“bASic Stem compETences for migrantS”

We had applied for the "Basic Stem Competences for Migrants" (ASSETS) project to address pressing needs in the field of adult education and social inclusion. The project aimed to promote and develop high-quality STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills among migrants seeking career opportunities, whether as employees or entrepreneurs. By doing so, ASSETS strived to facilitate the social inclusion of migrants in EU countries, empowering them to access the job market with newly acquired competencies. Our project's target groups consisted of adult educators, trainers, and social workers working with migrants (the direct target group) and migrants aged 21+ facing barriers to employment (the indirect target group). The primary purpose of the project was to develop innovative upskilling pathways in STEM for both of these groups, employing an interdisciplinary approach. To achieve these fundamental objectives, ASSETS had outlined a plan that included four transnational meetings, two intellectual outputs, one training activity, and six multiplier events.

Impact on Direct Target Group (Adult Educators, Trainers, and Social Workers): - Empower these professionals with new methodologies and long-term partnerships. - Enhance employability of adult migrants through intellectual outputs. - Develop vital skills and competencies through mobility activities. - Enable professionals to leverage social skills for migrants' social inclusion and STEM competencies. Impact on Indirect Target Group: - Increase knowledge of the host country's labor market and competencies needed. - Raise awareness of the labor market demands. - Improve employability and social inclusion opportunities for migrant learners. Impact on Project Partners: - Enhance partners' ability to provide diversified services for migrants in STEM careers. - Foster a formal European network through increased cooperation with partner organizations. Impact on VET Providers, NGOs, Educational Institutions: - Provide support schemes and innovative methodologies through the project's web platform. - Improve the quality and effectiveness of educational and research offerings. - Facilitate networking and collaboration opportunities within the education

The implementation of the ASSETS project spanned 24 months and encompassed a range of activities: Transnational Meetings: - Four face-to-face transnational meetings facilitated collaboration and communication. Virtual Meetings: - To ensure ongoing cooperation, 20 virtual meetings were conducted. Local Multiplier Events: - Six local events in six languages promoted project awareness and engagement at the local level. Staff Training: - A Long-Term Training Activity (LTTA) was organized to train staff and young adults. Dissemination Plan: - A comprehensive Dissemination Plan was developed to reach people number of people and ensure project visibility. - This included 30 newsletters, significant networking conferences, and an international outreach campaign. Progress Reports: - Regular progress reports and financial progress reports were prepared to track project developments. Monitoring Reports: - Monitoring reports were generated to assess project performance. Intellectual Outputs (IOs): 1) Development of "Migrants and STEM" training format (IO1) aimed at improving migrants' access to the labor market. It included ASSETS motivational content, mapping of STEM-related careers, and content knowledge. 2) Local workshops on STEM competences with migrant participation, leading to the creation of e-training materials and the "Enhancing migrants through STEM competence" platform (IO2). This interactive online platform offered specific modules focusing on the ASSETS learning methodology for migrants and social workers. (See: www.assetsproject.eu)

R1 - “Migrants and STEM” Training Format R2 - “Enhancing migrants through STEM competence” Web platform Detailed explanation of the project outputs: 1. State of Art Report: The project begins with a comprehensive analysis, resulting in a "State of Art" report. This report serves as a detailed overview of the challenges and opportunities migrants face when seeking access to the labor market. It identifies the specific needs and barriers faced by adult migrants, especially related to STEM-related employment opportunities. 2. ASSETS Curriculum Design: The project embarks on creating a robust curriculum, known as "ASSETS Curriculum Design," which focuses on enhancing the STEM skills and competencies of adult migrants. This curriculum is structured into three main modules: - ASSETS Motivational Content: This module is designed to inspire and motivate adult migrants to pursue STEM-related careers. It aims to instill a strong sense of purpose and interest in these fields. - ASSETS Mapping of STEM-Related Careers: This module provides an informative guide to the various STEM career paths available. It helps adult migrants understand the breadth of opportunities within STEM. - ASSETS Content Knowledge: This module offers practical, hands-on STEM knowledge and skills relevant to the labor market. It equips learners with the tools and expertise needed for STEM employment. 3. Focus Groups and Reports: The project conducts extensive focus group sessions with various stakeholders, including adult migrants, educators, trainers, and social workers. These sessions collect valuable data on their specific educational needs and existing gaps in STEM knowledge. Each partner organization generates individual reports based on their focus group findings, which are then compiled into a comprehensive report by the project's leaders. 4. Training Curriculum: Using the insights gathered from the focus groups, the project designs a training curriculum tailored to the needs of adult migrants. This curriculum leverages online course design techniques for distance learning, making it accessible to a diverse group of learners. To ensure that even learners with limited ICT skills can access the content, it is designed to be user-friendly, with the content presented through straightforward, easily accessible formats, such as videos embedded on platforms like YouTube and easy-to-read fonts. 5. Short-Term Joint Staff Training: The project conducts a Short-Term Joint Staff Training event to test the Training Format. This event is designed to involve adult educators, trainers, and social workers who work with migrants. It serves as a crucial step in validating the effectiveness of the curriculum. 6. Local Workshops: To practically apply the knowledge and skills acquired through the curriculum, local workshops on STEM competences are organized. These workshops actively involve migrants, offering them opportunities to engage in hands-on learning experiences. 7. Interactive Online Platform: The "Enhancing Migrants through STEM Competence" platform is an interactive online platform developed to complement the project's learning methodology. It contains specific modules that focus on enhancing the effectiveness of the ASSETS learning approach for migrants and social workers. (http://www.assetsproject.eu/) 8. Multiplier Events: To ensure project awareness and impact, one Multiplier Event is conducted in each partner country. These events draw participation from diverse groups, including the general public, disabled adults, and stakeholders. They play a crucial role in disseminating the project's findings and promoting its overall objectives, both in onsite and online formats.