MAISHA Transnational Partnership

The RE:Focus Development Partnership has been involved in a transnational cooperation with partners from Pesaro (Italy) and Hamburg (Germany). The MAISHA (More Abilities Integration Skills and Higher Ambitions) partnership had the common aim of working together to develop EU approaches to combat discrimination in relation to the labour market by developing products that can be transferred into practice and policy.

The projects involved in the partnership have worked together innovately to try and test new products in 3 working groups: Skills Passport (looking at early intervention), Modularisation (looking at skills development) and Diversity Management (looking at ways of encouraging diversity within the workplace).

Skills Passport

The aim of this working group was to look at new methods of supporting those disadvantaged in the labour market to record skills and attributes that would be attractive to employers. It was evident in each country a key issue was the inability of clients to recognise or evidence skills and competences that are not certificated such as 'life experience' and the softer skills employers need and want.

Modularisation

The aim of this working group was to develop a training module compatible over three member states and the assessment of three National Qualification Frameworks in Scotland, Germany and Italy.

Diversity Management

The focus of this group was to develop a brochure aimed at employers to provide a short informative overview of diversity management. With changing demographics and the flow of migration, organisations will be exposed to a greater cultural mix than ever before. By embracing diversity, employers can harness a potential workforce available to help them maximise new business opportunities.