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The Diversity, Equality and Access to Learning (DEAL) Partnership
Version: 1.1 - TCA Id code: 3613 - Round: 2
Rationale and Objectives | Work Programme & Working Methodology | Financial Provisions | Organisational and Decision Making Arrangements | Monitoring and Evaluation Procedures | Other
| Secretary |
| UK-Great Britain | High Road | UKgb-99 |
| DPs involved |
| Austria | IN.BEWEGUNG - Netzwerk Basisbildung und Alphabetisierung in Oesterreich | AT-4A-08/292 |
| Finland | How to initiate into multiculturalism in a working place, Petmo | FI-58 |
| France | AVERROES : ACTIONS VISANT L'EGALITE SANS DISTINCTION DE RACE OU D'ORIGINE DANS | FR-RAL-2004-42044 |
A. Rationale and Objectives
1. Common interests/methodology/underlying problem
The common underlying rationale is the need to address the barriers to employment and progression that face individuals, including those from disadvantaged groups and the desire to promote equal opportunities.
The partnership recognises 'disadvantaged groups' to include include those suffering exclusion due to:
- Racism
- Lack of Basic Skills*
- Age
- Gender
- Sexual orientation
- Learning disabilities
- Physical disabilities
- Social disadvantage
- Geographical disadvantage
Each partner will be working to identify means of overcoming exclusion. In some cases each partner will be addressing people suffering multiple disadvantages.
All partners have a major commonality - the presence at senior levels within the partnership of Trade Unions and/or Trade Union representative organisations. This will be key to ensuring a bottom-up methodology, addressing the barriers faced by the excluded groups and individuals. The Trade Unions and Trade Union representative groups all have long and similar histories of both driving empowerment and tackling exclusion and disadvantage.
One innovative methodology to be employed is the use of key personnel or ‘agents of change’ within the workforce. In 3 projects these will be recruited either directly from the workplace or from the local community. They will be empowered to become the drivers of change within their organisation / community and will be very important in delivering the cultural changes required to address the barriers to inclusion faced by the target groups. These key personnel are:
- High Road - Union Learning Representatives and Community
Learning Champions
- PETMO - Multicultural Initiators
- In.Motion - Work Counsellors and key personnel at community level
Each project will explore good practice in how these new key personnel are recruited, trained and supported.
In the AVERROES project it is too early within the project development to ascertain whether the use of these ‘Agents of Change’ will be necessary/bemneficial in delivering their activities, though the project is interested in seeing how this technique develops and whether it may be a useful tool to support delivery and mainstreaming.
Each project will have to overcome the barriers of racism/multiculturalism and / or lack of basic skills within their target groups. Consequently the partnership will explore these issues in depth through a number of mechanisms described later and the AVERROES project will take this partnership work forward by directly explore the implementation of anti-discrimination tools and policies.
The rationale for collaboration has led the partnership to the identification of four key themes, which will be pursued as priorities. These we have entitled ‘Transnational Activity Themes’ they are:
- The exchange of good practice in developing multiculturalism, promoting multicultural understanding and diversity, improving the employability of immigrants and setting up new anti-discrimination tools and policies
- The import / export or development of new techniques to address the lack of basic skills within employed and unemployed people
- The exchange of best practice and parallel development of innovative approaches in recruiting and supporting workplace and community ‘Agents of Change’
- Exploring the evolving role of Trade Unions in relation to social partnerships, employability, creating learning pathways, empowerment, tackling exclusion, influencing local, regional and sectoral training and development plans and tackling discrimination at work
These consistent 'Themes' recur throughout the TCA.
2. Lessons learned from previous relevant actions
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES
High Road
The managing organisation (TUC) has a great deal of experience in working transnationally through European Programmes, including:
- The Skills>Up partnership (TUC EQUAL 1st Round Transnational
Partnership)
PETMO
The managing organisation (SAK) and the workers in this project have taken part in many former Equal-programs. The Petmo-project staff have good experience of working in several projects. This Petmo-project will continue the work of the Multiculturalism as a Resource in a Working Community, The Etmo-project, funded by EQUAL.
SAK also have a great deal of experience in working with transnational Trade Union organisations such as ETUC, ETUCO, ILO and directly with the European Union.
SAK has previously worked in a Now-projcet 1998-1999 trying to find paths to longterm unemployed women back to working life and is now SAK is governing an Interreg III A programme by providing an Information Point on Finnish Working Life in Tallinn, Estonia.
In.Motion
Two and more partners involved in A&E. ISOP have been involved in a large number of EU programmes and are currently taking part in 6 EQUAL projects. ISOP: Managing partner in EQUAL 1st Round: IKÖF (2-18/117)
Trade Union Upper Austria: Managing partner in EQUAL 1st Round (2-14/99); Partner in several DPs in EQUAL 1st Round, among them Sensi-Tec (1B-01/60)
AVERROES
The managing organisation (ISM-Corum) and most of the DP’s members have a good deal of experience in working transnationally through European Programmes, including :
- the « Trans-Terrae » partnership, ISM-Corum EQUAL first round
transnational partnership, in which the CGT and CFDT trade unions as
well as the Casino Group got involved, with transnational partners
from Spain and Italy;
- the « Longitude » partnership, the Adecco Group EQUAL 1st round
transnational partnership, with partners from Denmark and Portugal;
- the « New Methods of Anti-Discrimination Training » partnership, an
ISM-Corum INTEGRA transnational partnership, with partners from
Finland and Spain.
PRINCIPLES DERIVED FROM PAST TRANSNATIONAL EXPERIENCES
The partners agree to the following principles that have been learned from past transnational experiences:
- An agreement of shared objectives from the beginning of the work
- Openness in our working
- Honesty in our approach
- Trust in each others intentions
- Mutual support
- Recognising and respecting the cultural differences of those involved
PRACTICALITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WORKING
The partners recognise:
- The importance of regular communication
- The need to spend time gaining a detailed understanding of each others
projects, organisations and policy environment
- The need to be flexible when partners require it
- That partners have control over their own budgets
- The importance of maintaining consistency in the personnel involved in
transnational working
- That time needs to be allocated for translation and associated actions
- That differing work areas will appeal to different partners and that
partner activity levels will vary across themes and activities
- That there is a need to not only work hard to solve problems but also
to be prepared to have fun to cement the partnership
3. The common objectives of the DPs
Our over-riding objective is that each partner, from their own point of view, is involved in strengthening the position of individuals suffering disadvantage that is either keeping them from employment or limiting their progression within employment. Working together will result in a strong partnership, which can contribute to the over-coming of barriers to inclusion.
Our other stated objectives are:
Objective 1 - The exchange of best practice and parallel development of innovative approaches in recruiting and supporting workplace and community ‘Agents of Change’
Each project has an interest in recruiting and supporting workplace and/or community agents of change. Three will definitely be doing this and one will explore its potential as a means of mainstreaming the conclusions from its social partnership work on identifying tools to support anti-discrimination. The partners will support one another with good practice, advice and guidance in this innovative parallel development. The experiences of the ‘agents of change’ will be shared and documented, leading to the production of a good practice guide.
Similarities with national work
The recruitment and support of ‘agents of change’ will be of direct importance in 3 of the projects. The ‘agents of change’ will be empowered to become the drivers of change within their organisation/community and will be very important in delivering the cultural changes required to address the barriers to inclusion faced by the target groups. These key personnel are:
- High Road - Union Learning Representatives and Community
Learning Champions
- PETMO - Multicultural Initiators
- In.Motion - Work Counsellors and key personnel at community level
AVERROES will monitor the developments and explore the potential role for Agents of Change within its own work.
Differences with national work
This objective is crucial to three of the partners national work programmes and AVERROES will explore its potential.
Objective 2 - The exchange of good practice in developing multiculturalism, promoting multicultural understanding and diversity, improving the employability of immigrants and setting up new anti-discrimination tools and policies
This objective will focus upon:
- Good practice identification in developing multiculturalism within the
workforce and in tackling racism through anti-discrimination policy
and tools
- Resources to support multicultural initiators
- Mechanisms and resources to supporting immigrants into employment
- Researching multiculturalism in working communities, including study
visits and possible exchanges of key personnel
- The anti-discrimination role of Territorial Social Dialogue
- The potential role of Corporate Social Responsibility
- Mechanisms to achieve the permanent integration of anti-discriminatory
techniques and measures
It is intended that Objectives 2 will culminate in the production of a single (or series of) guide(s) or toolkit(s).
Similarities with national work
This Objective overlaps directly with the core activities of the PETMO and AVERROES projects. The In.Motion and High Road partnerships will also inevitably be encountering racism and barriers to inclusion and diversity within their day-to-day activities. DP partners from all of the projects involved have tremendous experience in tackling workplace racism and other barriers to employment and progression and this Objective will give them the opportunity to draw this experience together.
Differences with national work
All partners are required to work pro-actively in this field through their Equal* Opportunities policies and each will in their own way be working to encourage diversity, including multiculturalism.
Objective 3 - The import / export or development of new techniques to address the lack of basic skills within employed and unemployed people
This objective will require the exchange of good practice via case studies,
study visits, workshops and reports and could be divided along a series of sub-themes, including:
- Mechanisms for providing information and advice for people concerned
with literacy issues and for the target group (beneficiaries),whether
through centres, telephone help-lines or online
- How to ‘sympathetically’ raise public awareness of the issue of basic
skills needs
- Good practice in developing courses for people with low literacy skills
- Rurality / remoteness as a barrier to basic skills development,
focussing particularly upon women
- Mainstreaming workplace literacy courses for employees with low
literacy skills
- Develop marketing methods for promoting workplace literacy courses
The intention is to share information transnationally about quality management and certification for providers of literacy courses, about experience with literacy information-lines and the use of internet platforms.
It is intended that Objectives 3 will culminate in the production of a guide or toolkit.
Similarities with national work
This objective has been designed to support the work-plan and activities of the In.Motion DP. The High Road, AVERROES and PETMO projects already have experience within their partnerships to help inform the Objective and each is planning activities that will complement this activity.
Differences with national work
All projects will be working, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of individuals with basic skills needs, and though more of a focus for the In.Motion DP, this objective will support all four project's activities.
Objective 4 - Exploring the evolving role of Trade Unions in relation to social partnerships, employability, creating learning pathways, empowerment, tackling exclusion, influencing local, regional and sectoral training and development plans and tackling discrimination at work
The partnership is very unusual for its significant linkage with the Trade Union movements in all 4 countries. The work will focus upon drawing together the experiences of the partners to explore how:
- Information services, briefing and training materials can enable Trade
Union, Community and Equal Opportunity representatives to influence
local, regional and sectoral training and development plans
- Trade unions can form a better link between pre-entry and in work
learning
- The proposed UK Trade Union Academy will be formed, modelled on
examples of good practice in social partnership in other countries
- Good practice in how Trade Unions can stimulate and engage in social
partnership working at regional and local level
- Mechanisms whereby Trade Unions can support the implementation of anti-
discriminatory tools and policies
It is intended that Objectives 4 will culminate in the production of a guide or toolkit.
Similarities with national work
This Objective has been designed to bring the extensive Trade Union experience and activities of the AVERROES, PETMO and IN.Motion projects directly to bear upon the core function and activity of the High Road Project.
Differences with national work
The abundance of Trade Union and Trade Union representative bodies within each of the Partnerships will directly complement this work.
Objective 5 - The dissemination and mainstreaming of the lessons learned by the partners at national and European conferences and events
The partners will seek opportunities to learn from EU conferences and events in any EU member country. They will attend events which will help with the activities and actions of the partnership, feeding back information to transnational partnership meetings via written and/or verbal reports.
The partners will pro-actively seek to disseminate and mainstream the findings of the transnational activities at events and conferences throughout the EU member states. They will promote the work of the partnership and the importance of its support from EQUAL.
Similarities with national work
Partners are already required to mainstream and disseminate their national activities, this will complement that activity.
Differences with national work
Directly complements national requirements.
Objective 6 - Equalities ‘Observatory’ function
To identify specific ways that Equal Opportunities ‘experts’ (derived largely from the project partners) can be involved with the transnational work and to agree specific collaborative tasks around inclusion/progression that will be jointly pursued by partners.
The aim being to link, at an early stage, those in each project with direct responsibilities for equal opportunities monitoring and mainstreaming so that they may impact upon and shape the work of the TCA.
Similarities with national work
Equal opportunities and empowerment are key to the activities of all partners.
Differences with national work
This will support and complement the stated activities of the national projects.
4. The (common/complementary) products/deliverables foreseen
The common products / deliverables foreseen by the partnership are:
1. A transnational case studies report on best practice in recruiting and supporting workplace and community ‘agents of change’.
2. Transnational good practice report(s) on developing multiculturalism, promoting multicultural understanding, improving the employability of immigrants and promoting anti-discrimination policy and associated organisational change.
3. A case studies based report on transnational good practice in addressing the lack of basic skills within employed and unemployed people.
4. Transnational guide(s) exploring the evolving role of Trade Unions in relation to social partnerships, employability, creating learning pathways, empowerment, tackling exclusion, influencing local, regional and sectoral training and development plans and tackling discrimination.
5. A series of transnational conferences to launch the above products and to act as a focus for influencing policy-makers and decision takers.
6. An online resource to be created by the High Road project to support the work of the partnership. This will include an area for reports, meeting information and online discussions.
7. A series of reports/minutes describing:
- Transnational partnership meetings
- Transnational/workshops
- Transnational conferences attended
- Study visits attended
- Exchange of personnel activities
8. Joint dissemination and mainstreaming to major EU level events such as:
- Employment Week 2006 and 2007
- OECD conferences
§ ILO events
9. A final project evaluation and report.
5. Added value on the strategy and intended results of each of the DPs involved
The High Road project has identified the following benefits to its national strategy and intended results:
- Support and advice in learning how Trade Union, Community and Equal
Opportunity representatives can influence local, regional and sectoral
training and development plans.
- Finding European examples of how Trade Unions can form a better link
between pre-entry and in work learning.
- Finding exemplars to act as models for aspects of the work of the new
UK Trade Union Academy
- Discovering models of how Trade Unions can stimulate and engage in
social partnership working at regional and local level
- Support via the Equalities Observatory function of the transnational
partnership for those within the project working on driving Equal
Opportunities and Empowerment
- Through improving the quality of the service provided by and to Union
Learning Representatives and Community Learning Champions through the
exchange of good practice
- Support for the work the project will undertake in the fields of Basic
Skills and Multiculturalism by utilising the exemplar skills of the
transnational partners
- Enhance the knowledge of the senior members of the partnership in
terms of the European policy framework via attending relevant
workshops and conferences
- Support for mainstreaming its activities to a wider EU audience.
The PETMO project has identified the following benefits to its national strategy and intended results:
- To deepen the change of experiences and good practices in the
identification and development of multiculturalism within the workforce
- Support via the Equalities Observatory function of the transnational
partnership for those within the project working on driving Equal
Opportunities and Empowerment
- Support and advice in devising mechanisms and resources to supporting
immigrants into employment
- Support and assistance, including study visits and exchanges of key
personnel, for project’s research into multiculturalism in working
communities
- Through improving the quality of the service provided by and to
Multicultural Initiators through the exchange of good practice
- Enhance the knowledge of the senior members of the partnership in
terms of the European policy framework via attending relevant
workshops and conferences
- Support for mainstreaming its activities to a wider EU audience
The In.Motion project has identified the following benefits to its national strategy and intended results:
- To provide examples of good practice to support the creation of a
network structure in Austria to support those with basic skills needs
- To provide comparative models for providing information and advice for
people concerned with literacy issues and for the target group
(beneficiaries), whether through centres, telephone help-lines or
online
- To learn about recruiting, training and supporting agents of change on
the workplace and at community level as a means of mainstreaming
the strategies and results of In.Motion.
- To learn how to ‘sympathetically’ raise public awareness of the issue
of basic skills needs
- To identify exemplars in developing courses for people with low
literacy skills
- To learn from projects dealing with rurality / remoteness as a barrier
to basic skills development, focussing particularly upon women
- To help identify useful exemplars of workplace literacy courses for
employees with low literacy skills
- To explore examples of marketing methods used for promoting workplace
literacy courses
- To share information transnationally about quality management and
certification for providers of literacy courses, about experience with
literacy information-lines and the use of internet platforms.
- Support via the Equalities Observatory function of the transnational
partnership for those within the project working on driving Equal
Opportunities and Empowerment
- Support for the work the project will undertake in the fields of
Multiculturalism and impacting upon regional strategies by utilising
the exemplar skills of the transnational partners
- Through improving the quality of the service provided by and to Work
Councillors through the exchange of good practice
- Enhance the knowledge of the senior members of the partnership in
terms of the European policy framework via attending relevant
workshops and conferences
- Support for mainstreaming its activities to a wider EU audience
The AVERROES project has identified the following benefits to its national strategy and intended results:
- Gaining support and assistance from the transnational partners’
experience for the project’s research into multicultural and diversity
issues at the workplace;
- Finding european good practices regarding the role that trade unions
can take in developing anti-racism, anti-discrimination and diversity
policies;
- Exchanging european examples of how trade unions can stimulate and
engage in social patnership working at regional and local level;
- Gaining support for the project’s activities from the Equalities
Observatory function of the transnational partnership ;
- Enhancing the knowledge of the senior members of the project’s DP in
terms of the european policy framework via attending relevant
workshops and conferences;
- Gaining support for mainstreaming the project’s activities to a wider
EU audience.
Additional ‘Added Value’ for each project.
This can be subdivided into two categories.
1. On the institutional basis there are the following benefits to be mentioned;
- Strategic and long-term benefits for the all participants involved in the transnational partnership. Each and individual partner has the possibility of accessing and participating in European networks and associations, and building up contacts in other Member States so as to open up possibilities for future co-operations.
- The sharing of tools, good practice and information will provide economic advantages and prevent 'wheel-re-invention'.
- Operational and short-term benefits. All members of the transnational DP will gain access to new ideas by learning from one and another, as well as establishing an online discussion forum where we have the possibility of sharing and discussing our ideas and developments (national DP) with our transnational partners.
- After exchanging information on each project and after defining the common objectives and the resulting activities, an exchange of more fundamental information on the specific activities enables the transnational co-operation to recognize possible potential for synergies. Making use of already existing material and knowledge has a positive impact on the progress of the national projects.
2. From an individual point of view there are the following benefits;
- Benefits for Key Personnel. The exchange of key personnel enables them to improve their work and working related methods, a different working environment, and enhances their vocational skills. This includes the development of language and communications skills. The exchange will also help individuals to become aware of the strength and weaknesses of national employment and training systems.
- Benefits for co-ordinators, staff, and participants of the national DP. This group will mainly benefit from the transnational co-operation by accessing new information and experiences. It will help to develop a broader European perspective and give them the possibility to learn about how other EU countries are dealing with the issues key to there project. The exchange will improve their work and methods, and enhance their vocational skills. Including the development of language and communications skills.
- Employees and members of the national network become aware of the strength and weaknesses of their national employment and training systems, improve their language skills and their communication skills.
6. Added value and financial viability of associated partner(s)
There are no associated partners at this stage. It is possible that organisations such as:
- The International Labour Organisation
- The European Trade Union College
- The European Trade Union Congress
May become involved as associates should the partnership require additional support in mainstreaming its products and activities.
Their financial viability will not be a factor as they will not be paid by the partnership, nor will they contribute funding (neither direct nor indirect) and will be required to work on a purely voluntary basis on activities that complement their own.
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B. Work Programme & Working Methodology
1. Transnational activities foreseen
a. Overall transnational strategy
The transnational strategy is to utilise the exchange of good practices, parallel development of innovative approaches, and the import, export or adoption of EU model exemplars and existing research and expertise to address the barriers to employment and progression that face disadvantaged groups.
In doing so, we hope to gain a better insight into the nature and forms of discrimination, inequality, and labour market exclusion. Combining these different experiences, we aim to design and improve strategies and actions in the light of experiences in other Member States.
The strategy will be informed by the needs of:
- National projects requirements and demands
- Commonality between transnational project activities and expertise
Since the EQUAL Initiative 'places high expectations on the outcomes of transnational cooperation' (Guide for Transnationality, p 8), the transnational co-operation combines elements of the five suggested models for the transnational co-operation.
There will be an exchange of information and experiences (e. g. hosting of workshops where key personnel have the possibility to exchange experiences). - Objectives 1,2,3,4,6.
The partnership will seek to import and adopt new approaches. - Objectives 1,2,3,4,6
Joint products or systems will be developed to support partner activities, such as the online library, data and discussion resource. - Objectives 1,4,5,6
Joint working will take place, including presentations to EU events such as Employment Week. The Partnership will co-organise a series of workshops in 2005-7. Reports designed to influence policy at Regional / National and European level will be produced. - Objectives 1,2,3,4,5,6
The transnational partnership will exchange 'key personnel' via study visits and work shadowing of comparable posts such as trade union ‘agents of change’. - Objectives 1,2,3,4
The four partners confirm that they will work together and that we have clarified milestones and dissemination actions.
b. Typology of activities
| Transnational activities intended | Rating |
| Exchange of information and experiences | *** |
| Parallel development of innovative approaches | **** |
| Import, export or adoption of new approaches | *** |
| Joint development | * |
| Exchange of trainees/trainers/staff | * |
c. Description of the activities/tasks
| Name of the activity | Description |
| 1. 1. Transnational Activity Theme 1. The exchange of best practice and parallel development of innovative approaches in recruiting and supporting workplace and community ‘Agents of Change’ | PETMO and High Road projects will drive this Transnational Activity which will incorporate study visits, and research. It will culminate with the production of a guide and a transnational conference. |
| 2. 2. Transnational Activity Theme 2. The exchange of good practice in developing multiculturalism, promoting multicultural understanding and diversity, improving the employability of immigrants and setting up new anti-discrimination tools and policies | AVERROES and PETMO projects will drive this Transnational Activity which will incorporate workshops, study visits and possibly the exchange of personnel. It will culminate with the production of a guide and one or more transnational conferences. |
| 3. 3. Transnational Activity Theme 3. The import / export or development of new techniques to address the lack of basic skills within employed and unemployed people | In.Motion project will drive this Transnational Activity which will incorporate workshops, study visits and possibly research. It will culminate with the production of a guide and a transnational conference. |
| 4. 4. Transnational Activity Theme 4. Exploring the evolving role of Trade Unions in relation to social partnerships, employability, creating learning pathways, empowerment, tackling exclusion, influencing local, regional and sectoral training and development plans and tackling discrimination at work | High Road project will drive this Transnational Activity which will incorporate workshops, study visits and research. It will culminate with the production of a guide and a transnational conference. |
| 5. 5. Conferences and other events. | All partners will take part in this activity which will include attending relevant transnational events across the EU that support the work of the partnership and the dissemination and mainstreaming of the lessons learned by the partners at national and European conferences and events. |
| 6. 6. Equalities ‘Observatory’ function | Designed to link the equalities and empowerment activities of the partnership and ensure their impact upon its work. Main activities will be meetings and monitoring work. |
| 7. 7. Steering group and partnership planning meetings, evaluation and final reporting. | Meetings of the transnational partnership designed to drive forward the TCA activities, it will include the evaluation work and the production of the final report. It may include research identified by the partnership as essential to fill gaps identified by themed actions such as those above. |
2. Methodology for sharing information, results and working tools
Information and results of common activities and actions on different topics will be documented in reports as well as in the minutes of all planning meetings. These reports will keep track on the results of the co-operation and will be distributed by e-mail and stored online. The aim of the regular reports is to provide support for the final report of the transnational partnership.
The partnership will communicate via email and on-line via a data sharing website hosted by the High Road project. In addition, there will be regular workshops and meetings where experiences and results can be shared and discussed.
Each partner has an identified individual who’s responsibility it is to share information obtained transnationally with the national project partners.
3. Time schedule for milestones, outcomes and events
Milestone 1
Establishment of an online community of interest data-sharing facility. May 2005.
Outcome:
Online data-sharing facility launched and available for all transnational partners to use.
Milestone 2
Commencement of Transnational Partnership and Workshop
This will take the form of a 'Partnership Definition Workshop' to be held in Austria. June or July 2005.
Outcome
Detailed project timetable and projected out-puts. Detailed exploration of each projects national and regional policy structures and systems. Detailed action plan for activities in each of the four themes.
Milestone 3
Equal Opportunities meeting in Austria. June or July 2005.
Timed to correspond with milestone 2.
Outcome
Launch of the Equal Opportunities Observatory function. Defining how Equal Opportunities will be incorporated into all of the actions and outcomes of the project. Meeting report.
Milestone 4
Transnational Activities Meeting on the Multiculturalism and Anti-Discrimination Theme. Finland, September 2005.
Outcome
Study visits and the exchange of good practice in Multiculturalism and Tackling racism. Themed meeting report.
Milestone 5
Transnational Activities Meeting on the Basic Skills Theme, Austria, October 2005.
Outcome
Workshops, study visits, exchange of good practice and exploration of the potential for the import, export or adoption of new techniques. Themed meeting report.
Milestone 6
Transnational Activities Meeting on the Trade Unions Theme. France, November 2005.
Outcome
Workshops, study visits and the exchange of good practice. Themed meeting report.
Milestone 7
Transnational Activities Meeting on the Agents of Change Theme, London, January 2006.
Outcome
Workshops, study visits and the exchange of good practice. Themed meeting report
Milestone 8
Partnership Steering Committee meeting, UK, January 2006. Timed to correspond with milestone 7.
Outcome
Monitoring report on progress so far of the TCA and its various themes and planning for the next sequence of Transnational Activity Meetings.
Milestone 9
Partnership stand at Employment Week, Brussels, April 2006.
Outcome
Dissemination and mainstreaming of project work to date. Chance to seek out new contacts and information to support transnational activities.
Milestone 10
Transnational Activities Meeting on the Basic Skills Theme. Austria, May 2006.
Outcome
Workshops, study visits, exchange of good practice and exploration of the potential for the import, export or adoption of new techniques. Themed meeting report.
Milestone 11
Transnational Conference on Basic Skills. Austria, May 2006.
Designed and timed to contribute to the Austrian Presidency of the European Union.
Outcome
Conference, and conference reports, presentations and notes.
Milestone 12
Transnational Activities Meeting on the Agents of Change Theme. Finland, June 2006.
Outcome
Workshops, study visits and the exchange of good practice. Themed meeting report
Milestone 13
Transnational Activities Meeting on the Trade Unions Theme. UK, September 2006.
Outcome
Workshops, study visits and the exchange of good practice. Themed meeting report
Milestone 14
Transnational Activities Meeting on the Multiculturalism and Anti-Discrimination Theme. France, November 2006.
Outcome
Workshops, study visits and the exchange of good practice. Themed meeting report.
Milestone 15
Partnership Steering Committee meeting, France, November 2006. Timed to correspond with milestone 14.
Outcome
Monitoring report on progress so far of the TCA and its various themes and planning for the forthcoming sequence of transnational conferences and reports.
Milestone 16
Launch of the themed guides, research reports and toolkits at a series of conferences. February and March 2007
- Multiculturalism and anti-discrimination - Conference in Finland
and / or France
- Evolving role of Trade Unions - *Conference in Brussels
- Agents of change - *Conference in Brussels
*Potentially a combined event
Milestone 17
Partnership stand at Employment Week. Brussels, April 2007.
Outcome
Dissemination and mainstreaming of project work and published materials. Speaking slot(s).
Milestone 18
Partnership Steering Committee meeting, Brussels, April 2007. Timed to correspond with milestone 17.
Outcome
Evaluation report on the activities of the TCA and its various themes.
Milestone 19
Representatives of the partnership will attend meetings, workshops and conferences that would support the overall workings of the partnership and it’s members, this may include hosting stands at suitable events in 2005/2006/2007. This will include events such as meetings of the European Thematic Networking Groups.
Milestone 20
Research to fill gaps in knowledge, emerging from the Transnational Themes and other transnational work of the partnership.
It is possible that the transnational activity in general will identify gaps in the current knowledge (of the partners activities and more broadly).
Partners may take individual responsibility for carrying out research, either internally or externally to plug these gaps and so support the workings of the partnership.
This work would commence in 2006 and end in early 2007, depending upon the findings of the transnational activity. It will link to the stated rationale for co-operation.
Milestone 21
Equal Opportunities ‘Observatory’ function
An early meeting will bring together key Equal Opportunities and Empowerment ‘experts’ who will take an active role in the detailed design of the Partnerships activities and work-plans.
This ‘expert’ role will be ongoing and partners will liaise with the panel of experts when new developments and activities are being planned. If necessary the ‘experts’ or their representatives may attend Steering Group meetings and other events.
Milestone 22
Final report and evaluation
Evaluation will take place towards the end of the partnership (though it will be ever present as a topic at steering group meetings) and will detail good practice and recommendations for further action/work and any advise to policy makers at local/regional/national and EU level.
A Final Partnership Evaluation Report will be produced by the end of April 2007. Individual partners may also carry out external evaluations of their own transnational activity.
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C. Financial Provisions
1. Breakdown of budget for each activity (€)
| | 1 |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Total |
| AT-4A-08/292 | 9 500 | 1 000 | 24 000 | 5 500 | 5 000 | 1 000 | 5 000 | 51 000 |
| FI-58 | 15 000 | 15 000 | 5 000 | 13 000 | 13 000 | 2 000 | 12 000 | 75 000 |
| FR-RAL-2004-42044 | 2 000 | 20 000 | 1 000 | 13 000 | 10 000 | 2 000 | 3 000 | 51 000 |
| UKgb-99 | 15 000 | 5 000 | 10 000 | 20 000 | 40 000 | 2 000 | 3 000 | 95 000 |
| Total | 41 500 | 41 000 | 40 000 | 51 500 | 68 000 | 7 000 | 23 000 | 272 000 |
2. Arrangements for cost sharing and avoiding double funding
Whenever possible, the transnational co-operation will handle the costs on the basis of reciprocal arrangements. This principle will apply when it comes to workshops, study visits, and transnational planning meetings.
Costs arising from the organisation of transnational conferences, working meetings, events, study visits (e.g. meeting facilities) will be paid by the hosting national DP, unless previously agreed by the partnership.
Costs for travel, accommodation and meals (e.g. for conferences, working meetings, study visits) will be paid by visiting DPs, unless previously agreed by the partnership.
In the case of the development of joint methods and the exchange of material we will have to find an arrangement that will avoid double funding, potentially by working on different parts which in the end add up to a whole.
Partners are free to carry out unilateral funding for research and similar activities to support the work of the partnership should they so wish.
Partners are free to pay unilaterally for stand hire at events, translation costs, etc.
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D. Organisational and Decision Making Arrangements
1. Contribution and responsibility of each DP
Each DP will appoint a transnational co-ordinator to facilitate their transnational work and provide a point of contact for the other DPs and the Secretary.
All DPs will attend:
- The Steering Group meetings
- The Initial Partnership Definition Workshop
- Themed Activities Meetings (unless previously agreed)
- Equal Opportunities Meetings
- Final Evaluation Meeting
High Road will have responsibility for two of the four Themed Transnational Activities; Trade Unions and Agents of change.
PETMO will have responsibility for two of the four Themed Transnational Activities: Multiculturalism and Agents of Change.
In.Motion will have responsibility for one of the four Themed Transnational Activities: Basic Skills.
AVERROES will have responsibility for one of the four Themed Transnational Activities: Multiculturalism.
The host country will have responsibility for planning each of the Transnational Activities Meetings to meet the needs of the four Activity Themes.
Interpretation:
The UK will provide interpretation into French, German and Finnish at its workshops and UK conferences, unless otherwise agreed with the partnership.
France will provide interpretation into English, and if possible German and Finnish at its workshops and UK conferences, unless otherwise agreed with the partnership.
Finland will either host all workshops/conferences in English or will provide translation into English. Translation into French will be provided at all Multicultural/Anti-discrimination Themed workshops/conferences, unless otherwise agreed with the partnership.
Austria will either host all workshops/conferences in English or will provide translation into English.
Translation
Partners are responsible for bearing the costs of the translation of reports and other publications into their ‘own’ languages, unless otherwise agreed with the partnership.
Whenever project material produced by one partner is requested by another partner, it will be supplied free of charge and in the original language with all rights of reproduction, translation and adaptation but only within the EQUAL project.
2. Role and tasks of TCA secretariat and external expertise
The responsibility for the TCA Secretariat will be located within the High Road Project. The TCA secretariat would have the role of supervising the time-schedule for our transnational activities and for co-ordinating joint reports and steering group meetings.
The costs of carrying out the secretariat function will be borne by the High Road Project so long as they are reasonable.
3. Arrangements for decision-making
All decisions the transnational partnership has to make during the run of EQUAL have to be approved by all members - serving the philosophy of being 'full and equal' partners.
Any significant disagreements will be resolved at a full meeting of the transnational DPs.
Individual partners have control over their own budgets.
The partners constitute a Steering Committee as a decision making body for the transnational project having central decision-making competence. It has the task of supervising the progress of the project.
Each partner shall appoint two representatives to act as members of the Steering Committee. Every member of the Steering Committee has one vote. The decisions of the Steering Committee shall be adopted by consensus.
The tasks and competencies of the steering commitee, the TCA-Secretary and link to the national structures of the partners will be defined in a detailed partnership agreement.
4. Working language(s)
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E. Monitoring and Evaluation Procedures
1. Mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating of transnational experience and results
Monitoring and evaluation will be conducted on an internal basis. Analysis of workshops/meetings will be done by all partners (internal evaluation). The results of the analyses will be distributed among the partners who are responsible for the transnational coordination within the different national DPs. The supervising institution is the TCA secretariat.
During the process of the transnational co-operation all partners will hand in project up-date reports or report back verbally to the planning meetings.
Reports will be produced following each Transnational Activities Meeting along with the Themed reports and a Final Evaluation of the Partnership. These reports serve to indicate if a project is developing according the set time-frame. Monitoring and evaluation criteria will be linked to the milestones set out in this TCA.
Evaluation will be key to the management of the partnership and will be a core focus at the "Partnership Definition Workshop" - Milestone 1. The time frame for the different projects, and their contributions to the transnational working will been confirmed here.
There will be no formal external evaluation for the partnership, though those with responsibilities for evaluating each DP will liaise to ensure compatibility and consistency. It will of course be possible for individual partners to use external evaluators to explore their own aspects of the transnational partnership and programme, should they feel this necessary.
The described procedure ensures an ongoing evaluation as described in the handbook EQUAL-Guide for Transnationality. The partners can be measured according the specific tasks they fulfil.
2. Mechanisms for updating work programme, working methodology and organisational arrangements
The Transnational Activity Themes, workshops, reports, and meeting minutes will be stored on the Partners web pages. Changes in work programme, methodology and arrangements will be made via online agreements or meetings of the DPs.
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F. Other
1. Hyperlink(s) to other information/material
N.C.
2. Links to other linguistic versions of the TCA
N.C.
3. Dates of (this version of) the TCA
| 1. Created | 16-03-2005 |
| 2. Sent to "validation by other DPs" by the DP in charge of the TCA secretariat | 16-03-2005 |
| AT-4A-08/292 | Validated | 23-03-2005 |
| FI-58 | Validated | 17-03-2005 |
| FR-RAL-2004-42044 | Validated | 16-03-2005 |
| UKgb-99 | Validated | 23-03-2005 |
| 3. Validated by all DPs | 23-03-2005 |
Report (6,900 words) issued 5 Jul 2005
