The project “Implementation of new educational Programs due to innovations” will give a chance to 12 special subject teachers of the Rezekne Art and Design Secondary School (RMDV) to participate in an exchange in Portugal (6 teachers in the 1st stream) and in Spain ( 6 teachers 2nd stream) and 10 students to take part in a practice in the UK ( 3rd stream;1 accompanying person) . The project will have 3 streams. Participants will have to go through a selection procedure to participate in the exchange and practice – showing that he or she wants to develop professionally and as a person, achieving the project goals set, so that RMDV can implement in the next few years a new educational programes or programe photography and/or art therapy education programe or separate subjects on the based on the curriculum, thus giving young people the opportunity to acquire new skills. The overall objective of the project is to raise the level of skills and abilities of young people, offering opportunity to acquire professions, which are innovative and suitable for the modern labour market, in order to strengthen the cooperation between educational institutions and the employment realm. Immediate objectives of the project : 1 ) for the students to facilitate their ability to acquire skills, knowledge and competencies that will enhance their personal growth, employment chances and integration into the labour market; 2 ) for the vocational subjects’ teachers to promote the opportunities to acquire the skills, knowledge and competencies that will improve learning process of the RMDV, making it more innovative, improving the quality in the vocational education system as a whole and in the creative industry market; later sharing the results at the international level. Objectives of the project: -to ensure access to information for RMDV teachers and students about the project objectives, deliverables, nature and possibilities, inviting them to participate in the selection procedure; -to administer high-quality preparation of project participants for the exchange and the practice; -to organize the exchange experience (the observation and study of work processes) for 6 teachers in Portugal and 6 - in Spain; -to organize the practice for 10 RMDV students in the UK; -to compile and evaluate the project results after the exchange and practice; -to present the project results in a seminar on innovation organized at the RMDV; -to publish information on the results in the public media, on the RMDV website www.rmdv.lv and partner sites; -in collaboration with other teachers of the school to decide on introduction of a new programe in the learning process of RMDV. The project will run from 3 August 2014 to 2 August 2015. A high-quality preparatory stage for the project participants is foreseen. The 1st stream of exchanges will depart on 25 November 2014 and return 5 December 2014 (the exchange will last 9 days, 2 days travelling time) 2nd stream – from 1 December 2014 to 11 December 2014 the exchange will last 9 days, 2 days travelling time) 3rd stream–the practice will be from 3 February 2015 to 18 February 2015 (a total of 16 days). Within the project the RMDV will work with 3 partners who will provide the exchange in Portugal and Spain, the practice in a Brighton school and photo workshops. RMDV will conduct the evaluation of the results, as well as address the technical issues. Practice feed into the learning process of the RMDV. The project participants will learn the basics of photography, an insight into the history of photography, from classic black and white photography to contemporary photo digitization and chromaticity. In addition the youngsters will gain insight into art therapy, the opportunities it provides. As a result, they will evaluated if RMDV should introduce this innovative education programes, as well as a small photo exhibition will be organized. Practice will confirm that the young people can participate in projects that show their ability to compete confidently in the labour market. They will have a chance to develop professional skills and self - confidence, learn about other cultures and traditions, to the world of art and design of another country, which is a significant for youngsters representing a cultural institution. The exchange will give teachers a chance to develop personally and professionally. They will observe and study the working process in the Portuguese and Spanish schools, research innovative programes, by evaluating of work plans, methods, material resources, teacher approaches, students' interest, the strengths and weaknesses, benefits and barriers. The organizers together with partners will issue Europass Mobility certificates to all participants. The results of the project are essential for RMDV, because it will have to make decision whether to implement or to temporarily postpone the introduction of new programs, or include into the timetable only some certain subjects.