CONTEXTThe primary rationale for the project is to support VET learners in the Energy Efficiency and Community Development sectors in developing vocational skills and gaining work experience to maximise their opportunities for labour market integration and career progression. The project also aims to enable to participants to develop the linguistic and cultural skills required to access employment in other countries within the European labour market.OBJECTIVESThe project will provide mobilities to Spain for VET learners in the Energy Efficiency sector that will incorporate work placements hosted by partner employers that can offer both domestic and commercial energy assessment work covering a range of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy technologies. This will enable the project to respond to the specific aspirations of each participant by providing them with a placement that matches their learning and work experience needs. The project will also provide mobilities to Italy and Spain for VET learners in the Community Development sector that will incorporate work placements with employers that undertake community development work in the destination countries but that also have a transnational dimension to their work. Supporting participants to develop the linguistic and cultural skills required to access employment in other countries within the European labour market is also a key project objective.PARTICIPANTSParticipants will be VET learners who are working towards or who have recently completed vocational qualifications for the Energy Efficiency and Community Development sectors. Although we offer a range of qualifications for these sectors, the specific courses where we propose to offer mobility opportunities to learners are the Certificate in Understanding Sustainable Energy Efficiency at either Level 2 or Level 3 and the Award in Community Development at Level 3. In total, 62 participants will undertake 3-month mobilities - 50 to Spain and 12 to Italy.ACTIVITIESThe main activities undertaken by participants during their mobilities will be the programme of work experience and learning facilitated by their Host Employer in either the Energy Efficiency or Community Development sector. This will vary for individual participants but participants will be matched with an appropriate Host Employer in accordance with their learning needs and professional development aims. Participants will gain experience in a range of areas and core work experience and learning programmes will also be complemented by preparation, orientation and induction activities, ongoing language support and a programme of social and cultural activities.METHODOLOGYProject methodologies focus on supporting learners to develop experience-acquired skills for their vocational area and learn by working alongside established professionals in their chosen field. We have worked with the project partners on previous, successful Mobility Projects and have well-established methodologies and mechanisms for supporting the training objectives and professional development aspirations of participants from the relevant target groups.RESULTSThe project will also provide significant beneficial impacts for the participants in terms of labour market integration and career development. Based on our experience of delivering successful Mobility Projects, we expect at least two thirds of participants (42 out of 62) to move into sustainable employment in their chosen field after completing their Mobility Placement, with a further 20% (12 out of 62) progressing onto further training for either the Energy Efficiency or Community Development sectors.IMPACTThe project will help to build the capacity of partners to participate in transnational activities and European projects in general and the Erasmus Plus programme in particular. The project partners will also work to respond to relevant policies and initiatives. For example, the focus on Energy Efficiency is in line with the European Union’s recently adopted targets of reducing greenhouse gases by 40% compared to 1990 levels and producing 27% of energy from renewable sources by 2030. Similarly, providing Community Development training and mobility opportunities will enable the project to respond to the focus of the Europe for Citizens programme on encouraging citizens to become actively involved in the process of European integration.LONGER TERM BENEFITSOver the medium to long term, evaluation and dissemination activities offer potential to engage with VET providers and enterprises within Energy Efficiency and Community Development sectors more widely across the EU and thus inform developments in VET provision at the local, national and European level.