European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education€¦ · Market • Gap between education and labour market • The transition between school and labour market still need

Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Policy and Practice in the Field of

Special Needs Education Conference

Conclusions and next steps

Mary Kyriazopoulou and Harald Weber

European Agency for Development in SNE


Main outcomes Policy (Literature Review)

Towards the inclusion of people with disabilities/SEN

into the labour market

• In the last few years there has been a visible shift at the European

level towards integrating people with disabilities/SEN into the labour

market (Lisbon Strategy 2000, 2004, EU 2020 Strategy, etc)

• The European Commission has stressed that the EU 2020 Strategy

will be successful only if the most vulnerable groups are taken into

consideration, and the access of young people with disabilities/SEN

to the labour market is ensured.



Key messages include

• VET should be equitable and efficient.

• The development of high quality VET is a crucial and integral part of the

Lisbon strategy, particularly in terms of promoting social inclusion.

• VET should be addressed to all sections of the population, offering attractive

and challenging pathways to those with high potential, whilst at the same

time addressing those at risk of educational disadvantage and labour

market exclusion, such as people with special needs.

• Official data shows that disabled people continue to be

disproportionately excluded from the labour market.

• The exclusion of people with disabilities from the labour market is a serious

concern. Countries should make it a priority to achieve better results for

learners with special needs, to promote personalised learning and to

integrate services within mainstream schooling



Key Factors Facilitating Vocational, Educational and Training

Programmes for Learners with SEN: Links with the Labour Market

• Co-operation of actors

• Co-ordination of sectors and services

• Learner involvement and individual needs in VET

• Vocational skills and interpersonal knowledge

• Flexible policies and measures

• Relationship between VET and the labour market

• Role of trainers/mentors in VET

• Role of career councellors and implementation of transition plans


Main outcomes State of the Art in Europe on Policies

• European countries have incorporated the principles of the UN

convention on the rights of persons with disabilities/SEN

• In education and VET legislation the key principles highlighted are:

normalisation, equal opportunities, non discrimination,

inclusive settings, equal opportunities of participation in and

contribution to society, independent living, financial self

sufficiency and autonomy

• Focus on students becoming as highly qualified as possible,

supporting fewer subsidised jobs and sheltered places, as well as

on reducing the numbers of early school leavers.

• Different levels of responsibility to implement the national goals

within their own environment.


Main outcomes State of the Art in Europe on Practices

Different levels of responsibility: National level

• Ensure a system of education accessible to all citizens

• Focus on co-operation between education and social partners in

order to develop curricula that correspond to the skills needed in

the working life

• Organise and carry out the assessment of competences,

collaborate in establishing the content of new qualifications,

standards and curricula in order to correspond VET programmes

with the need of economy

• Provide different study paths in the upper secondary school based

on the principle that motivation for taking part in education is

greatest when pupils’ choices are satisfied, but at the same time

take into account the future needs of the labour market.


Main outcomes State of the Art in Europe on Practices

Different levels of responsibility: Regional level

• Provide and operate education/training in accordance to the national

framework and is responsible for the management of VET

institutions, vocational guidance, apprenticeship training and

career planning in co-operation with social partners and NGOs

• Regional advisory boards have an active role in updating the

structure of the educational programmes, in co operation with

social partners

• VET Providers: to increase youth employment, independence

and tackle social exclusion. They provide assistance to the

students, training programmes (vocational and soft skills),

apprenticeship, Transition Plans, social enterprises, advisory

services, etc


Main outcomes State of the Art in Europe

Key Challenges for VET and the link to the Labour

Market

• Gap between education and labour market

• The transition between school and labour market still need to be

tackled, it is not easy accessible for learners with SEN.

• Employers needs to know how to create an optimal working

environment for learners with SEN

• Working on implementing a new funding system for learners with

SEN in VET that is based on supported measures provided by VET

institutions and development of materials adapted to the learners’

needs


Main outcomes Policy debate

• Approaches that are required for learners with SEN are

of benefit to all

• Inclusion to start as early as possible

• Challenges of the VET systems similar to those outside

the EU > project outcomes can be used as well

• Link recommendations / outcomes to evidence based

upon research

• Description of steps to be taken at different levels

(Commission, Member States, Schools etc)

• Putting learners with SEN in the center of decision

• Broadening and managing partnerships

• Use of data for monitoring and assessing impact, on

all levels


Main outcomes VET Experts discussions

• Patterns match with experts’ experiences

• Most patterns were considered strong

• Some patterns will potentially merged

• Despite providing recommendations applicable

to all, a certain level of detail is needed

• Emphasis was given to the inclusive approach


Next steps

• Final draft of the report, based upon the Conference

outcomes

• Finalisation of the study visit documents (summaries and

long versions)

• Finalisation of the “Analysis of the state of the art in

Europe regarding policies and practices on VET for

learners with SEN“

• Providing easy access to the different project outcomes


Next steps


Next steps

Access alternative 1

From the general to the

specific, step by step


Next steps


Quick access to

relevant information

(overview and detail

level)


Next steps


Direct access to

information collected

within the participating

countries


Contact us

www.european-agency.org

European Agency for Development in

Special Needs Education

Østre Stationsvej 33

DK-5000 Odense C

Denmark

Phone: +45 64 41 00 20

Fax: +45 64 41 23 03

[email protected]

Documents

European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education€¦ · Market • Gap between education and labour market • The transition between school and labour market still need