In delivering this project, we are seeking to have an impact upon our own organisation, our Adult Education tutors, and the organisations in the UK with whom we collaborate, to:

• increase our capacity to operate at an EU level
• improve the way we operate with the target groups, including refugee/migrant learners
• enhance our professional environment
• modernise and internationalise the curriculum
• contribute to meeting EDP and IES goals
• participate in structured training courses, focusing upon:

   * working with refugees and asylum seekers
   * learning in a multicultural setting
   * topics of entrepreneurship, ICT and creativity
The project aims to develop 20 UK staff in our own organisation and in those organisations with whom we collaborate to deliver Adult Education.

Our target groups are: 

• experienced teachers/trainers, building professional competence in a European setting
• less experienced teachers/trainers, seeking to gain professional competence
• inexperienced teachers (currently in a support role) seeking to gain EU learning outcomes, and planning professional development
• non-formal education project leaders
• community project principals & directors
• local NGO leaders

General learning outcomes, integral to all courses, will be:

• Identifying personal objectives
• Preparing participants for implementing course content in their own classrooms  
• Providing opportunities for participants to reflect on their own practice    
• Action plan the changes and improvements to implement on return to the UK 

Courses  will also develop teachers/trainers' key competences

• Enhance participants’ skills to develop their learners’ digital skills and literacy       
• Provide a technological toolkit for educators and improve the level of key competences and ICT skills       
• Access a variety of on-line resources to promote good practice in education in a European context
• Gain in-depth knowledge of best practices & policies at school for integrating minorities, migrants and refugees’ children

At the end of the project, all participants will be provided with a Europass Mobility Document, that details the learning outcomes achieved, that will be drawn from the declared learning aims of each short structured course. Where these learning outcomes can be mapped to any or all of the three units of the UK Award in Education and Training, participants will be issued with an ECVET Learning Agreement that shows how the outcomes were attained and evidenced - contributing to the evidence base for the eventual attainment of the UK Award. All participants will be encouraged to document their complete attainments with the use of the Europass CV.

Funding:
The Erasmus+ funding will cover the costs of the course, travel, accommodation and a subsistence allowance. 

To express your interest in taking part in the programme, please email [email protected] or call us on 01902 834 416. ​
You can download the programme application form HERE. 

"I went to Seville, Spain for 3 weeks in March 2017 as a Business Admin student. I had completed my Level 2 and just started my Level 3.
 
For this, I was working in an office with a company called Incoma. Incoma is a training agency so they deliver Erasmus+ programmes including: vocational training, employment, entrepreneurship and language projects. I completed tasks using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel. I produced leaflets, flyers and spreadsheets. I also met with European students who were going on mobility and I helped a group of Spanish participants with coming to the UK.
 
The sending organisation was Gecko, the company that I work for. I was supported with information prior to the mobility and I met the group that I was travelling with.
 
Firstly, I had a Skype meeting with our receiving organisation. The purpose was to meet our contact over in Seville and let them find out about us and what work placement we wanted. I was asked a variety of questions regarding my current role, what I enjoy doing, and what I would like to do whilst on my mobility. This was done to allow time to find an appropriate work placement for us, before heading to Seville. It was helpful as it cleared up any questions that I had. I was a little nervous beforehand as I didn’t know what to expect but the interview re-assured me and gave me all the appropriate information I needed. It was also useful to meet the contact who I would be working with over in Seville (so I knew who I would be meeting and working with over there)  and to introduce ourselves via a video call had more of a value rather than emails with no real face to face engagement. Overall, the meeting was very helpful and re-assuring.
 
Secondly, I attended a group meeting / preparation session at my workplace where I met 5 others who were also going on the mobility. Each participant was from a different college (covering Birmingham, Wolverhampton and The Black Country). We were all of different creative sectors of study / work and we were of different ages between 17-25. The majority of the meeting was conducted by a PowerPoint presentation. It consisted of an icebreaker where we got to know about each other and we then get to know about Seville, where we would be staying. This included tourist attractions, things to do and see, getting around/ transport. We looked at each other’s work placements and accommodations and how to travel between each. This was helpful to have an idea prior to arriving.  We also learnt basic Spanish language to help with my stay in Seville. At the end, we were given handouts and information sheets to refer to at a later time. We also created a group chat in order to keep in contact with each other prior to and whilst out in Seville, which was very helpful.
 
TGecko supported me with subsistence allowance which was like pocket money - to pay for everyday things such as transport, food, etc. The accommodation was all organised and paid for and we had all important contact details in case of emergency. We also met with our contact at Incoma regularly throughout the mobility for a tutorial where we discussed what we had been up to and how we had got on. This was a chance to discuss any issues and share feedback.
 
Whilst I was there, I also received training on entrepreneurship and employability. This included CV writing, cover letter writing, business skills, etc. We also recorded our day to day activities in a log book to show what we had been up to, what we had learnt and where we had been. It was great to reflect on.
 
In my spare time I was able to explore, try out new foods, meet new people and socialise. I travelled to the Beach, I sunbathed and I visited attractions much as Museums, Castles and Gardens.
 
Overall, my mobility experience was brilliant. I gained confidence and became more independent. It made me spontaneous and I want to travel more now. It has had a massive impact on my development and also looks great on my CV to say that I have worked abroad. It has opened so many more opportunities for me.
 
After the mobility, the group I went with met back up at Gecko (sending organisation) a few weeks later. We shared our experiences and left both verbal and written feedback through an online questionnaire and a written report. This gave us the chance to reflect on our mobility and also to give any suggestions of what we would maybe improve.
 
To ensure that we attended the final reflection meeting, we were asked to pay a deposit of £35 at the start which was then returned upon completion of the mobility and attendance of the final meeting. The importance of the final meeting was to gain a report from each of us participants, as without this, funding is not claimable. It worked out successfully as the whole group attended, completed their reports, gave feedback and received deposits back.
 
Since completing my mobility, I have a lot more confidence and I am more spontaneous to go out and do more. I have booked multiple holidays at different destinations and I intend to continue travelling. At work, I was able to receive a promotion into a higher role. I have also been able to share my experiences with friends, family and other associates which has encouraged a few referrals to go ahead and complete the programme for their selves.  
 
I now have the responsibility of promoting Erasmus+ through presentations, event and  social media post in the hope to motivate others to participate in the same way that I did and gain similar skills, experience and achievements."

Gecko Programmes has been successful in securing over £3m Erasmus+ funding to send people to Italy, Spain and Germany.
We offer a combination of vocational training in the UK that is followed by a funded work placement and further learning with one of our European partners.
To qualify for an Erasmus+ mobility you must be currently attending a vocational training programme with Gecko or have completed one with Gecko or one of our consortium college partners in the last 12 months:

• City of Wolverhampton College
• South and City College Birmingham
• Walsall College
• Dudley College
• Birmingham Metropolitan College 
• Solihull College

You can read more about the programme here.

Gecko has funding available for certain courses, which can offer progression onto a Erasmus+ funded mobility programme. To learn more about the funded courses available, contact us on 01902 837 416.

To apply for a Erasmus+ mobility programme, email us your CV, together with the application form, which can be downloaded from here.  We aim to get back to all applicants within a week after receiving the relevant documentation, but due to the high volume of applications, this might take longer. We thank you in advance for your patience.

Please see below the dates for 2018-2019:

AUTUMN 2018
Long Programmes​

• Coruna, 30 September- 26 November 2018, 60 days

Short Programmes

• Florence, 17 October - 06 November 2018, 21 days - to be confirmed
• La Coruna, 17 October - 06 November 2018, 21 days
• Lanciano, 18 October - 06 November 2018, 20 days
• Seville, 18 October - 06 November 2018, 20 days

WINTER/SPRING 2019
Long Programmes 

• Seville, 22 January - 28/02/2019, 40 days
• Lanciano, 20 January - 17 March 2019, 59 days
• Florence, 24 January - 03 March 2019, 41 days
• Berlin, 13 January - 11 March 2019, 60 days
• Coruna, 13 January - 11 March 2019, 60 days

Short Programmes 

• Florence, 13 February - 05 March 2019, 21 days
• La Coruna, 14 February - 05 March 2019, 20 days
• Lanciano, 14 February - 05 March 2019, 20 days
• Seville, 14 February - 05 March 2019, 20 days