Background
This collaborative transnational partnership project, selected for support under the first call for proposals for the new Erasmus+ Programme in 2014 is delivered by a partnership involving organisations from five countries, as follows:-
Lancaster University, UK
Lancaster and Morecambe College, UK
South East Europe Research Centre, Thessalonki, Greece
University of Lodz, Poland
Znanie Organisation, Bulgaria
Commune di Ortona, Italy
Staff at Lancaster University Management School had previous experience of the EU Lifelong Learning Programme, having been involved in Erasmus and Leonardo da Vinci projects. They had, therefore, previously worked with the colleagues in Greece and Poland. In developing the HELPcare project, the existing partners recognised the need to involve experts in vocational education and training. Colleagues at Lancaster and Morecambe College with expertise in the health and social care field were approached and they agreed to participate. The College suggested the involvement of two of their trusted partners from Bulgaria and Italy.
Project Summary
The overall aim of HELPcare is to develop and transfer innovative practices in education for the qualification and professionalization of health and social care workers that can be adapted and adopted across the EU28 to make better use of the existing workforce through training, as well as encourage young people to view health and social care work as a career choice with recognised routes for progression.
In developing the HELPcare project the partners first identified several key problem relating to care of the elderly in their own homes:-
1. There is no EU-wide training standard or regulation framework for care workers, making it difficult for those recruiting workers to know what benchmarks good quality.
2. Many care workers find it difficult to access CPD training and career development, even though there is significant potential for such workers to progress through to professional healthcare roles such as clinical support workers, nurses or physiotherapy.
3. As care workers are not seen as a professionalised workforce (with many working as undeclared labour) their skills are often poorly utilised in the community.
4. The impact of the migration to middle-high income countries by young people engaged in care work has been to exacerbate the impact of care worker recruitment problems in accession countries planning for the care of an aging population, while not solving the shortage of care workers in receiving countries.
6. Unless care work becomes a more attractive career option, with clear routes to progression it will be difficult to attract young people even in a period of high youth unemployment.
The problems defined the objectives of the project, as follows:-
1. To develop a model based upon best practice for training and regulation standards for existing home / healthcare workers that can be adapted and adopted across the EU either nationally, regionally or locally dependent on setting
2. To work with those currently providing home /health and social-care services (via undeclared labour or via provider organizations), VET/HE establishments and users and commissioners of homecare to develop a model of CPD to develop pathways to professionalization and provide new routes for progression from home /healthcare work into the wider range of health and social care.
3. To explore existing health and social care qualifications in partner countries and develop a new model of work-based/VET/HE-based learning outcomes for health and social care that will fit into the HELPcare framework for professionalization.
a. Includes developing skills mapping tools for existing care workers to assist in their effective CPD & the development of a careers guidance portfolio aimed at highlighting the possibilities of a career in home health care
4. Develop a transnational network and community of practice comprising service commissioners, policy makers and VET providers to disseminate best practice in health and social careworkers education and progression through the EU.
Institutional benefits and fit with strategic objectives
Lancaster University is very much an international institution and European projects assist in the development of wider international relationships. The University also as a policy of reaching out to local education establishments, which applies to Lancaster and Morecambe College. As a research-led university projects such as HELPcare help in developing high-quality research that can be developed into international academic publications which again help to raise the profile of the university. The project also leads to new ideas developing, and in the case of HELPcare the team have built on the initial idea to put together a bid to Horizon 2020.
In terms of the benefits for the institution, participation provides staff with the opportunity to participate in international collaborations. This helps staff to build new skill-sets and learn from other partners. An important aspect of this project is the variety of partners, enabling the team to work with SMEs, third sector organisations, municipalities and so on, this allows for knowledge exchange that is far broader than is generally the case within higher education. In turn, this helps staff to identify new problems and consider new solutions. There are also benefits in terms of raising awareness of Lancaster University around the EU, through partner visits and the various multiplier events associated with the project.
Lessons learned from the Erasmus+ application process
That all aspects of your application should be clear and concise. Targets should be identified and should be realistic. There should be sufficient time left to construct the budget carefully and get required institutional approvals.
– See more at: http://www.international.ac.uk/newsletters/european-funding-bulletin/european-funding-bulletin-july/eu-funded-project-case-studies-new-programmes-2014-2020.aspx#sthash.Xq1jfu8C.dpuf