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Description
The project aims to increase the competence of local government employees, to address problems of homelessness and violence among young people and promote economic development. The project will also contribute to retaining young people in the local labor market. The project includes:
- Bilateral cooperation with the Norway to share experience in creating spatial, environmental and social policies in cities and exchanging good practices.
- Support system for residents through streetworking for homeless people and youth in the Zawiercie Municipality. The main goal is to motivate young people to develop, to pursue their passions and find their own paths of development. The streetworkers for the homeless people aim to support them to take small steps to improve their lives.
- Reconstruction, renovation and expansion of Podmiejska Street along with water and sewage infrastructure to increase Zawiercie''s economic growth.
- Establishment of a Local Career Center - that will organize meetings of students and graduates from the Zawiercie city area with labor market advisors.
- Improving the competence of the employees of the City Hall and units of the Zawiercie Municipality- a series of training courses and workshops to improve knowledge and soft skills.
- Facilities for people with limited mobility or communication skills to improve the accessibility of services for the hearing impaired through a hearing aid system that enables the reception of pristine and clear sound through a hearing aid.
The effects of the project will be be the redevelopment of 60 ha for industrial development within the Economic Activity Area; more social activity and support for vulnerable groups and youth and more effective implementation of municipality activities and social participation in managing the municipality development at the strategic level.
Summary of project results
The Polish-Norwegian cooperation project in the field of vocational education was aimed at solving a number of challenges that are crucial both for the development of local communities and for the improvement of the quality of vocational education. Here are the most common problems and challenges that the project was designed to solve:
- Adapting vocational education to the needs of the labour market
- Discrepancies between the skills of graduates and the expectations of employers.
- Low level of cooperation between vocational schools and local businesses.
- The need to develop qualifications adapted to modern technologies and global standards.
- Improving the quality of education and the competences of teaching staff, gaps in teachers'' knowledge and skills in the field of modern methods of vocational education.
- The need to introduce innovative teaching tools and technologies into the teaching process.
Development of mobility and exchange of experience:
- Limited opportunity for teachers and students to exchange experiences from different
- Involving local communities in the development of vocational education
- Insufficient involvement of local authorities, businesses and organisations in the education process.
- Lack of awareness of the importance of vocational education for the development of the local economy.
- Promoting sustainable development and social inclusion
- Introducing ecological practices and sustainable development into school curricula.
Strengthening international cooperation:
- Building lasting partnerships between educational institutions from Poland and Norway.
- Sharing good practices and innovations in vocational education.
In the context of Polish-Norwegian projects, particular emphasis was placed on the exchange of knowledge and experience, which was to help raise educational standards in Poland through the use of Norwegian solutions in the field of vocational education and sustainable development.
- The achievement of the objectives of the project for the exchange of experience in post-primary vocational education means that the initiative has brought tangible benefits to both the project participants and the institutions involved. Here are the effects that could be achieved thanks to such cooperation:
Improving the competences of students and teachers:
- Students had the opportunity to learn about modern technologies, work standards and teaching methods used in Norway.
- Teachers have acquired new teaching skills and introduced innovative solutions to their curricula.
- Strengthening international cooperation
- Lasting relationships have been established between Polish and Norwegian educational institutions, which may result in further projects in the future.
- The project participants learned to work in an international environment, which increases their ability to cooperate interculturally.
Introduction of new teaching methods and apprenticeships:
- The exchange of experiences resulted in the implementation of new didactic and organizational techniques.
- Development of dual apprenticeships (combining learning with professional practice) and better adaptation of curricula to the needs of the labour market.
- Increasing the mobility of students and teachers
- Students could participate in apprenticeships and internships in Norway, gaining experience in an international environment.
- Teachers had the opportunity to observe what the vocational education system in Norway looks like, which allowed them to compare and adapt best practices.
- Promotion of vocational training
- The prestige and importance of vocational education in local communities was raised, showing its practical application and career prospects.
- The project could also help to convince young people and their parents that vocational education can be an attractive path of development.
Integrating sustainability into vocational education:
• The project could implement elements related to ecology, energy efficiency or sustainable development, which is important for modern technical professions and labour markets.
To sum up, the project not only achieved its goals in terms of the exchange of experiences, but also could become a starting point for further activities to develop vocational education, positively influencing its quality and adaptation to the requirements of the modern economy.
The Polish-Norwegian cooperation project on post-primary vocational education achieved a number of results that benefited different groups of beneficiaries, both direct beneficiaries (pupils and teachers) and indirect beneficiaries (schools, businesses and local communities). The results achieved have improved the quality of vocational education, adapted to the needs of the labour market and strengthened international cooperation, which has contributed to lasting and positive changes in the education system.
Summary of bilateral results
Cooperation with the Partner Country in the area of exchange of experiences and practical solutions includes, among others, a number of study visits, a number of online meetings, exchange of materials and documents. Permanent cooperation with the partner from Norway was aimed at creating modern development solutions at the local level. Its main goal was to provide proven experience in creating spatial, environmental and social policies from Norwegian cities and to reduce economic and social differences, as well as to strengthen bilateral relations between donor countries and the beneficiary country. In connection with the implementation of the bilateral agreement, four study visits were held in the reporting period. The purpose of the study visits to the Norwegian Partner, in accordance with the bilateral agreement, was, among others: exchange of good practices, information and experiences in the area of organizing cooperation between institutions, schools and employers in the field of dual vocational education. Creating individual career development paths for young people based on the example of the Partner, organizing internships and apprenticeships for students and graduates. Proposals for actions to be taken to meet the challenges through cooperation between secondary schools and entrepreneurs looking for employees. It is worth adding that the Project Partner has the best program in Europe in the area of establishing new companies and enterprises. According to international studies and rankings, Norway is among the top countries with the highest level of quality of life, therefore this cooperation was an opportunity to draw good solutions for our city in order to improve the quality of life and strengthen the market. For the Project Partner, study visits were also an opportunity to learn about the dual education system operating in our country, healthcare within the National Health Fund on the example of the District Hospital in Zawiercie, the system of employment of young people entering the labor market by local entrepreneurs, i.e. CMC Zawiercie, Elemental as well as ecological solutions in large companies operating in our city.