LIFE2 - Key Competences in Life Skills

A specialist team from vocational education organisations and networks from Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, Romania, Spain and the UK will research and update the LIFE Train the Trainer Pack developed in a previous project to help teachers to integrate life skills into vocational learning. The project is supported by the European Union through the Leonardo da Vinci programme, aimed at improving the vocational education systems of Europe.

LIFE2. Dezvoltarea abilităţilor antreprenoriale şi îmbunătăţirea capacităţii de angajare. Pachet pentru formarea formatorilor

Romanian version of theTrain the Trainer Pack developed within LIFE2 project.
Disponibil pentru download în format pdf (4 Mb): (Click dreapta; Save Target As...)

Why should life skills be integrated into vocational education?

The 'key competences in life skills' project, or LIFE 2 for short, is all about helping young people to develop the skills and confidence needed in the workplace during their vocational training.

The challenges facing young people across Europe, which particularly affect those from disadvantaged backgrounds, mean that there is a need to develop their employability and to encourage entrepreneurship skills such as creativity and innovation to help them to set up in business. Our initial research has shown that many employers feel that some young people do not currently have the skills needed in the workplace.

When?

The project will run from November 2011 - October 2013.

Who?

We will be working with vocational teachers, teacher educators, vocational learners, employer networks, organisations which support disadvantaged groups and policy makers/ influencers.

How?

We will work with these groups to research training needs, update the LIFE Train the Trainer Pack and pilot innovative ways to deliver the training in a range of vocational areas. The LIFE 2 training materials will be promoted throughout Europe and the potential for including them in national teacher training programmes will be explored.

What are the key competences in life skills?

With a particular emphasis on improving the employability of vocational learners by helping them to develop the skills and confidence needed in the workplace, the LIFE 2 project uses the following key competence definitions based on the work conducted by the EC Basic Skills Working Group and the European Civil Society Platform and the original LIFE project. These competences help the individual in work, home, social and educational contexts.

• Numeracy: use of mathematics to solve a range of problems in everyday situations
• Literacy and communication: ability to express and interpret thoughts, feelings and facts in both oral and written form (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and to interact linguistically in an appropriate way
• ICT: confident and critical use of technology, internet and electronic media
• Interpersonal: all forms of behaviour that must be mastered - to be able to participate in an efficient and constructive way in work and social life and for effective interaction on a one-to-one basis or in groups/teams.
• Use of foreign languages: broadly shares the main skill dimensions of literacy and communication but also calls for skills such as intercultural understanding
• Entrepreneurship: ability to induce changes in oneself and welcome, support and adapt to innovation brought about by external factors. This involves taking responsibility for one's actions (positive or negative), developing a strategic vision, setting objectives and meeting them, and being motivated to succeed.
• Job seeking: job market research, CV writing, interview and applications preparation
• Learning to learn: ability to organise and regulate one's own learning, including manage one's time effectively to solve problems, to acquire, process, evaluate and assimilate new knowledge and to apply new knowledge and skills in a variety of contexts

How can you get involved?

For further information and to be involved in the LIFE 2 project, please contact the Co-ordinator or any of the partners and see our website www.life-2.eu

Partners:

• Norton Radstock College (UK) - coordinator - www.nortcoll.ac.uk
• Cebanc (Spain) - www.cebanc.biz
• Niels Brock Business College (Denmark) - www.brock.dk
• European Forum for Technical & Vocational Education & Training (EfVET - Belgium) - www.efvet.org
• National Association of Professional Schools (Portugal) - www.anespo.pt
• Centre for Innovation in Education (TEHNE Romania) - www.tehne.ro
• Bath Spa University (UK) - www.bathspa.ac.uk

Project's website: www.life-2.eu