CONTEXT Salt Liverpool (SALT) is a private vocational training provider that works with adults, children and young people to give them the motivation, self-confidence and skills they need to change their lives. Evidence of the bespoke delivery and entrepreneurial learning philosophy championed by SALT can be seen in the Liverpool FC Foundation College. Created in 2012, and delivered in partnership with Liverpool FC, the LFC Foundation College aims to equip students with the skills and experience to progress into education or employment within sport. OBJECTIVES The primary aim of this project was to further enhance and improve the vocational training and development of students at the LFC Foundation College. Working with host partner Sportilia in Italy, the project also aimed to provide greater exit and progression opportunities for students upon completion of the programme. The project had 3 overarching strategic objectives: 1) Facilitating the transfer of European training methods, development environments, techniques and philosophies into both the LFC Foundation College programme and students. 2) Exposing the students to the European opportunities in both sport and other careers so these can be explored and more readily understood, accepted and pursued in the future. 3) Embedding LLP principles into the training and development programme and working cultures in order to equip students with the aptitude and skills to pursue employment, either within sport or outside of it, throughout their career. NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS There were 94 students at the college during the 2014/2015 academic year, of which 86% were male, 14% were female and 11% from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups. 26 participants were selected from this student base via a comprehensive selection process that targeted the students that would gain most value from the proposed activities in terms of sporting, educational and social development. PROJECT ACTIVITIES The majority of the work placement activities took place at Sportilia, including: - Regular training sessions to address the defined sports performance targets. - Games versus high quality Italian youth teams. - Daily feedback and evaluation sessions to confirm goal setting/reflection. Sportilia has outstanding links at a local, regional and national level which enabled LFC Foundation College to enhance the work placement activities of participants. For example: - Access to Bologna FC and Rimini FC with activities to include training sessions and games at their world class training facilities. - A visit to the Italian National Football Technical Centre in Florence. - Observation of a live Serie A fixture. METHODOLGY LFC Foundation College used the principles of the European Quality Charter for Mobility to set goals and define tasks for the key elements of the project: 1) INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE: production of clear and accessible resources for participants, staff and parents/guardians. 2) LEARNING PLAN: clearly defining the project objectives and the role of each partner in achieving them. 3) PERSONALISATION: pre-visit assessment of participants' desired learning outcomes. 4) PREPARATION: a structured preparation programme tailored to individual needs. 5) LANGUAGE: provision of informal language training. 6) LOGISTICS: a formal contract signed by both parties outlining practical and logistical responsibilities. 7) MENTORING: provision of suitably qualified staff to facilitate achievement of individual goals and ensure integration. 8) RECOGNITION: delivery of learnings that impacted directly on formal vocational qualifications to recognise individual learning outcomes. 9) EVALUATION: comprehensive and objective evaluation of all aspects of the project. 10) RESPONSIBILITIES: agreement by all parties on their roles and responsibilities in the successful delivery of the project, formalised in writing via a Memorandum of Understanding and individual participant Learning Plans. IMPACTS The impacts on participants included: - Defined progression on, and enhancement of, the vocational qualifications pursued within the LFC Foundation College Sports Academy programme. - Development of life skills and experience that can be utilised throughout participants' education and careers. - Enhanced cultural and linguistic skills, facilitating openness to new opportunities both in the UK and Europe. - Improved knowledge and understanding of the European opportunities in sport and other careers. The impacts on LFC Foundation College have included: - Enhancement of the Sports Academy programme both in terms of improved technical sporting quality of students and coaches, and also student achievement rates. - Implementation of best practice across the Sports Academy programme and also the wider college. - Improved exit and progression opportunities for students, both within sport and outside of it, and in the UK and Europe.