Paving the way to jobs (PAV)
Objective
The project sought to develop the concept of e-learning (distance education) in teaching Danish as a second language. The training combined classroom lessons with lessons at the workplace and/or at a community centre.
Activities
At designated Community Centres, students were able to log on to the project’s website to download assignments and exercises, as well as send their completed projects to their teachers. Volunteers (ethnic Danes) served as the students’ mentors and dialogue partners. This system helped the students to establish contact with the local population, a requirement for the creation of local social networks among migrants and refugees. In Denmark, these networks are important because they provide information on employment opportunities, and facilitate migrants' entrance to the local community.
The project acquired substantial experiences on the technical aspects of developing computer-based materials. New projects have been developed that built on these methods and experiences.
PAV has also facilitated the creation of networks with other similar institutions both in Denmark and in Europe. These contacts have resulted in further cooperation on different activities and projects, such as in the project, Promotion of Social Networks.
Partnership
The project was implemented by VIFIN in cooperation with:
- Dansk Flygtningehjælp
- Sprogcenter Himmerland
- Sprogcenter Hobro
- Sprogcenter Vejle-Fredericia
- Vejle Bibliotek
- VUC Fredericia
- and a number of municipalities
Funding
The project was funded by the EU Equal Programme. It ran 2004-2005.
More information
The project's experiences were shared at the EU level through two transnational projects: Inclusion Power with partners from England (Cornwall Inclusive Learning Partnership, Cornwall County) and Sweden (Vuxenutbildningen Kärnan); and Coast Links with partners from Italy (Province of Livorno Development Office) and Germany (Flüchtlingsrat Schleswig Holstein e.V.).
The exchanges of "best practices" were done though project visits, transnational meetings and online conferences.