A5 Exchange and dissemination of information and good practices

Socrates programme, Comenius Action 2, DG Education and Culture

1. Aims and objectives

As mentioned elsewhere in this document EFECOT has drafted a policy plan 2000-2007. The priorities and strategic recommendations entailed by this plan lay down the chalk lines of EFECOT’s future.
The consultative exercise and review process that preceded the finalisation of the policy plan revealed that dissemination and networking are considered by the different levels of our field (parents, professional organisations, teachers, political authorities) as an extremely vital topic. Already in the last few years dissemination has been taking an increasingly prominent place within projects and within the organisation as a whole.
For the future we will continue to act accordingly. Therefore the overall aim of this project is to build upon the best aspects of existing dissemination mechanisms and to broad the scope of dissemination to reach an ever-increasing audience.
The concrete objectives are:

• the efficient and oriented dissemination of outcomes and results of other EFECOT actions
  
• the distribution and multiplication of relevant information
  
• improve the organisation of the documentation centre with a clear and transparent classification system
  
• supplement ‘Newsline’ with targeted dissemination of experience and good practice (a) in particular countries, (b) within publications produced by the Traveller communities themselves, and (c) within publications produced for teachers and practitioners.
  
• optimise the dissemination of information through new technologies (on line newsletters, enhanced use of the EFECOT Website, etc.)
  
• continuous promotion of the Policy Plan and appeal to the partners to contribute to its implementation.
  
  

2. Planned activities

The above-mentioned objectives are translated in the following concrete activities:

• Kick-off meeting with relevant partners "Travelling on together" in order to establish cross-links between the different projects and to make concrete agreements regarding dissemination. ( 2 follow-up meetings are planned)
  
• Outcomes and results of other EFECOT actions and projects can resort to the promotion channels of this action (magazine, homepage, newsletter, exhibitions, …), for further targeted dissemination. In collaboration with the different project leaders of EFECOT, relevant products will be selected for this purpose. This gives at the same time direct input to ‘EDULINA ’, an organisation of which it is the aim to organise professional distribution of services and products to a broad audience including all those concerned with provision for Traveller communities, and for those affected by interrupted learning.
  This action is a continuous process
  
• The further elaboration and systematisation of the documentation centre. The elaboration consists in keeping abreast with topical matters in the field of interrupted learning (press selection, purchase of relevant publications, addition of outcomes and project results, …). Systematisation means that the titles of the documentation centre are gradually being inserted in a database, with search possibilities for visitors. The documentation centre is open for visitors every working day (free information and guidance).
  This action is a continuous process
  
• The production, publication and distribution of Newsline. Newsline is a free, plurilingual, four-monthly publication strengthening the European dimension in the field of education and training of Occupational Travellers EFECOT provides good examples of educational practice and information from several Member States on European co-operation, conferences and seminars, new pedagogical materials, research results, actions and initiatives, courses organised, new projects and organisations, all related to the education and training of Travelling Communities. Articles and topics are provided by EFECOT’s partners and members or are written by the central staff of EFECOT. For the selection of articles and the overall production and assessment of Newsline an editorial staff is installed, responsible for:
  
  • defining the contents
    
  • contacting partners for possible articles
    
  • translations
    
  • photographs
    
  • lay-out
    
  • printing
    
  • &Mac183;distribution
    
• Newsline also incorporates articles from magazines and newsletters of partner institutes and from professional magazines from the circus, fairground and inland navigation sector (i.e. the magazines "Circo" (Italy), "Travellers’ Times" (UK), "InterPark" (UK)). Vice versa articles from Newsline are also included in these magazines.
  Newsline is published three times a year.
  
• On a regular basis we check a number of websites (European Commission, Eurydice, European Policy Centre, European Parent Organisation, Official Publication of the European Union, …) and select relevant news items (call for tender, events, meetings, new publications, decisions, …) that are relevant to our network. Every two months the selected items are put together in an electronic newsletter and sent by e-mail to all the Full Members of EFECOT and other subscribers. Persons / organisations without e-mail facility receive the information via a printed newsletter.
  There are 6 electronic newsletters per year.
  
• The management of EFECOT’s homepage (http://www.efecot.net). This homepage is actualised on a regular basis (in co-operation with the partners) and provides links with several pages containing the following information:
  
  • general presentation of EFECOT in several languages,
    
  • presentation of EFECOT’s member organisations,
    
  • actual working programme,
    
  • several relevant documents (keynote speech, guidelines for teachers, Congress EFECOT ...) that can be freely downloaded and disseminated,
    
  • EFECOT’s publication list with an overview of outcomes and products that can be obtained with an electronic order form via e-mail,
    
  • links with other EFECOT projects (TOPILOT/TRAFE), links to homepages of partners, link with the homepage of EC-DG XXII and links with other interesting homepages (e.g. Fairground Archive Sheffield).
    Next to these documents that can be freely downloaded, it is our intention to include the possibility to get access via a secret code to a protected section ( members only), containing publications which can then be consulted and downloaded. It would then also be possible to open the d-base with information of EFECOT’s documentation centre via these protected pages. Also further links are to be established with pages of National Agencies and other pages containing actual and relevant information for, for instance, teachers (such as Web for Schools).
    This action is a continuous process
    
• The updating of our publication list of project outcomes and results throughout the years.
  
• The continuous promotion of our Policy Plan entails both the promotion at a policy level (European Parliament and European Commission as well as the regional levels) and the stimulation of partners in the field to prepare and co-ordinate projects, thus meeting concrete needs in the (regional) field and implementing the implications of the plan. Partners are invited via different channels (mailings, leaflet, homepage, magazine, meetings, ...) to send project pre-proposals to EFECOT. EFECOT has developed a special "call for ideas template" for this purpose. Incoming proposals are evaluated and selected by EFECOT’s "Standing Committee for Policy, Review and Development". EFECOT will keep a continuous keen eye on the developments in the landscape of education-training-culture programmes and suggest appropriate subsidising programmes for good and relevant pre-proposals. These partners, who will be the co-ordinators of their potential project, continue to receive EFECOT’s support for further follow-up and implementation throughout the lifetime of their project.
  This procedure provides a clear framework and stimulating support to realise good project ideas taking into account concrete field needs and consolidating regional networking. Regarding the seting up of regional platforms ( see also sub-project A3/chapter B.4.2), these partners will be involved in the procedures aimed the evaluation and implementation of the project results at national/regional level.
  These actions are a continuous process
  
  

3. Expected project outcomes

The above actions will result in the following outcomes:

• An updated d accessible documentation centre. 100 fl.disks
  
• Three Newsline magazines per year 52p/2000ex/multiling
  
• Six electronic newsletters per year. 4p/20ex/1lang
  
• An updated and accessible homepage 15 mb+ 10ex/40p/en
  
• Updated publication list of EFECOT’s project outcomes and results in the course of the year (also available on the homepage).. 40p/100ex/1lang
  
• A complete English version of our working programme 00-01 120p/150ex/1lang and summaries in English, French and German. 50p/150ex/3lang
  
• Continuous multiplication of our Policy Plan and template for pre-proposals (EN, DE, F, NL, ES).
  
• Project pre-proposals from partners
  
  

4. Benefiting target groups

The exchange of information is a wide-embracing action, from which various parties benefit.

First and foremost, there are the travelling communities themselves. Information material and overview on existing facilities will stimulate the parents’ awareness of the need for proper schooling of their Children. This awareness may moreover go hand in hand with a concern for their own knowledge and skills updating (lifelong learning). As this information and documentation action is closely related to and interlinked with all the EFECOT actions, it concerns all the Travelling Community

• Bargee children, youngsters and adults
  
• Fairground children, youngsters and adults
  
• Circus children, youngsters and adults
  
• Seasonal Workers
  
• All groups and persons confronted with a discontinuous learning process.
  
  

and several levels of education and related aspects:

• pre-school level
  
• primary level
  
• secondary level
  
• lifelong learning and adult education
  
• follow-up systems
  
• teacher training
  
• open distance learning
  
  

Secondly, also teachers, educational institutes and educational organisations involved benefit from this action. The exchange of information and expertise, the sharing of material, educational techniques and solutions to specific problems will contribute largely to increase the quality of the education of travelling communities.

Finally, also various kinds of information and documentation centres of regional, national or international instances and institutions will gain a better insight in the topic concerned.

5. Impact

The project’s impact on the education of the addressed target group is an indirect one. Dissemination enhances the accessibility of educational provisions, raises the awareness of the target groups ánd of education authorities and improves and enriches concrete teaching and learning skills and practices.

6. Project methodology

EFECOT is the Project Leader of this project and thus responsible for the overall management. Working methods:

• collecting, systemising and codifying of internal material from project partners
  
• establishing contacts with external documentation centres and institutes
  
• drawing up publication lists with an overview of EFECOT outcomes and publications with order form
  
• delivering orders
  
• conception, production, redaction and dissemination on a regular basis of an electronic newsletter
  
• ad hoc mailing of recent important information
  
• management of databases and homepages
  
• production and edition of Newsline
  
• articles and topics for Newsline are provided by EFECOT’s network of partners and members or are written by the central staff of EFECOT.
  

For the selection of articles and the overall production and assessment of Newsline and Newsflash the co-ordinator EFECOT and its editorial staff (4 persons, one which is a member of the Board of Directors of EFECOT) are responsible for:

• defining the contents
  
• contacting partners for possible articles
  
• translations
  
• photographs
  
• lay-out
  
• printing
  
• distribution
  

As this action is cross-linked with all the other EFECOT actions, it needs constant information and feedback from these actions. All the partners of the other projects are therefore also partner in this project. They regularly report on their actions, and point out particular needs for information. This action guarantees the dissemination of the outcomes of the other EFECOT projects.

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