training and pedagogical materials are compiled; -A final video of the project; -21 video interviews with experiences of people who have participated in the E+ programme; -Video summary of the interviews; -Project website; -Two online coordination meetings and a Training Event in Spain; New competences acquired and/or developed by the direct participants; -New competences acquired and/or developed by the direct participants; -Increased commitment and involvement of partner organisations at international level; -Increased awareness of the population about the Erasmus+ programme and the importance of evaluating and measuring the impact; -Strengthened contacts between partners from different projects.