Towards an integrated system for validation of non-formal and informal learning: initiating a national network of cooperation and information exchange
The project was initiated by the National Library of Latvia (applicant) together with Baltic Bright (coordinator), and 3 more partners in Latvia. The project idea was developed in round-table discussions with stakeholders and partners. Partners were notified that the project has been selected for co-financing by the European Commission. It will be co-financed by Lifelong Learning Programme KA1 ECETA2 sub-programme. Project period is one year, and the implementation will start in March 2012.
Hanseatic Tradition for VET Mobility: Mobility Strategies for Promoting Entrepreneurship Skills of VET Students (LDV TOI)
Hansa-Vet is a Transfer of Innovation project supported by Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo da Vinci sub-programme. Project is based on the idea developed by an Interreg project “Baltic Training Programme”: the possibility to improve entrepreneurship skills of VET students through international mobilities and placements. Based on the positive results of BTP, Norden Association and Baltic Bright bring the experience and expertise to Hansa-Vet project, and project partners hope to integrate this approach in VET systems of several Baltic Sea region countries. The project coordinator is National Centre for Education. Baltic Bright contribution will be the experience of entrepreneurship coaching for VET students. The 1st partners meeting took place in Stockholm in November 2011. Project period: October 2011 – September 2013. More information at www.hansavet.eu
Network for the Accreditation of Managerial Skills (LDV Networks)
CREDNET project is a Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo da Vinci Networks project. It was developed and initiated by “Action Synergy” from Greece together with 7 other partners. Latvia is represented by 2 organizations: Baltic Bright and Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The project aims include 1) improving recognition of managerial competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning; 2) assisting managers in identifying their skills needs/shortages; 3) creating a methodology for accreditation. The project will develop 1) a skills matching tool; 2) and e-learning platform for universities and enterprises; 3) a network of stakeholders.
The project started in November of 2011 and will last for 3 years.
Mentoring for Adult Education Leaders: Skills to Promote Participation, Inclusion, Gender Balance (Grundtvig Multilateral)
To achieve the ET2020 goals for higher participation in adult education, it is crucial to improve the skills of adult education leaders (managers, programme directors, project or training coordinators, etc.) for bringing people into non-formal education. The project also aims to promote inclusion and participation of men in the areas of adult education in which they are underrepresented. Lead-In project proposes to use the experience of those leaders who have been successful, they will serve as mentors and will be trained for this purpose. Mentoring will be provided to 10-15 adult education leaders in 5 partner countries: Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Bulgaria, Spain. In addition, the project will describe mentoring experiences and results, as well successful strategies for increasing participation.
The project was developed and initiated by Baltic Bright (coordinator) and Vidzeme University College Lifelong Learning centre (applicant), and 5 other partners from Lithuania, Sweden, Bulgaria and Spain. The project period is November 2011 – October 2013. The project is co-financed by the EU Lifelong Leaning Programme Grundtvig sub-programme.
Baltic Bright employees and students who are members of ALADIN “Advice and Resources for Learning”, together with international partners from Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, UK, Germany and Lithuania started implementation of INCLUSIVE Grundtvig partnership project. The aim of the project is to promote the use of social networks in adult education, emphasizing the inclusive role of social networks.
The first step was to exchange the experience and to improve the knowledge and skills about using social media in education.
The 1st project meeting took place in Kaunas, Lithuania. Partners initiated their own NING-based social network (photo) which was developed and introduced by Richard Speight from UK. Dominik Fellner from Prague conducted a small social media training session for the partners. The programme included a visit to Kaunas Adult Education Centre and a cultural programme.
The 2nd meeting will be hosted by ALADIN in Riga, Latvia in January 9-12, 2012. Partners will review the work programme, will focus on research part: questionnaires for adult learners and for companies, will be invited to Baltic Bright, adult education centre and introduced to Baltic Bright lifelong learning projects, such as JOYN2.0, Sun.Com, Lead-In, CRED-Net, Val-Net. Finally, Partners will have a cultural programme.
JOYN2.0: Language Learning Champions in Social Networks and On-line Media: Support, assistance and consultations for language acquisition in social networks
Many individuals choose to study a language on an individual basis: it is cheaper and saves time. However, from time to time there is a necessity to consult with a teacher or someone who has a good command of the target language. Within the framework of this project, we will attempt to provide such support through social networks (e.g. draugiem. lv). We will create groups for online language learning of English, Russian and Latvian. The teacher will act as a moderator or a learning adviser. This step of the project will be commenced in 20120. In the preparation period, the teachers will acquire the skills necessary for this new and distinct role.
The project will be implemented from November 2010 to April 2013 in cooperation with the Latvian Television and partners from Finland, Greece, Ireland, Great Britain and Lithuania. The project is co-financed by the EU Lifelong Learning Programme within the framework of KA2 Language Sub-programme.
For more information go to: www.joynlanguages.eu
Sustainable networking SuN.Com: A Virtual Network for Language Acquisition
In cooperation with partners from Greece (authors of the project), Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Romania we will create a special virtual environment (a social network) for language learning. This network will provide access to teachers or consultants, as well as learning materials for the acquisition of Greek, Latvian, Russian, English, Romanian and German. Initially, this virtual environment will be tested by supporting the learning of the Greek language, but in 2013 – the other languages will be added.
The project is co-financed by the EU Lifelong Learning Programme within the framework of KA2 Language Programme
For more information go to: www.sun-languagecommunity.eu
LINKING: Lifelong Learning Strategies and Practices in Support of Growth, Inclusion, Well-Being.
This is a lifelong learning publicity project which promotes the understanding about the lifelong learning system and its connection with the growth of economy and our well-being. Baltic Bright, in cooperation with State Education Content Centre (VISC), Latvian Television and the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry organizes publicity events, collects good practice samples for LTV stories and publications, creates and maintains the web site.
For more information go to: www.keeplearning.lv
Baltic Training Programme (BTP): student international internships as an instrument of promoting cross-border entrepreneurship and cooperation in the Baltic region.
Young people from Latvia, Estonia and Sweden will participate in internships in companies of their neighbouring countries. The students will have a chance to receive training before the internship, as well as entrepreneurship consultations before and after the internships. The task of the students will be to acquire entrepreneurship experience from their host company and develop their own business project. Based on her experience in international cooperation, entrepreneurship and management, Vita Žunda, the founder of Baltic Bright, Ltd., works in this project as an entrepreneurship coach, assisting several students with the development of their business projects. The duration of the project: spring of 2013
For more information go to: www.baltictrainingprogramme.eu
Baltic Bright Goes Interactive: Baltic Bright teachers consolidate their interactive whiteboard skills.
Thanks to financing of the EU Lifelong learning programme Leonardo da Vinci sub-programme two Baltic Bright teachers Sandra and Ivars went to Scarborough, England in the beginning of 2010 to take part in an in-service training. They had their internship at a language school where the interactive whiteboard is used in every classroom for all classes. To promote the use of interactive whiteboard, Baltic Bright organized IT courses for its teachers. After in-service training, Sandra and Ivars organized a seminar for the other Baltic Bright teachers.
ALII: Adult Learning for Immigrant Integration: educational events for the integration of people of various nationalities.
How to overcome the barriers among different cultures and learn to accept the differences? Baltic Bright in cooperation with 4 international partners took part in the project initiated by the Naples City Council. Baltic Bright organized seminars and workshops for the representatives of minorities living in Latvia to test the “critical incident” method, i.e. act out situations where the cultural differences are manifested to the highest degree: time and space, gender roles, children education, perception of the sacred.
The project was co-financed by the EU Lifelong Learning project, sub-programme Grundtvig from 2008 to 2010.
For more information go to: www.aliiproject.org
INTERACT : Intercultural Training: Interactive ICT Tools for Entrepreneurs.
Baltic Bright in cooperation with the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and 4 international partners from Finland, Great Britain, Romania and Belgium developed an interactive learning module for the acquisition of intercultural communication skills. The aim of the course is to help entrepreneurs, managers, export or import managers to understand the differences of the communication culture between various countries, peoples and regions. The participants of the course learn to model their communication style to create successful cooperation with foreign partners. This course is currently being offered by Baltic Bright to its clients (go to the section: Courses for Enterprises).
The course was developed with the co-financing by the EU Lifelong Learning project, sub-programme GRUNDTVIG from 2007 to 2009.
