12 February 2025

Event: The role of NGOs in ESF co-financed VET activities

The final report of a study on the role of NGOs and the impact of ESF support in the VET sector was presented in a webinar organised by the ESF+ Community of Practice on Employment, Education and Skills.

The European Social Fund+ (ESF+) Community of Practice on Employment, Education and Skills (CoP on EES) hosted an insightful online event on 11 February 2025 entitled Bridging Gaps in Vocational Training: The Role of NGOs and the Impact of ESF Support in Europe, reaching around 90 inter­na­tio­nal experts, stake­hol­ders and practitioners.

Based on a recent study, the event analysed how NGOs are using ESF+ funding to close struc­tu­ral gaps in voca­tio­nal and adult education across Europe. Case studies from Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Spain were used to discuss how these orga­ni­sa­ti­ons provide crucial support to socially dis­ad­van­ta­ged groups.

In the first part of the webinar, Fernando Marhuenda Fluixá (University of Valencia) gave a short intro­duc­tion to the topic of Third Sector acti­vi­ties in non-formal VET. After that,  thematic experts Ágota Scharle (Budapest Institute) and Jörg Markowitsch (3s) presented the final report of the study The Role of NGOs in Up- and Reskilling: Exploring ESF+ Supported Initiatives in Austria, Italy, Slovenia, and Spain. The report provides a com­pre­hen­si­ve analysis of how NGOs com­ple­ment formal education and con­tri­bu­te to labour market integration.

The Austrian case study was presented in a breakout session. Eva Steinheimer (3s) gave an overview of the Level Up initia­ti­ve and the role of NGOs

in the provision of basic education for adults. Erwin Rohrer from ISOP showed how ISOP provides tailor-made edu­ca­tio­nal offers in the initia­ti­ve and beyond that address the needs of mar­gi­na­li­sed popu­la­ti­on groups. The session was moderated by Jörg Markowitsch and Farid Ramadan (Foundation for Rehabilitation (Kuntoutussäätiö), Finland) was a dis­cus­sant. The audience also took an active part in the ensuing dialogue.

In the parallel breakout session, the Spanish case study was presented, with the Acceder programme of the Fundación Secretariado Gitano serving as another exemplary model for voca­tio­nal training acti­vi­ties run by NGOs.

The docu­men­ta­ti­on of the event will be available here shortly.


Contact: Jörg Markowitsch

Client: European Social Fund+ (ESF+) Community of Practice on Employment, Education, and Skills

17 Feb

Kick-off to the third project year — Skills2Capabilities shows first results

The third partner meeting of the Horizon project took place in Dortmund in February. In addition to reports from the work packages, there was also valuable expert input.

23 Jan

The Role of Skills Strategies in Driving Economic and Societal Progress

A recently published report of the Horizon project Skills2Capabilities deepens the comparative analysis of national skills strategies and highlights the importance of strategic, inclusive, and adaptable skills policies.

13 Dec

Online con­fe­rence on the Erasmus+ Centres of Vocational Excellence

Innovation, sustainable development and excellence in vocational education and training were the focus of an event organised by the Erasmus+ VET Team Austria at the OeAD and the BMBWF on 3 December 2024.

5 Dec

Digital Skills in Focus

Training provision and training providers in the area of digital skills in Austria. A study conducted by 3s offers an overview of the Austrian CVET market related to digital skills. 

17 Feb

Kick-off to the third project year — Skills2Capabilities shows first results

The third partner meeting of the Horizon project took place in Dortmund in February. In addition to reports from the work packages, there was also valuable expert input.

23 Jan

The Role of Skills Strategies in Driving Economic and Societal Progress

A recently published report of the Horizon project Skills2Capabilities deepens the comparative analysis of national skills strategies and highlights the importance of strategic, inclusive, and adaptable skills policies.

13 Dec

Online con­fe­rence on the Erasmus+ Centres of Vocational Excellence

Innovation, sustainable development and excellence in vocational education and training were the focus of an event organised by the Erasmus+ VET Team Austria at the OeAD and the BMBWF on 3 December 2024.

17 Feb

Kick-off to the third project year — Skills2Capabilities shows first results

The third partner meeting of the Horizon project took place in Dortmund in February. In addition to reports from the work packages, there was also valuable expert input.

23 Jan

The Role of Skills Strategies in Driving Economic and Societal Progress

A recently published report of the Horizon project Skills2Capabilities deepens the comparative analysis of national skills strategies and highlights the importance of strategic, inclusive, and adaptable skills policies.

17 Feb

Kick-off to the third project year — Skills2Capabilities shows first results

The third partner meeting of the Horizon project took place in Dortmund in February. In addition to reports from the work packages, there was also valuable expert input.

23 Jan

The Role of Skills Strategies in Driving Economic and Societal Progress

A recently published report of the Horizon project Skills2Capabilities deepens the comparative analysis of national skills strategies and highlights the importance of strategic, inclusive, and adaptable skills policies.

>all news