The rationale of this project, based on on analysis partly by CEDEFOP, and the needs identified by the partnership : 1.The contribution of work-based learning to supporting youth employment and economic competitiveness is widely recognised. Despite this and the fact that work-based learning in VET has proven to be effective in terms of providing students with skills applicable to the labour market and helping to reduce the risk of youth unemployment, VET and WBL does not have a very good reputation regarding professional growth and career guidance, intellectual challenges and attractive career opportunities. 2. In the countries of the partner organisation WBL as part of VET is under transformation and VET providers and stakeholders need support on how to innovate the existing work-based learning practices, seen as a success factor for good governance of WBL. 3. All participating organisations in this project recognise that collaboration and partnerships between school and company/workplace will enhance quality in areas as career guidance, curriculum design and professional growth and wil result in better value for the involved organizations. But all of them feel the need for more more research of innovative models of networking and partnership between school and labour market. 4. Already at the end of 2008 the European Council decided that 'career management skills play a decisive role in empowering people to become involved in shaping their learning, training and integration pathways and their careers'. On national as well on regional levels there are promising schemes and projects. However, these projects have in common that the cover only individual aspects and stages on the path of working life. This partnership project adresses these needs through development, transfer and/or implement innovative practices at organisational, local, regional, national or European level with the aim of: - Enhancing the professional growth and career guidance of the staff members and those involved in training and education (VET) by increasing the quality of international knowledge exchange and continuous training, including new pedagogies, e-learning and the use of Open Educational Ressources in different European languages. (adressing needs 3 & 4) - Fostering the quality, relevance and implementation of the learning offer in training and career guidance of work-based learning (WBL) by developing new, innovative and empowering approaches and supporting the dissemination of best practices. (adressing need 1 & 2) - Improving the level of key competeces and skills with particular regard to their relevance for the labour market of the social sector and their contribution to a cohesive society, in particular through enhanced cooperation and networking between the world of education and the world of work. (adressing need 3) As a most tangible result of the project we will deliver 2 toolkits : 'professional growth & career guidance in VET' & 'Tools for quality and empowerment in WBL'. These toolkits will gather the best practices and tools of the project partners and coming out of the learning events in the partnership. Joint to this toolkits the partnership will deliver also a CD with guidelines for trainers. All instruments will be promoted for free access to the public on the European conference and through the website of the partnership. The partnership has a clear dissemination plan starting from the value of ownership of the idea of the project and the involvement of key actors of the target groups, resulting in an extended impact on the end users and stakeholders in the field of the project on regional, national and European level. Therefor the project is placed in a perspective that goes beyond the project period. Its results will be integrated in the management of the participating organisations and, through the multiplier events, there will be a mainstreaming effect in the European civil society.