In December 2023, the UP WORK project was officially launched with a kick-off meeting held in Novara, Italy. The main objective of the project is to promote social inclusion and diversity in education and training, focusing on improving the competencies of trainers and tutors supporting the education of mentally vulnerable individuals (special needs learners), including those with physical disabilities, mental health conditions, individuals suffering from depression, and those experiencing long-term unemployment stress.

Partners Involved

The success of the project is made possible thanks to the collaboration of several key partners, who bring their expertise and commitment to social inclusion:

• FO-Aarhus (Denmark): Committed to adult education since 1973, offering non-formal courses for the Aarhus community.
• CSCI (Italy): Consorzio Scuola Comunità Impresa is a regional training agency established in 1999 in Novara. Its aim is to establish connections and ongoing relationships between schools, public administration, and the corporate world.
• GUREAK (Spain): Grupo Gureak, founded in San Sebastián in 1975, provides job opportunities that promote social and labor inclusion for people with disabilities, designing and developing individualized itineraries adapted to their needs and objectives.
• STELLA VIRIUM (Poland): Established in 2013 in Kraków to promote lifelong learning, job inclusion, and diversity. Since then, it has impacted over 800 people and collaborated with 600 volunteers, often in partnership with businesses.
• OLOKLIROSI (Greece): This center, located in Heraklion, offers educational and vocational training services to unemployed people, individuals from vulnerable social groups, and employees on contemporary topics that address labor market needs.

Recent Achievements

Extensive research on best practices was conducted in five countries, followed by the organization of several focus groups involving 33 students with special needs and 31 industry professionals and operators.These initiatives have significantly improved our understanding of the essential skills needed to succeed in the hospitality, catering, and event management sectors.

Stay Informed

The project will keep you updated on its progress and key milestones. Follow us on social media for the latest news on how we’re driving social inclusion and diversity in education, or dive into our first newsletter for more detailed insights!