06.2022
During the past week, NASOR team attended the training of VICs (Vocational Integration Counselors) on the SAS project in Paris, France.
The LADAPT hosts provided excellent conditions and organization that allowed all participants to present the implementation of the apprenticeship models in their countries and to compare the development and progress levels, the advantages and the disadvantages of past and current activities related to the model.
During the training, which took place on 31.05 and 01.06, the leading partner from LADAPT presented in details the French reference apprenticeship model and the overall structure of all units related to the implementation of the concept. We had the opportunity to actively participate and ask questions regarding the creation of the ATS (training centers), where people with disabilities would have the opportunity to obtain and upgrade their professional skills, qualifications, necessary certificates and diplomas that will certify their development. The Vocational Integration Counselors (VICs) will prepare analysis and reports that will track the progress of the apprenticeship model and will find to prevent situations such as termination of employment. Several workshops were held where through discussions and group exercises, each country project partner managed to reveal in depth the specifics of the apprenticeship model and their expectations of the future implementation.
Our team had the opportunity to gain experience from the best practices which were shared during the activities from both the LADAPT representatives from France and our Norwegian partner, Spir-Oslo that presented their 25 years of experience in implementation. They also presented a follow-up of a person with disability from early stage, since the diagnosis was made, through to their educational and then professional development, during which the experts studying the person had the opportunity to support them in their different stages and guide them to the optimal option in their particular case.
We managed to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the current implementation of the apprenticeship model in Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Greece, France and Norway, where it is most successfully applied at the moment. In addition, we compared the legal framework and the options for obtaining external funding and defined the short and medium term goals of the future actions and activities of the SAS project, which we will implement in the coming months. The reference French model is to be transformed by NASOR to correspond to the Bulgarian legal system. Also, we will keep up our work active with the aim to attract a large number of stakeholders so they can make their contribution in Bulgaria. Our final goal is to raise awareness of the initiative and to motivate as many social employers as possible to take actions.