Topic/Theme: Soft skills for adult learners, andragogy, pedagogy and didactics.
Duration: The course can be structured for a different schedule, with options for 5, 7 or 9 training days.
Sending Partners:
Educational organizations involved in formal, non-formal, and informal learning, including adult training centers, resource centers, and other relevant organizations in Erasmus+ program countries.
Participants:
20-25 adults actively involved in education, including adult trainers from various educational levels.
Course Fee: According to the Erasmus+ guide, 80 euros per training day, covering course preparation, training, materials, administration, organizational costs, and 24 hours of emergency support.
Trainers:
A multinational team of trainers – Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Greek, Cypriot, Polish, SALTO affiliated, with training in more than 15 European countries.
Languages Used:
English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French. Training materials will be provided in English, with options for Spanish and French upon request.
Profile of Participants:
Participants include teachers from the high scool, as well as adult trainers from sending organizations.
Participants must demonstrate a willingness to develop professionally through the course, engaging in preparatory and follow-up activities. Additionally, participants should have an interest in other cultures and a commitment to developing the European dimension of their institutions.
Objectives:
During the training course, participants will:
- Offer participants opportunities to apply the soft skills learned in the course in real-world situations.
- Foster adaptability by exposing trainers to different settings, challenges, and participant groups.
- Encourage problem-solving skills by presenting participants with practical challenges during the mobility experience.
- To develop cultural sensitivity and awareness by exposing trainers to diverse environments and participant backgrounds.
- To develop and demonstrate active listening skills, incorporating techniques such as paraphrasing and summarizing during interpersonal interactions.
- To Identify and cultivate leadership qualities, including the ability to inspire and guide others, resulting in improved leadership effectiveness.
- To improve emotional intelligence by recognizing, understanding, and managing their own emotions, leading to enhanced interpersonal relationships.
- To facilitate networking opportunities with professionals in the field during the mobility experience.
- Emphasize the transferability of soft skills across different training scenarios.
- To engage in self-reflection to identify personal strengths and areas for improvement, fostering a heightened self-awareness in professional interactions.
- Promoting European cooperation in the field of education within the framework of the Erasmus+ program by partnership building
Learning Outcomes:
The course will help participants:
- Improving professional and personal communication competencies
- Organising group building activities
- Developing active listening skills to enhance understanding and collaboration.
- Demonstrating an understanding of the impact of emotions on interpersonal relationships.
- Organising non-formal educational activities for their target groups – using European certification tools
- Developing strategic thinking and decision-making skills.
- Navigating and managing disagreements constructively.
- Relating and working effectively across cultures in educational environments
Methodology:
The course is designed for teachers and trainers of all subjects, offering effective tools to improve their parental education skills, with emphasis on parents from disadvantaged backrounds. The methodology includes two-way communication processes such as discussions, interactive games, story-boarding, role-plays, three-step interviews working in groups and pairs, presentations, case studies, creative thinking techniques, and individual activities. The training course will be supported through preparatory and follow-up activities.
| Days | Module | Details of activities and methodology |
| Day 1 | Communication | Introduction to Soft Skills for Trainers Understanding Effective Communication in Training Active Listening and Questioning Techniques Verbal and Non-verbal Communication Skills |
| Day 2 | Group dynamics | Intra and inter group dynamics Tools for working with groups, group building activities. Working with stakeholders. |
| Day 3,4 | Education methods (formal, non-formal, informal) | Study visit to a local institution active in adult education. Dissemination of previous European projects applying non-formal and informal methods made by all partners. Non formal methods too develop soft skills in adult learners. Theatre based methods. Coaching tools. Cultural city – a cultural project Midterm evaluation |
| Day 5 | Non-formal methods for parental education | What is inclusion? The inclusive education and the inclusive society. Understanding exclusion. Developing trust and self-esteem for excluded individuals. Coaching tools for parents with fewer opportunities: zone of fulfillment, values, wheel of life, comfort zone. Research project followed by role play: EPALE choose a method and apply it! Forum theatre method for inclusive approaches. Study visit to a local inclusive institution applying parental education methods. Dissemination of previous European projects. |
| Day 6 | Facilitation and Interpersonal Skills | The Art of Facilitation in Adult Training Creating Engaging Training Environments Building Positive Relationships with Participants Handling Difficult Participants and Situations |
| Day 7 | Advanced Soft Skills for Trainers | Emotional Intelligence for Trainers Time Management and Organization Skills for Trainers Adaptability and Flexibility in Training Personal Development Strategies for Continuous Improvement |
| Day 8 | Personal Development and Continuous Improvement | Goal Setting and Self-Reflection for Trainers Feedback and Evaluation Techniques Networking and Professional Development for Trainers Creating a Personalized Action Plan for Continuous Improvement |
| Day 9 | Evaluation | Dissemination and valorization activities planning. Using European certification tools: Europass Mobility certificate, upgrading the Europass Language Passport and Europass Skills Passport Project evaluation. Certification ceremony. |