2nd project Newsletter
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VIRTUS held its first Multiplier Event in Germany!
On 3 March, QBS Gewerkstat, VIRTUS Coordinator, hosted the first multiplier event "Autism in Vocational Education and Training" at its premises in Bochum (Germany), organised as part of the VIRTUS project. The event was a great opportunity to present the Training Kit for Trainers that is currently being developed by the VIRTUS consortium, and to open a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of using digital teaching methods to promote the professional development and integration of autistic people.
Autistic individuals are often marginalised, less active, and present the lowest placement rate among people with intellectual disabilities. It is therefore key to facilitate and accelerate the integration of this community into the labour market. At the same time, it is necessary to develop sustainable mechanisms for their socio-cultural inclusion and integration.
To address these specific needs, the VIRTUS project is currently developing a Training Kit for Trainers, which targets professional facilitators (trainers, social pedagogues, VET providers, etc.) working with people with autism. The toolkit is intended to provide professionals with practical, engaging, and personalised material and strategies which they can use for training adults with autism who wish to find a job.
In the toolkit, there is a description of the target group and its specificities, the profile of trainers, good practices (success stories and common methods), and learning objectives divided into three sections:
- Social and interpersonal skills
- Pre vocational skills
- Vocational skills
The toolkit will include online and in-person training, assessment tests, offline courses, recorded webinars, as well as Virtus Reality (VR) scenarios, and was the focus of the VIRTUS project’s first Multiplier Event, Autism in Vocational Education and Training. Taking place on 3rd March 2023 in Bochum, Germany, the event welcomed 10 different institutions representing training providers in vocational training and autism therapy centres, which all offer holistic care for the target group and are specialised in people with autism.
Following a short introduction to the VIRTUS project, Gina Pudewils from QBS Gewerkstatt presented the VIRTUS Training Kit for Trainers, focusing on pre-vocational skills. After the presentation, the floor was open for a discussion and exchange of experiences among participants on the advantages and disadvantages of digital teaching methods, especially VR scenarios, for the professional training of autistic individuals. Results of the discussion showed that hybrid models between digital and practical forms of learning – as promoted by the VIRTUS project – seem to be the most adequate and effective for autistic people. At the end of the exchange, the participants also agreed to test the VIRTUS Training Kit for Trainers in their facilities.
In April, the VIRTUS partners will meet in Cyprus to conduct a training where professionals and trainers will trial the materials developed, including the final version of the training toolkit and VR scenarios. This testing period will be key to collecting suggestions for improving the materials developed, and for planning the next steps.
To keep up to date with the next VIRTUS activities, visit the project website: https://www.project-virtus.eu/.