Background
The BASICEDU project is addressing the needs of a very specific and vulnerable target group disadvantaged women because of their educational, social and economic background and at the risk of discrimination because of gender stereotypes, which is the most important agenda in the EU recently. Fundamental socio-cultural barriers impede the economic integration of women. In addition, there are institutional and legal barriers, such as poor access to vocational training or jobs in the formal (particularly private) sector, a lack of child care provision, inflexible working times and negative incentives in employment market policy. Moreover, women who live in rural areas have a higher probability of being unemployed and live farther from opportunities in the labor market and they also face a set of challenges in their social life and are not equal in recognition of their engagement in general. To enable women living in rural areas to integrate in vocational opportunities in the best way possible, a more cohesive integration approach is needed starting from guidance and support from the arrival through the identification of appropriate educational and professional opportunities, up to accompanying, empowering and mentoring disadvantaged women not only to embrace the EU fundamental values but also to feel free to develop their potential to be involved in the labor market. This is a process which requires also active contribution and strong cooperation among the EU countries to offer such support and guidance aimed at disadvantaged women at transnational level. Vocational integration of women needs vary widely depending on their educational and professional background. Women living in rural areas face specific problems such as vulnerability resulting from being exposed to discrimination or violence experienced, lack of skills and competences, encounter cultural and language barriers as well as risks of social exclusion and/or gender discrimination. However, this diversity in disadvantaged women’ background is not enough reflected in the labor market integration programs, which the framework for inclusion of disadvantaged women is not being shaped considering different needs and interests of disadvantaged women. So, it is needed to identify women’s active participation in economic life and at developing specific initiatives and approaches in favour of rural women. On this point, it is necessary to create a gender-sensitive approach at the EU level through cooperation with selected rural sub-sectors and provide professional orientation for women in higher and lower-qualified segments and supports the development of new measures to demonstrate the advantages of the greater employment of women living in rural areas.
Targets and Aims of the Project
The overall goal of the project is to enable more effective labor market integration of disadvantaged women & women in rural areas in the EU. The objectives of the project are (i) to empower disadvantaged women and women living in rural areas through enhancing their further professional opportunities and thus facilitating their access to the labour market; (ii) to establish Mentoring and Empowering relationships between disadvantaged women and opportunities in the local and regional fields and (iii) to foster the process of skills assessment of disadvantaged women and women in rural areas with a tailor-made methodology considering their specific needs.
Target Group
The project has primary and secondary target groups. The primary target group is the disadvantaged women through specially designed training modules improving their key competences. The secondary target group is the women mentors through specific guidelines for mentoring and empowerment of the disadvantaged women. The programme will be piloted in 6 partner countries with 120 women with disadvantaged origin, involving 60 women mentors through sharing personal experience and lessons learned, showing empathy and understanding for the specific needs of disadvantaged women, as well as encouraging them to go a step further and even exceed their own expectations.
Intellectual Outputs
IO2. BASICEDU Mentoring and Empowerment Programme: The BASICEDU project will develop the BASICEDU Mentoring and Empowerment Programme, which is targeting the disadvantaged women through specially designed training modules improving their key competences as the primary target group and the women mentors through specific guidelines for mentoring and empowerment of the disadvantaged women as the secondary target group. The programme will be piloted in 6 partner countries with 120 women with disadvantaged origin, involving 60 women mentors through sharing personal experience and lessons learned, showing empathy and understanding for the specific needs of disadvantaged women, as well as encouraging them to go a step further and even exceed their own expectations.
IO3. BASICEDU Empowerment Activity Book: The most powerful and impactful activities and practices from the Mentoring and Empowerment programmed will be selected and transferred into BASICEDU Empowerment Activity Book. The book introduces participants to mindfulness practices and exercises for strengthening self-awareness and self-confidence. It will also contain inspiring success stories, created by the participating disadvantaged women, sharing their own experience, and the achievements they have made, thus acting as role models in their communities. This book will be produced with the support of the disadvantaged women and their women mentors, and distributed to other women in their environment. The activities in the book will be self-explanatory and easy to apply.
IO4. Online Learning Platform: In parallel to the elaboration of the Mentoring and Empowerment Programme, the learning content will be transformed into more interactive online format with in the Online Platform. The platform will introduce participants from all partner countries, but will have direct impact on their level of autonomy, creativity, impact and engagement. The platform will be further available after the end of the project for other disadvantaged women and target groups. Another important effect will be training and involvement of 60 women mentors and sharing their experience, knowledge and establishing a network to the smoother social and labour market integration of disadvantaged women. Finally, the BASICEDU project foresees a Learning, Teaching and Training Activity which fosters and strengthens exchange of knowledge and experience between the involved partner organization.
Results of the Project
The BASICEDU project foresees the following results and products: (i) the BASICEDU Mentoring and Empowerment Programme will be developed, (ii) The most powerful and impactful activities and practices from the Mentoring and Empowerment programmed will be selected and transferred into BASICEDU Empowerment Activity Book and (iii) In parallel to the elaboration of the Mentoring and Empowerment Programme, the learning content will be transformed into an online format and uploaded on the Online Platform. Finally, the BASICEDU project foresees a Learning, Teaching and Training Activity which fosters and strengthens exchange of knowledge and experience between the involved partner organization.
Project Period 31 December 2020 – 30 December 2022
