Welcome to our international project ''Educator – a pillar of social inclusion in adult education'' of three partners: FERI foundation from Poland, EDU SMART Training Centre Limited, AESD Romania.  

Introduction 

We believe that there are three types of competences for educators working with disadvantaged adults:

Specialized competences

• knowledge of the subject;
• the ability to establish links between theory and practice;
• the ability to renew the contents in line with the new developments in the specific field of science (an in adjacent fields).

Psycho-pedagogical competence

• the ability to know the learners and to take into account their individual characteristics when designing and carrying educational activities;
• the ability to communicate easily with learners, to influence and motivate them for the learning;
• the ability to design and carry out optimal educational activities (specifying teaching objectives, selecting essential contents, developing training strategies, creating appropriate learning situations, establishing appropriate forms, methods and assessment tools, etc.);
• the ability to objectively evaluate training programs and activities, the training of learners, as well as their chances of success;
• the ability to prepare learners for self-education.

Social and managerial competence

• the ability to organize the work of learners and to establish responsibilities in the group;
• the ability to establish cooperative relationships, an appropriate climate in the group of learners and to resolve conflicts;
• the ability to take responsibility;
• the ability to guide, organize and coordinate, guide and motivate, to make decisions depending on the situation.

These three types of competences should be included in the following elements of the educational process:

1. skills audit
2. designing a training
3. implementing a training
4. validation
5. motivation and guidance.

It is also necessary to identify prerequisites (basic competences) that educator of disadvantaged adults should have, no matter of which part of the educational process he or she is responsible for.

Basic competences

Educator, in the area of knowledge:

• is aware of his/her prejudices and attitudes and how this affects his/her relationships with disadvantaged adults;
• understands the different values shared by adults and their families;
• believes in the ability to educate every adult;
• understands the factors that create exclusion in society but also those that lead to marginalization and poverty;
• understands the social and cultural dimension of education and learning;
• is aware of the features that an educator of disadvantaged adults should have (including assertiveness, emotional intelligence, attention to detail, compassion, mindfulness, neutrality, discretion);

Educator, in the area of skills:

• presents a personalized and individualized attitude towards a disadvantaged adult;
• looks at the learner comprehensively, caring for their social and emotional development;
• establishes an interpersonal bond with the learner and his/her family;
• recognizes and respects cultural and individual differences;
• encourages intercultural respect and understanding among adults;
• treats all adults with respect and reaffirms their worth and dignity;
• constantly improves his/her competences and qualifications.

Skills audit and identification of training needs of disadvantaged adults

Educator, in the area of knowledge:

• understands and explains the need for lifelong learning;
• defines the basic concepts of: skills assessment (including the skills audit, analysis of educational needs) and building a development plan for disadvantaged adults (further called: diagnosis);
• knows the rules of developing research tools used in diagnosis (e.g. creating a questionnaire or interview scenario);
• knows the tools and methods of diagnosis;
• presents risk that may occurred in the diagnosis process together with suggestions for counteracting them.

Educator, in the area of skills:

• selects the analysis tools to the individual abilities and limitations;
• referring to own experiences and taking into account learner’s characteristics, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of tools and methods useful in diagnosis;
• takes into account the individuals experience in defining their development needs;
• identifies problems that may arise during the diagnosis and solves them creatively;
• proposes various types of training, matching them to the individual needs and previous experience with education in order to create an individual development pathway;                                   
• prepares a diagnosis report, taking into account such elements as: objectives, methods, tools, characteristic of evaluated person, results, conclusions from the analysis, individual limitations and possibilities;
• presents the diagnosis results in a way that is understandable to the disadvantaged adult, along with the justification of selected training.

Designing a training in line with individual needs, limitations and opportunities of disadvantaged adults

Educator, in the area of knowledge:

• defines the target group, indicating the factors that motivate it and the barriers that limit its participation in the lifelong learning process;
• defines and compares different types of training, including their advantages and disadvantages, including those using ICT;
• knows the techniques that activate the group, including: warm-up/energisers, team building exercises, role playing, theatrical techniques, work in pairs and groups;
• lists techniques for adults’ mutual learning, methods and tools on combining learning with personal or family situations; • presents the principles of developing materials supporting learning and the use of teaching aids;
• explains the principles of cooperation with other educators as part of creating a adequate training.

Educator, in the area of skills:

• collects and synthesis information and data and critically evaluates them;
• defines the goals of the training;
• for the set goals, s/he proposes indicators allowing to determine the level of their implementation;
• defines learning outcomes and methods of their verification;
• takes into account the way adults learn when designing a training (including practical approach, focus on problem-solving, close connection with the situation and context of the learner);
• divides the training into smaller modules tailored to the needs of the target group;
• includes in the training elements that will make it enjoyable, e.g. games, multimedia solutions;
• prepares documentation of the training (including the outline), taking into account the goals and necessary  resources      
• justifies the selection of goals, content, methods, tools and forms of the training;
• discusses the risks in the implementation of the planned training and proposes alternative scenarios.

Implement a training in line with the needs of diadventaged adult

Educator, in the area of knowledge:

• defines the learning styles of adults;
• presents Kolb's cycle and explains the principles of adult learning;
• understands that in contact with adults, educator is both a teacher and a learner;
• knows and compares techniques that activate the group and lists verbal and non-verbal forms of communication;
• has an awareness and understands the importance of body language;
• justifies the different stages of the training and their order, taking into account the learning process, the needs of learners and the objectives of the training;
• presents the principles of giving instructions for exercises;
• understands the importance of trust and respect in the group and knows the tools to achieve it;
• understands the importance of the local community in developing the skills of disadvantaged adults;
• gives examples of possible difficult situations occurring during the training and suggests ways of solving them;
• explains how to care for good atmosphere in the group;
• discusses the impact of mistakes made by educators while conducting training on its goals.

Educator, in the area of skills:

• sets priorities;
• determines the schedule of the training;
• manages and adheres to the agreed schedule;
• anticipates possible difficulties during the training and plans appropriate remedial actions;
• prepares a learning space in accordance with the program and the needs of learners
• welcomes learners, introduces them to the training goals and housekeeping rules;
• gives understandable instructions for exercises, games and other activities;
• uses a variety of teaching methods and techniques adequate to the training goals;                           
• uses various and relevant teaching aids;
• analyses the behaviour of learners and reacts appropriately to the situation in order to achieve the training objectives;
• builds an atmosphere of trust, engages the attention and supports the learners's; motivation;
• encourages the exchange between learners;
• ensures the effectiveness of communication through the use of various communication techniques;
• gives constructive feedback to learners;
• in the event of a difficult situation in the group reacts in a way that enables further effective continuation of the training;
• summarizes the learning activities;
• speaks clearly, avoids jargon;
• exchanges good practices on how to deal in difficult situations with learners;
• collaborates with learners, educators and training organizers;
• prepares an evaluation of the training, also including a proposal for further actions, improvements or modifications.

Validation of skills acquired during the training

Educator, in the area of knowledge:

• lists the techniques and tools for validating learning outcomes;
• understands the importance of validation techniques other than test and exam for disadvantaged adults;
• discusses the importance of the micro-credentials for the successful learning process of a disadvantaged adult.

Educator, in the area of skills:

• performs validation in line with the criteria specified at the start of training;
• provides feedback to learners, pointing to the acquired skills, how they can be used, and indicates further areas for development;
• proposes additional activities enhancing the educational and development effects of the training;
• prepares a report on the validation in relation to the training goals.

Motivation and guidance

Educator, in the area o knowledge:

• lists methods that use and promote the link between theory (education) and practice;
• knows a variety of methods to actively reach out to disadvantaged adults;
• understands the importance of the local community in the learning process of disadvantaged adults;
• discusses the different approaches to guidance;
• knows the methods of motivating adults to participate in the learning.

Educator, in the area of skills:

• offers advice and support for disadvantaged adults, in the educational context;
• uses entrepreneurs and the importance of skills for professional development in the process of motivating adults to lifelong learning;
• actively reaches out to adults in places where they regularly visit, including their workplace or public spaces;
• identifies stakeholders who are in regular contact with disadvantaged adults;
• provides guidance for disadvantaged adults

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DICTIONARY:

Competence - means the broadly understood ability to undertake specific activities and perform tasks with the use of learning outcomes and own experiences that have been validated.

Skills - the ability to properly and efficiently perform a specific type of activity, task or function. By "proper performance" is understood the use of appropriate theoretical and practical knowledge and compliance with social norms, in particular relating to a given type of activity.

Training - activity aimed at acquiring, maintaining or increasing knowledge, skills or social competences.

Validation - The skills validation process allows individuals to identify, document, evaluate and certify their skills. Usually, it is conducted by a different person than the one that provided the training.

Disadvantaged adults – are adults at risk of social exclusion or are socially excluded.

Social exclusion - a situation in which a given individual, who is a member of society, cannot normally participate in the activities of its citizens, and this limitation does not result from internal beliefs, but is beyond the control of the excluded individual. Social exclusion is a multidimensional phenomenon and in practice it means the inability to participate in economic, political and cultural life as a result of the lack of access to resources, goods and institutions, limitation of social rights and deprivation of needs.

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Based on: https://uslugirozwojowe.karrsa.eu/slownik-pojec/ Zintegrowana Strategia Umiejętności 2030 (część ogólna) https://europa.eu/europass/en/validation-non-formal-and-informal-learni…