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Organisational visit: Learning from STW
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 9:00 AM - 10:00
Organisational visit: Learning from STW
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 9:00 AM - 10:00
Sadržaj
This activity is for participants taking part in the Cities of Learning study visit for Networking and Advocating.
This session is designed for participants to directly engage with STW (Stronger Through Work), an important organisation in Antwerp. The purpose is to understand STW's unique approach to empowering individuals facing barriers to employment, to mutually learn from each other's practices, and to advocate for the value of non-formal learning and the Cities of Learning Network. This activity directly enhances "Networking and Advocating", "Communicating Meaningfully", and "Displaying Intercultural Sensitivity" competence areas within the European Training Strategy (ETS) Competence Model for Youth Workers.
Why this activity? (Mutual learning & Building bridges to employment)
Direct visits to host organisations like STW offer insights into how practical, supportive pathways can be created for those furthest from the labour market. This visit provides a unique opportunity to observe STW's belief that "Connection works" in action, particularly in fostering sustainable employment and social inclusion. By sharing our work with the Cities of Learning platform and Network, we can explore how recognising diverse skills and experiences (often gained through non-formal means) can complement STW's efforts, ultimately strengthening our collective advocacy for recognition in youth work and adult learning. It’s a chance to learn innovative strategies, inspire new collaborations, and forge concrete connections for more inclusive futures.
About STW
STW (Stronger Through Work) operates on the belief that every citizen deserves the opportunity to fully participate in society, with employment serving as a powerful enabler. They emphasize that a person's ability to utilise their talents and seize labour market opportunities is crucial for social inclusion and well-being. This conviction drives STW to develop accessible, achievable, and respectful projects that guide individuals towards meaningful, sustainable employment. They don't lower the bar for those facing barriers, but instead create "real stepping stones" that honour their potential, believing that "everyone deserves more than a job — they deserve a future."
STW serves both job seekers (especially non-Dutch speakers and low-skilled individuals) and employers through various initiatives:
👷♀️ Spoorzoeker project: This project targets Antwerp youth who are not in education or employment. Spoorzoeker provides a customized, 16-week intensive guidance program to sustainable employment. Through diverse activities like workshops (bike building, woodworking, welding), company visits, sport, and culture, STW boosts participants' self-confidence, self-knowledge, and soft skills (communication, punctuality), alongside basic digital and technical skills. The youth are empowered to own their journey, and companies also contribute their input. All trajectories include an initial internship to prepare youth for their new jobs.
👩🏽🏭 Horizon Network partner: As a partner in the Horizon network (with the City of Antwerp and 14 others), STW guides non-working Antwerp citizens facing multiple challenges towards work and well-being. Horizon focuses on removing various barriers, with STW providing expert guidance and personalized coaching from start to finish.
👨🏾🔧Services for job seekers (Voor werkzoekenden)
- Screening: Evaluations to assess competencies and skills for tailored job search guidance.
- Training: A wide range of courses to strengthen skills and increase employment chances.
- Coaching: Personal guidance and advice from professional coaches at every step of the job search.
- IT Support: Services and answers to IT-related questions from their IT-service center to ensure digital literacy.
👩🏼💼 Services for employers (Voor werkgevers):
- Screening and Selection: Thorough processes to find the best candidates for vacancies, considering skills, experience, and cultural fit.
- Training: Programs for employers aimed at developing staff skills and fostering growth and innovation.
- Coaching and Advice: Experienced coaches offer support and advice for effective talent recruitment, retention, and development.
- IT Support: Services, including training and advice, to help organizations implement and optimize IT systems and processes.
Connecting with Cities of Learning
The synergy between STW's mission and the Cities of Learning Network is profound. Both organizations are deeply committed to:
- Empowering Individuals: STW focuses on economic independence and participation through employment; Cities of Learning champions personal development and the recognition of all learning, formal and non-formal.
- Bridging Gaps: STW creates stepping stones to the labour market for individuals facing significant barriers. Cities of Learning bridges gaps by connecting learners to opportunities and validating diverse learning pathways, making all learning visible and recognized.
- Recognition of Skills: STW's focus on developing soft skills, practical skills through workshops, and work experience aligns directly with the Cities of Learning platform's ability to issue digital badges for these diverse learning outcomes, providing tangible recognition for individuals often underserved by traditional qualifications.
- Advocacy for Inclusion: Both, STW and Cities of Learning, inherently advocate for the value and potential of marginalised individuals – STW for their integration into the labour market, and Cities of Learning for the recognition of their unique learning journeys and contributions.
- Networked Approach: STW’s participation in the Horizon network mirrors the collaborative, multi-stakeholder model of the Cities of Learning Network, highlighting a shared understanding of collective impact.
Through this visit, participants can gain insights into STW's successful strategies for fostering motivation, building essential skills, and achieving integration. They can also explore how the Cities of Learning platform can serve as a powerful tool for recognizing the competencies and experiences gained by STW’s participants, thus enhancing their pathways to further learning, employment, and social inclusion.
Objectives of the activity
- To gain a deeper understanding of STW's comprehensive approach, target groups, and practical methodologies for guiding individuals towards sustainable employment and well-being.
- To share the vision and functionality of the Cities of Learning platform and Network with STW, identifying concrete areas for collaboration and mutual benefit.
- To identify shared challenges and best practices in empowering diverse learners, developing key competencies (including soft skills), and fostering inclusion within communities.
- To actively network with STW representatives and explore opportunities for future partnerships that integrate learning recognition with employment pathways.
- To practice advocating for the recognition of non-formal learning and the integral value of youth work and adult education within the context of employment services.
- To critically reflect on how STW's "real stepping stones" approach can inform and inspire Cities of Learning initiatives, especially concerning pathways for marginalized groups.
Instructions
1. Preparation Before the Visit
- Participants should briefly review STW's mission and activities (as outlined above).
- Prepare 1-2 questions to ask STW representatives, focusing on their methodologies, successes, or challenges that resonate with your own work, particularly concerning skill development, recognition, or supporting diverse learners.
- Be ready to briefly introduce your own organisation's work and its connection to Cities of Learning, focusing on how the platform can recognize skills relevant to employment.
2. During the visit
- Actively listen to STW's presentations and explanations of their work and programs.
- Engage in respectful and constructive dialogue, asking your prepared questions and participating in discussions.
- Be prepared to share how the Cities of Learning platform or network could potentially complement or support STW’s objectives, for example, by providing a verifiable record of skills gained through their programs.
- Observe specific examples of how STW fosters connection, skill development, and empowerment in their daily operations.
3. After the Visit (Post-visit reflection):
- Consider what key insights you gained from STW’s approach, especially regarding their tailored programs and focus on practical skills.
- Reflect on any new ideas for how your organisation or the Cities of Learning Network could strengthen its work with marginalised groups, enhance skill recognition, or improve pathways to employment.
- Note down any potential concrete follow-up actions or partnership opportunities identified during the visit that could leverage the Cities of Learning platform.
Completion & Badge
By actively participating in the organisational visit to STW, engaging in mutual learning, and contributing to the dialogue about networking, advocating, and pathways to employment, participants will earn the "Inclusive Futures Explorer"badge! This badge signifies proactive engagement in understanding and connecting diverse organizational contexts, identifying shared goals in empowering individuals, and exploring collaborative opportunities within the broader European youth and adult learning landscape. This contribution directly supports the development of "Networking and Advocating", "Communicating Meaningfully", and "Displaying Intercultural Sensitivity" competence areas as defined by the ETS Competence Model for Youth Workers. This badge has been issued by the Cities of Learning Network Partner trio who are managing the Network.
Preuzmi značku znanja aktivnosti
Inclusive Futures Explorer Preuzmi ovu značku znanja
This badge is awarded to participants of the Cities of Learning study visit for Networking and Advocating who actively engaged in the "Organisational Visit: Learning from STW" session.
Earned Competences: By successfully participating in this activity, the earner has demonstrated:
- Networking and Advocating: The ability to proactively engage with organizations focused on employment and social inclusion, explore synergies, and advocate for the value and recognition of non-formal learning within a professional development context.
- Communicating Meaningfully: The capacity to engage in respectful dialogue, ask insightful questions about unique methodologies, and articulate the value proposition of the Cities of Learning Network in external interactions.
- Displaying Intercultural Sensitivity: An openness to understanding and appreciating different organisational cultures and their tailored approaches to addressing the needs of diverse and marginalized groups.
This badge signifies a commitment to mutual learning and active participation in expanding the reach and impact of the Cities of Learning Network through collaborative engagement focused on inclusive futures. This badge has been issued by the Cities of Learning Network Partner trio who are managing the Network.
Zadaci
Zadatak broj1
Izdato od strane organizatora ili skeniranjem QR koda
To enrich your badge you can reflect on the session with:
- What was the most surprising or unexpected observation you made during this study visit, and why did it stand out to you?
- How can you apply what you've learned or observed today to your current work or professional development? Consider specific actions or changes you might implement.
- What is one key question that emerged for you during the visit, and what further exploration or information do you feel you need to address it?
Veštine
#Umrežavanje i zagovaranje
ETS-TR
#Communicating meaningfully with others
#Pokazivanje međukulturne osetljivosti
Organizatori
Network of Cities and Regions of Learning
Badge issuer recognized with
Badgecraft drži i razvija ovu platformu sa vodećim obrazovnim organizacijama. Program Evropske unije Erasmus+ odobrio je sufinansiranje za izradu prve verzije ove platforme. Kontaktirajte support@badgecraft.eu.
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