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COPE (Connection Opportunities for People in Europe)

Once again, EFM joins known partners in a new Strategic Partnership project. COPE is complementary with E2MP project, developed by the same consortium – CCW from Cardiff (UK) as project coordinator, ADICE & SophieDelebarre Conseil from Roubaix and Lille (France) and CESIE from Palermo (Italy). While E2MP trains the youth managers, COPE will train directly the youth. Still both projects target directly or indirectly young people with fewer opportunities.

COPE’s rationale is focused on two top key elements of the EU policies: social inclusion and unemployment among youth with fewer opportunities.
According to Tibor Navracsics, affirmations: “Young people need the opportunity to develop the skills and competences which help them to find their place in the labour market and in society as a whole.”* but if we check Eurostat statistics, it shows that the unemployment rate among European young people (21%) is twice bigger than adult’s (9%).
*(Empowering young people to participate in society European good practice projectsErasmus+ and Youth in action programmes, 2015).

A Study Report on Mobility says “the employability of the young people can be facilitated and promoted through Educational and Vocational Guidance and Counselling (…) and Mobility programmes and actions” (Youth Employability – a Study Report on Mobility, revised version, September 2010). These three are the pylons COPE’s strategy is built on as well.

Although the mobility benefits have been demonstrated through real successful examples and statistics, the YPWFO participation in mobility project is not very high and COPE aims to analyse the reasons behind and increase their involvement.

  • To connect YP in Europe with the aim at increasing social inclusion, promoting EU values, diversity acceptance and inter-cultural and social dialogue.
    • Fight against long-term work/training inactivity as it is one of the suicide, depression and mental health causes and provide solutions;
    • Increase YPWFO basic skills through simplified training and peer learning;
    • Connect YPWFO with job centres and inform them about European job support and initiatives (i.e.: EURES, YEI).
  • Make Erasmus+ (E+), accessible to everyone and motivate YPWFO to take part in a mobility project with the aim at:
    • Increasing YPWFO employability and social skills.
  • Decrease YP fears related to mobility through guidance.
  • Creating of an online platform gathering all the created tools and providing opportunity to connect and exchange good practices, advice, practical information, as well to develop their own network and to keep in touch with people after their mobility project
  • Promoting EU and European and international mobility grants – making EU and mobility understandable to all
    • Developing a guide helping youth in their project preparation: explain practical information (e.g. how to get a European Health Insurance Card), the life cycle of a mobility project and provide a list with links and free online materials (grammar, books, videos, vocabulary) helping the youth to improve their language skills
  • Making available Online training materials to enhance soft skills and support acquisition (documents, links that people can use to prepare themselves before the departure)
  • 4 Multiplier Events in Wales, France, Italy and Poland where all outputs will be presented.

  • Mobility Manual: a guide preparing for a mobility project

– aims to better prepare young people before a mobility project to avoid failure and minimise risks

  • COPE Training Kit: to increase basic soft skills and employability skills, transferable in any work place

– ten training modules aiming to in-crease young people basic employability skills

  • European Union and International Mobility grants Induction

– aims to raise young people’s awareness about the European values and Erasmus + and other mobility grants

  • COPE Online Platform for Youth – OPY

– will gather all the created tools descried above. The platform will be accessible online and free of costs for the users

– will connect young people from Europe

In June, 2016, project coordinator – CCW – hosted in Cardiff the Launching meeting with all partners. During this meeting was possible for all partners to gather and discuss all parts of the project, as well as already structure in a more defined way the ongoing 2 years project. As COPE focus on a very actual issue and counts with very experienced and complementary partners, the excahange of ideas still is one of the strongest strenghts of our strategic partnership.

Already in Palermo (Italy) on the 21st and 22nd of November 2016, the work continued as it was already possible to all partners to present and discuss the content of our COPE Training Kit.

On the 13th and 14th of March 2017, it was the time of EFM to host our 3rd meeting in Polanica Zdrój, Poland. Again the meeting counted with Youth Workers that had the opportunity to give us their feedback and suggestions.

The 4th COPE meeting was hosted by ADICE in Roubaix (France) on the 3rd and 4th of July, 2017. You can read all about it here.

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