North Liverpool Citizens Advice Bureaux is one of six European organisations taking part in a community education project funded by the European Union’s Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP). The project falls under the LLP Grundtvig stream and is entitled ‘Experiences and Methodologies in the Training of Trainers to Work with Marginalised Individuals, Groups and Communities’ (EMTTT).
Each partner works with disadvantaged and marginalised communities in a variety settings. North Liverpool CAB, City of Galway VEC (Eire) and Starthilfe Sonderhausen e.V. (Germany) work in areas of economic deprivation with young adults, the unemployed and other economically excluded individuals. The other partners, Magdelena o.p.s. (Czech Republic), Associazone san Benedetto onlus (Italy) and APDES - Piaget Agency for Development (Portugal), primarily work with drug users.
The project is scheduled to last until July 2012 and will compare how each organisation recruits, trains and supports trainers. Staff and learners (adults being trained as tutors) at each organisation will visit colleagues in partner organisations. The project aims to produce a ‘best practice manual’, which will be relevant to organisations across Europe.
‘The staff and volunteers at each partner organisation do much positive and important work locally, which often goes unrecognised. This project will highlight similarities and differences in our working practices, help us to learn new ways of working and share best practice,’ said Joe Lavelle, Financial Skills Development Worker at North Liverpool CAB and Coordinator of the project. ‘Ultimately, we want to provide the best possible services to our clients, whoever they may be, and support our staff to do that. This project will help us to achieve that aim.’
‘Equally important is the fact that the project allows relevant paid staff and volunteers to experience the working conditions and the cultural life of other European countries,’ he added. ‘Some of our staff and volunteers have not previously travelled outside the UK. This project wil potentially provide new opportunities and interests for everyone involved.’
In May 2011, volunteers and paid staff from North Liverpool CAB visited Italy as part of the project. North Liverpool CAB also hosted a very successful visit from the partner organisations in the first week of June. Staff and volunteers from the Bureau will also Portugal, Germany, Czech Republic and Eire, and a project closing seminar at Porto University in Portugal will take place in 2012.
Further information about the project and the partners is available through the project website. Alternatively, contact Joe Lavelle at North Liverpool CAB on 0151 285 1080 ext 226, or e-mail joe_lavelle@northliverpoolcab.co.uk.