2013 mobility guidelines updated october 2012€¦ · experience to supplement their curriculum...

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Leonardo Mobility

UK Guidelines

2013 Call for Proposals

October 2012

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Contents

General Definitions ................................................................................2

1. Is Leonardo Mobility for me? ............................................................3

What is the Leonardo da Vinci programme? 3

What can I do with a Leonardo Mobility project? 4

What will my responsibilities be? 4

Target groups 5

Duration of placements 6

Who can participate? 7

Project timeline 9

Mobility project life-cycle 10

Developing your project idea 10

2. Creating a high quality application ................................................11

Key topic areas 12

Partnership 12

Project aims and objectives 14

Information and selection 15

Preparation 16

Practical support 17

Training content 17

Monitoring 18

Certification or accreditation of acquired skills 19

Project management 20

Evaluation 21

Dissemination of results 22

Managing your budget 23

Organisation and management 24

Preparation 24

Travel 25

Subsistence 25

The assessment process 29

National evaluation committee decision 31

Feedback 31

Where to Find More Help and Advice 32

General Definitions

Lifelong Learning

Programme (LLP):

A programme funded by the European Commission from 2007-2013, which

brings together four sectoral programmes: Comenius, Erasmus, Grundtvig

and Leonardo da Vinci, supported by the Transversal programme and the

Jean Monnet programme.

Mobility: A strand of the Leonardo da Vinci programme, which involves sending

people to another participating European country to undertake either a

period of work experience or, in the case of vocational education and

training professionals, a study visit to learn from European colleagues.

Agreement/Contract: A legally binding agreement issued by the UK NA to the promoter, which

defines the roles and responsibilities of both parties. “Agreement” and

“Contract” may be used interchangeably.

Grant Beneficiary/

Promoter

Any public, semi-public or private institution/body declaring its intention to

submit a proposal for transnational co-operation in accordance with the

established programme procedures. The applicant organisation becomes the

grant beneficiary when the proposal is approved and assumes overall

responsibility for carrying out the project.

Sending partner: Sending organisation (if different from the Applicant).

Host partner: A company, institution or training provider that receives participants during

their period of placement abroad.

Participant: Anyone who is sent to a host country other than that where they are

employed, undergoing training, or reside.

Accompanying

persons:

A person who accompanies participants on placements. Such individuals are

eligible for financial support under the Programme. It should be noted that

accompanying persons are not regarded as participants

UK NA: UK Leonardo National Agency.

Legal Representative: An individual person authorised within your organisation to sign legally

binding documents.

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Introduction

This guide is split into two sections, and is designed to take you right

from your initial ideas through to completing a quality application under

the 2013 Call for Proposals. The first section will help you to understand

whether the Leonardo Mobility programme is right for you, and to

explore how you can use the funding available.

Helpful hints and tips will enable you to ensure that you have considered

all aspects needed to run a successful Leonardo Mobility project. The

second section will then take you through the key criteria and topic

areas you will need to address in your application form.

1. Is Leonardo Mobility for me?

What is the Leonardo da Vinci programme?

The Leonardo Programme is part of the European Union’s Lifelong Learning Programme

(LLP). The LLP aims to contribute, through supporting lifelong learning, to the development

of the EU as an advanced knowledge-based society, with sustainable economic

development, more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. In particular, it aims to foster

interchange, co-operation and mobility between education and training institutions and

systems within the EU so that they may become a world quality reference.

Leonardo funds opportunities for UK vocational education and training (VET) organisations,

staff and learners. The programme supports European collaboration projects in the field of

VET, encouraging organisations and individuals to work together to develop and improve

training provision and skills standards. All UK organisations involved in the delivery or design

of VET can participate in the programme and there are funding opportunities available to

employees, employers, apprentices, trainees and managers.

The Leonardo Programme specific objectives are:

To support participants in training and further training activities in the acquisition and the use

of knowledge, skills and qualifications to facilitate personal development, employability and

participation in the European labour market;

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To support improvements in quality and innovation in vocational education and training

systems, institutions and practices;

To enhance the attractiveness of vocational education and training and mobility for

employers and individuals and to facilitate the mobility of working trainees.

What can I do with a Leonardo Mobility project?

Mobility projects aim to foster the development of vocational skills and encourage the

exchange of expertise between people and organisations in Europe. You can apply for

funding to send students, employees, those seeking work or training staff on a work

placement at a relevant host organisation in another participating country. Please note that

this funding is only available to send participants from the UK, and that funding cannot be

used to host participants from another participating country.

The duration and content of the placement may vary according to the target group you have

chosen. Each mobility project can only cover one target group, so if you wish to work with

more than one target group, please bear in mind that you will need to organise separate,

specific projects for each group you wish to work with.

What will my responsibilities be?

If you choose to apply for and run a Mobility project, you will need to source a relevant,

quality partner to host your participants, and agree a relevant and specific work programme

for your participants that meets their vocational needs. As the applicant, you will also be

responsible for managing the budget for the project, managing the organisation of all

practical aspects of the project and reporting progress to the National Agency when

requested.

Please read on for further information and advice on how to get your project running!

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Target groups

When preparing your application you must be working with one of the following target groups:

Initial Vocational

Training (IVT)

This includes participants undergoing initial vocational education

and training and can involve one of two sub groups:

A. Those enrolled on a full-time or part-time initial vocational

training course in school or college (usually, up to N/SVQ

level 3)

B. Apprentices who are employed and enrolled on a

recognised apprenticeship scheme

Examples of an IVT participant include:

Apprentices who are employed and enrolled on a

National Apprenticeship scheme

College students currently studying towards their NVQ

level 1,2 or 3 qualification

Individuals studying towards their BTEC qualification in

various vocational subjects

People in the labour

market (PLM)

Those in employment, the self-employed and those available for

work (including graduates and those who are currently

unemployed) who are able to undertake a placement abroad to

acquire new skills, training and work experience which is relevant

to their chosen professions.

Examples of a PLM participant include:

Recent university graduates who are seeking work

experience to supplement their curriculum vitae

Employed individuals looking to experience work-specific

activities in another country to support their job remit

People who are unemployed and wish to gain hands-on

work experience to acquire new skills and support them

in the search for employment.

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Vocational Education

and Training

Professionals

(VETPRO)

Applications that target professionals in vocational education and

training who are employed in a business or training environment

and whose day to day role includes the design or delivery of

training, professional development or careers guidance.

Examples of a VETPRO participant include:

Teachers, trainers and vocational training staff who are

responsible for training establishments or training

planning

Human resource managers with significant

responsibilities in designing or delivering training

Occupational guidance personnel.

Please note: Having line management responsibility

does not provide sufficient justification for inclusion in

the ‘VETPRO’ category. There must be a clear link to

the training of others.

For further details regarding these target groups please see the LLP Guide 2012: Part II b –

‘Explanations by Action’ fiche no. 27 – 29.

The target group must reflect the type of participants you are working with. You will need to

identify one target group within your application. If you intend to carry out projects for more

than one target group, for example for those in Initial Vocational Training (IVT) and

Vocational Education and Training Professionals (VETPRO), two separate applications

must be submitted.

Duration of placements

Each target group has different minimum and maximum placement durations. You must

decide on what the most relevant duration for your participants would be, taking into

account what their learning objectives are, and specify this in your application.

The minimum and maximum placement durations for each target group are as follows:

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People in Initial Vocational training (IVT)

People in the Labour Market (PLM)

Vocational Education and Training Professionals (VETPRO)

2 – 39 weeks 2 – 26 weeks 1 – 6 weeks

Please note that a week is generally defined as a calendar week. However, providing that it

can be demonstrated that participants have undertaken a full five working days (excluding

travel) per week, this is permitted. We would expect a full day in the work place to cover

both morning and afternoon, and would also expect cultural activities to take place during

evenings and weekends unless there is a specific link to training content.

Who can participate?

The applicant:

You must be a UK based organisation involved in vocational education and training: the UK

National Agency funds only outgoing mobility from the UK to participating countries. Private

organisations requesting a grant of over €25,000 must submit a copy of their most recent

audited accounts with their application.

You must be located in the UK – i.e. have UK premises. The requirements of the Leonardo

Programme mean that if required, for example for audit purposes, the UK National Agency

must be able to visit your UK premises.

Your organisation must also be a legal entity in order to enter into contract with the National

Agency.

Partners:

You must work with at least one transnational partner. You should ensure that you take

into consideration your organisational capacity to manage the project and partners when

deciding how many partners to work with. The Leonardo programme is open to

organisations from:

• the 27 EU Member States

• Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway (the "EFTA-EEA countries", i.e. those countries which

are members of the European Free Trade Association and also belong to the

European Economic Area)

• Turkey, Croatia

• Switzerland

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• “Overseas countries and territories" defined by Council Decision 2001/822/EC

(amended by Council Decision 2007/249/EC):: Greenland, New Caledonia and

Dependencies, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Territories, Wallis

and Futuna Islands, Mayotte, St Pierre and Miquelon, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles.

Leonardo funding cannot be used to cover expenditure for placements in the UK and British

Overseas Territories (Anguilla, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the

South Sandwich Islands, Monteserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Ascension Island, Tristan da

Cunha, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, Gibraltar, British Antarctic Territory, British

Indian Ocean Territory and British Virgin Islands).

Participants:

Please note that there is a maximum number of 30 participants for organisations new to

Leonardo Mobility. Experienced organisations are capped at 130 participants. There is no

limit to the number of applications submitted providing that the maximum number of

participants is adhered to. However, we would advise you to submit a maximum of three

applications and to merge any similar projects where possible. Organisational capacity will

be taken into account in the assessment of your application and it is important to consider

that reporting procedures will be required for each individual application. Please note that

applying for more than the maximum number of participants will result in an automatic

budget cut.

Type of Applicant Maximum Number of Participants

New (any organisation that has not previously

received funding under the Leonardo Mobility action)

30

Experienced (any organisation that has previously

been awarded funding under the Leonardo Mobility

action)

130 per organisation

All participants must match the target group for which your project was approved funding.

For example, it is not possible to include trainees in a VETPRO project.

Participants are only eligible to take part in one Leonardo Mobility placement. Participants in

UK Mobility projects must be a legal resident in the United Kingdom. Unless justified and

approved by the UK NA, participants must not undertake work placements in their country of

origin.

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Project timeline

It is important to note the difference between your project duration, and your placement

duration.

Project: Refers to the entire duration of your Mobility project and includes a number of

different activities: organisation and management, preparation, monitoring,

evaluation, dissemination of results and the placement itself.

Placement: Refers only to the period of time a participant spends in another European

country.

The timeline below will help you plan your project activity from application submission to the

end of your project.

Call Released August 2012

Application Deadline 1 February 2013

Assessment February – May 2013

UK NA Decision May 2013

Contracting May - June 2013

Project Delivery 1 June 2013 – 31 May 2015

Final Report Two months following project end

date and no later than 31 July 2014

Placements may start any time after the project start date, 1 June 2013 and must be

completed by no later than 31 May 2015. Any activities or expenditure incurred prior to the 1

June 2013 or after the 31 May 2015 will not be eligible.

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Mobility project life-cycle

Developing your project idea

To gain further information and advice on developing your Leonardo Mobility project please

visit our website, www.leonardo.org.uk and visit the ‘Developing your Project Idea’ section.

You can also register to attend one of our Information Days around the UK by clicking the

link on our Home Page.

We recommend that once you have your initial project idea, you submit a Project Outline

Form. This allows you to focus on the key information which must be provided when

completing the application form. Upon receipt of the Project Outline Form, a member of the

Leonardo Mobility team will provide you with comprehensive feedback on the strengths and

weaknesses of your project ideas, and ways in which you can develop your project ideas

further. The form can be found on our Leonardo website at: www.leonardo.org.uk, or on

request from the UK NA Please note that the Project Outline Form does not replace the

application form and is not part of the formal application process.

Note: Dissemination and Evaluation should be an ongoing

process which is carried out throughout all stages of the

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If you have a good project idea, but have not yet found partners in Europe, you may want to

attend a Contact Seminar1 or register on our Partner Search Database. For more

information on how to find transnational partners, please see www.leonardo.org.uk > Find

Partners.

The Mobility team are here to help you with any queries which you may have regarding

your 2013 project. You can contact members of the Mobility team by phoning the Leonardo

helpline on 0845 199 2929 or by emailing [email protected]

2. Creating a high quality application

Once you have read the section 1 of this guidance document, ‘Is Leonardo Mobility for

me?’ and decided on your project idea, you should read this section, ‘Creating a high

quality application’ in order to fully prepare a high quality application. We are expecting to

receive and record a high number of applications for the 2013 Call, and our external

assessors will be looking for the highest quality proposals. You should therefore ensure

that you are able to devote a good amount of time and effort into completing your

application form.

Remember: all Leonardo Mobility applications are assessed on their own merit; there isn’t a

one size fits all answer to completing an application. A strong application shows that you

have carefully considered all available options and that your organisation can deliver a high

quality project that will benefit the participant in the best possible way. If you have

previously run projects under the Leonardo Mobility action, you should be aware that

assessors will not have any knowledge of your previous projects. You should therefore

ensure that you clearly explain your project in your application and explain any areas where

you have build on past experience.

For further information before completing your application form, please refer to the following

documents:

The 2013 EU and UK Call documents detailing the programme’s objectives and priorities

The Technical Guide to completing your 2013 Leonardo Mobility application form The 2013 Budget Calculator

These documents will be available alongside the application form on our website, www.leonardo.org.uk under the How to Apply section.

1 Contact Seminars are organised by European National Agencies throughout the year. Each Contact Seminar focuses on a

specific theme relevant to vocational education and training. For more information please, see our website

www.leonardo.org.uk

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We recommend that you also refer to the European Quality in Mobility Charter when

planning your project and compiling your application form. The charter is the formal quality

reference document approved by the European Parliament featuring ten quality principles

which will help you plan and implement a high quality project.

Key topic areas

The following pages identify the key areas that you will be asked to focus on in the

application form, and provide guidance on the different aspects you should address. We

strongly advise that you consider each of the key areas when designing your project. For the

2013 Call, applications will be made by submitting an e-form online. A separate Technical

Guide will be available to help you complete the online Leonardo Mobility application form.

Please remember that your application to the UK NA should only cover outgoing mobility to

another participating country.

Partnership

To be eligible you must work with at least one transnational partner. You should work in

partnership with European organisations such as training institutions and enterprises that

are relevant to your project idea. Working transnationally requires you to establish clear

goals, strong partnerships and good management structures. Successful partnerships take

time to develop. It is important that you begin to plan, consult and research early, and that

you do not underestimate the resources required for building and maintaining momentum.

If you are working with a new partner, it is advisable for you to visit them and to ask for

references from other organisations that they have worked with previously where possible.

Preparatory Visits funding is available for you to visit partners and discuss new project ideas:

please visit the Leonardo website for more information on this.

In your application you will need to describe the composition of your partnership and provide

the full legal name and contact details of your partner organisations and any intermediary

organisations.

Intermediary organisations

These are organisations that assist you in finding host employers to provide the work

placements and in organising the project, including organising local travel and

accommodation. Good quality and competent intermediary organisations help bridge the

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gap between the world of education and the world of work. Public and semi-public

organisations will typically act as intermediaries for free, such as VET schools or Chambers

of Commerce.

However, it is important to ensure that when using intermediary organisations you have

agreements in place to ensure a high quality of the service. When choosing an intermediary

partner you should also request references to review their past performance and the

satisfaction of participants in previous projects when making a decision on whether to work

with them.

Capacity

It is important to demonstrate in this section that your organisation, and your partner

organisations, have the competence, expertise and capacity to manage the project you are

applying for. Please ensure that if you and/or your partners have previous experience in

managing Lifelong Learning Programme projects that you also include this information.

Relevance

You should include information on what you and each of your partner and intermediary

organisations will bring to the project in terms of expertise, skills and experience of working

with the identified target group. You should provide an account of the history behind your

partnership and identify why you have chosen each of your partners. You will also need to

provide a clear outline of the division of tasks and roles and responsibilities across the

partnership. There should be a coherent link between the Leonardo programme objectives,

the project objectives and the composition of your partnership. You should also outline

whether you have previously worked with this partner before and provide information about

previous projects/collaboration.

Letters of Intent

Please note that under the 2013 Call for applications, you should not submit any letters of

intent with your application, either original or copies. However, if you are successful, please

bear in mind that we will need comprehensive letters of intent from all transnational

partners in order to complete your contract. It is therefore a good idea to collect letters of

intent from your partners when completing your application form. Letters of intent should

include the title of the project, reference to the Leonardo programme and the relevant Call

year, a brief description of the partner's role, and they must be consistent with the quality

commitment of the partnership.

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Project aims and objectives

Please note that due to the importance of the aims and objectives of your project,

your application must meet a quality threshold in this section in order for it to be

successful.

You should firstly ensure that your project is relevant to the aims and objectives of the

Leonardo programme and is suitable under the Mobility action. You must ensure that you

have chosen the correct target group for your project, and that your proposed participants

are eligible under this target group. Finally, you must ensure that you have selected the

correct target group from the drop down box on the application form, as this may affect the

eligibility of your application. If you are unsure about any of the above, please contact the

Mobility team at the UK NA.

Once you are certain that you have met the above criteria, you will need to describe the

specific aims and content of the project with regards to the needs of the participants. In this

section you should consider how participants will benefit from the project in the short and

long term and how the activities will address their training requirements. You should also

describe the added value in terms of the skills/knowledge that participants will acquire from

completing a European placement.

You will be required to demonstrate:

the added value in terms of the skills which participants will acquire that is not available in the UK;

the relevance of the project on the participants training or professional development, personal development and their language competences;

the planned duration of the placements with a justification of the length of time spent abroad relevant to your chosen target group. For example, if the project targets young or vulnerable people it might be that 2 weeks is the longest possible duration for the group. Likewise, if the project targets VETPRO participants it may not be possible for them to be absent from work for more than 1 week.

how the duration of the stay and your chosen partners will contribute to meeting your aims and objectives; and

how you will ensure that the relevant systems are in place to help any participants with specific needs

National Priorities

These are national award criteria and relate to policy-oriented criteria. Where possible your

project should address one of the following National Priorities. If you are clearly able to

demonstrate how the project directly addresses one or more of the following National

Priorities you may be awarded up to an additional 15 points in the application form.

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In order to successfully meet the criteria for National Priorities, you must ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you are meeting the selected National Priorities throughout your application. There has been a slight change this year to the National Priority addressing apprentices. To meet this National Priority you should be able to demonstrate at least one of the following in your application form:

that you have clear links with employers; that you can show a clear lead from the apprenticeship into employment; that you have labour market information to demonstrate that you are meeting a need;

or that you have examples of previous projects where participants have progressed

successfully into employment.

Information and selection

Every sending organisation is responsible for the selection and recruitment of participants.

Selection should be fair and respect equal opportunities for all applicants. You should

therefore ensure that you consider and describe your methodology for promoting the

opportunity to all potential participants.

It is important to decide what criteria will be used during the selection stage so that the

individuals who may benefit the most are selected. For example you may want to ask them to

write a motivation letter expressing their interest and showing commitment to the

programme. You may also decide to have an application form and / or an interview process.

If the participants have already been selected you will need to describe the selection criteria

used in the application form. A thorough selection process may also reduce withdrawals of

participants at a late stage.

2013 LdV Mobility National Priorities Max Score

Applications from organisations that have not previously received Leonardo

Mobility funding

5

Applications which primarily target participants who are facing particular

difficulties in the labour market (including those with special needs, older

learners, immigrants, groups facing socio-economic disadvantage, those with

few or no formal qualifications, refugees, travellers, those with disabilities and

minority ethnic groups)

5

Applications which work primarily with apprentices and which can evidence

labour market/ sectoral need for their support.

5

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At this stage it is important to ensure that the placements abroad match participants’ training

and/or professional development needs. As such, you and your partners should closely work

together to match the selected participants with a work placement. During their mobility

period abroad, participants should develop their existing vocational and soft skills together

with gathering new knowledge or skills that otherwise could not be obtained in the UK.

You will need to consider and demonstrate the following:

Who your participants will be; What the extra benefits of going to Europe are, what skills and techniques the

participants can develop or experience that are not available in the UK; How you will let participants know about your project and how they will apply; What process will be in place to select participants and which criteria you will apply;

and Have you addressed any factors that might exclude certain people from taking part?

Preparation

You will also be responsible for ensuring that your participants are fully prepared for their

placement abroad. You need to describe the pedagogical, cultural and linguistic preparation

that participants will receive to ensure that they will be ready to live and work in a different

environment in a different country. You should describe how and when the participants will

be prepared, and how the preparations are relevant to the experience that they will

undertake.

Thorough linguistic and cultural preparation will help participants integrate into their new

environment abroad and to socialise with the local community. As such, the preparation

should equip participants effectively for the professional and social aspects of the placement.

This is particularly important as participants who are prepared well are less likely to withdraw

mid placement.

If the working language of the placement itself is English, you are still required to describe

what linguistic training will be undertaken as all participants should have a basic knowledge

of day to day vocabulary. It is also essential that you detail how you will ensure that health

and safety issues associated with work placements in another country are addressed. To

assist you in these activities you may find it helpful to refer to the Language Work Placement

Toolkit produced by the National Centre for Languages (CILT). This can be downloaded at:

www.cilt.org.uk.

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Preparation should be relevant to the target group you will be working with. Practical

preparation may include providing individual packs with local maps, emergency numbers

and general information on the host country. If you plan to send people in the Initial

Vocational Training target group on Mobility work placements it may be useful to arrange log

books and learning development plans the participants should adhere to.

Preparation should take place in the UK prior to the participants’ departure. If the preparation

course will be continued during the placement, this should be additional and should as far as

possible take place outside of working hours.

For further guidance on preparation please refer to "Broadening Horizons - A Good

Practice Guide for Mobility Projects" which can be downloaded at: www.leonardo.org.uk.

You will need to consider and describe:

What cultural and linguistic preparation you will offer your participants; How you will make sure your participants behave themselves abroad; What language competences will be expected of your participants whilst on work

placement and how you will ensure they meet these; What work place customs are prevalent in your partner country and what cultural

differences will need to be addressed before your participants can go abroad

Practical support

You will need to describe the practical and logistical support that the participants will receive

during the project and their placement, providing as much detail as possible with regards to

who will arrange the participants travel, insurance, visas (if applicable), and accommodation

etc.

You should also specify any particular procedures you need to follow, for example collecting

parental consent, health and safety audits, CRB or medical checks, etc. Where participants

have specific needs you should address how these will be catered for.

Training content

You will need to provide a detailed account of the training content envisaged which

demonstrates the aims, context and expected benefits to the participants. This needs to

show clearly how the training content has been agreed with your partners, how it is relevant

for the target group and how it will help meet the overall aims and objectives of the project.

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You will need to detail the envisaged training activities the participants will undertake whilst

on placement. You should outline how these activities will complement their profession or

the training that has already taken place. This should also include the added value in terms

of the skills which participants will acquire from completing a European placement. Usually

the host European country can offer something different to the UK. For example catering

students could undertake a work placement in Italy to learn a skill that is specific to that

region i.e. speciality bread, or pastas.

You should also provide a generic job description and/or give an indication of what

participants will do on a daily or weekly basis. If the exact training content has not been

decided at the application stage (in cases where it depends on the needs of the participants

recruited), you will need to give examples of the available training content based on either

the preliminary discussions you have had with your partners or previous projects you have

managed.

We would expect the training content to be a genuine work placement in a host company.

Any training should take up less than 50% of the time spent on placement unless there is a

clear justification and you should be able to demonstrate that any training activity is directly

relevant to the participants’ training course or chosen profession. We would also expect that

full days are spent in the work place, covering both morning and afternoon.

Please note that as the training content is the key basis of your Leonardo Mobility

project, you will need to ensure that you provide as much relevant detail here as

possible.

You should also submit a draft/example programme for the duration of the placement

on the template provided by the National Agency along with your application. This to

ensure that the intended activity is eligible and meets the aims and objectives of your

project. The template will cover a typical two week period of the proposed work

placement, unless you are running a longer placement and wish to demonstrate

different activities.

You should include a hard copy when you send your application to the National

Agency.

Monitoring

You will need to explain how the participants will be supervised during their placement in

light of the target group you are working with. You should indicate who will monitor their work

programme and progress and how successful outcomes will be measured. This should be

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discussed and agreed on with your host partner in the early stages of your project. Funding

can be provided for accompanying people but where applicable you should provide an

explanation for the need for and the role of any accompanying persons.

If you plan to send young people in initial vocational education and training abroad, you will

need to carefully plan what methods will be employed for monitoring their placements. For

instance, it is a good idea to send accompanying staff for the first week of the placement and

then designate a mentor from the host organisation to provide further help and support.

Certification or accreditation of acquired skills

The participants’ training and the skills acquired during the placement should be recognised

and you should consider involving your European partners in the validation process. For IVT

and PLM target groups you should use Europass Mobility, or explain why it is not

appropriate in your project. The Europass Mobility document records skills and competences

acquired through an organised period of learning or training abroad, enabling potential

employers to understand which subject has been studied, what training has been completed

and how much experience has been gained. You may also wish to use the Europass CV or

Language Passport; for further information see www.ecctis.co.uk/europass.

The more accreditation and/or recognition which can be linked to the sector or education and

training field concerned the better. You will need to describe how you intend to validate

and/or accredit the placement period. For VETPRO projects you should demonstrate how

the European placement will contribute to or be recorded in participants’ continuous

professional development plans. You can access our free CPD tool online here:

http://www.leonardo.org.uk/core/core_picker/download.asp?id=1625 or request a copy from

the UK NA.

Where possible you should accredit the language skills your participants acquire during their

placement and preparation sessions. Some options include: Asset Languages, which is a

flexible assessment scheme for learners of all ages and abilities that assess listening,

speaking, reading and writing skills or accreditation through NVQ certificates depending on

the language level achieved (entry level through to level 5).

The 2013 Call for Proposals identifies the need for organisations that are already aware of

and using ECVET (European Credit transfer system for Vocational Education and Training)

to incorporate this in to their Mobility projects. ECVET enables the skills participants gain

whilst abroad to be validated against the individuals learning outcomes in respect of the

knowledge, skills and competencies required to achieve a qualification. Whilst it is not a

mandatory aspect of the Leonardo Mobility programme, the validation of skills is an

20

important outcome of your project and where possible accreditation and validation across

Europe is encouraged and it is important to highlight this in your application if applicable.

For more information on how you can implement elements of ECVET you can access free

help and support from our ECVET experts. For more information please see

http://www.ecvetexperts.org.uk/

Project management

You will need to describe in detail how you intend to manage your project. You will need to

demonstrate that you have, or will put in place, effective processes to manage the funding in

a transparent and accountable manner. This is very important in evidencing the capacity of

your organisation to manage the project. It is strongly recommended that you describe the

administrative and financial structures across the partnership and provide a detailed work

plan. This should include a comprehensive timetable for the project and identification of the

people responsible for each task. If necessary you can use examples from previous projects

to demonstrate that a structured programme of activity can be delivered.

This section should also outline the envisaged lines of communication and contractual

arrangements with both your partners and participants, and the quality assurance

mechanisms in place.

21

Before the placements start, the sending and receiving organisations need to clearly decide on their

roles and responsibilities for the project. It is necessary to have a partnership agreement in place so

that all parties involved are clear on what is required from them. For instance, the partners need to

agree on: the arrangements to help ensure the health and safety of the participants; arrangements for

travel and accommodation abroad; how the validation and accreditation of the skills gained on

placement will be assured. In addition, partners should agree on a detailed work programme for the

duration of the placement that should be tailored to the participants needs. For VETPRO projects, for

example, it is a good idea to involve the participants in creating the work programme. The parties

involved should set clear aims and objectives and decide on how they will be met.

It is the sending organisation’s responsibility to manage participant motivation and expectations for the

placement period abroad. It is therefore essential to communicate effectively with the participants

before their placements so that they are aware of what it is expected from them and what they can

gain by undertaking the placements. This will help to reduce the likelihood of individuals withdrawing

from the project.

You will need to consider and demonstrate the following:

Have you or your partner organisations got European project experience that you can build on?

How will you ensure that your partners will meet your participants’ training needs and requirements, especially if an intermediary partner is involved?

Who is responsible for finding and setting up suitable work placements? Who is responsible for validation? Does your partner share your risk assessment standards and are you or your partner in the

position to carry out an on-site inspection at each work placement provider? How will the project be managed? What contractual arrangements will you need to put in place between your organisation, your

partner(s) and your participants? Can you provide a clear breakdown of the roles and responsibilities of each party involved in

your project? Have you considered health and safety regulations and legislation that might apply in a foreign

work place, for example work hours, equipment use and insurance?

Evaluation

Evaluation should take place throughout the project. This will help you to assess whether the project

objectives are being met and identify areas for improvement, and can also be useful when submitting

subsequent applications for funding. You will need to describe how you will evaluate the outcomes

and the delivery of your project.

22

You should also look to evaluate the overall management of the project and include information on

how participants and your European partners will be involved in the evaluation activities. Your

application should also address how you will measure the impact of your project on a local, regional

and national level. If you have had a previous project you should refer to lessons learnt and any

adjustments made to processes or adaptations to the work programme.

You will need to consider the following in your evaluation plan:

How will you involve your host partners, placement providers and participants in the evaluation of your project and its outcomes?

How will you evaluate the activities undertaken by the participants during the project and participants’ satisfaction with the placement

How will you evaluate the expected impact of the project for both the participants and your organisation

How will you evaluate the management processes used? Have you considered longer term evaluation measures? How will the findings be used to improve future projects?

For examples on how to evaluate your activities please refer to “Understanding Achievements -

Guide to Evaluation” which is available on our website: www.leonardo.org.uk

Dissemination of results

You will need to describe the expected results and outcomes of the project and illustrate how these

will be shared within your organisation, with the participating partner organisations, across local

communities and within the wider lifelong learning community or sector. If you have previously

managed a Leonardo project you should outline examples of good practice or innovation which you

will be using again or developing further for this project.

It is an important part of a VETPRO project for each individual to cascade information across the

formal and informal networks upon their return and that dissemination takes place across all the

partner organisations.

Dissemination should be considered throughout the project. You should ensure that the dissemination

activities are focused, relevant and well described (for example, a website is insufficient without a

plan of how to promote it) and that the ‘audiences’ are clearly identified. It is important to outline who

dissemination activities are aimed at, what they are intended to achieve and why a particular activity

was chosen.

23

All organisations should establish a clear dissemination strategy, which includes different levels for

dissemination i.e. participant, placements, and project. You should target as wide and relevant an

audience as possible. You could, for instance, ask participants to present their mobility experiences to

their peers, colleagues and staff. This could also potentially attract others to participate in the

programme. Remember, a good dissemination strategy can work as a powerful marketing tool for your

organisation at the local, regional or even national level.

For examples on how to disseminate and exploit your results please refer to the “Sharing Success –

A Dissemination and Exploitation Handbook” available on our website: www.leonardo.org.uk

Questions to think about:

What are the expected outcomes and benefits of the project? What activities can you undertake to share the findings and outcomes of your project with

relevant audiences - on a local, national and sectoral level? How will you involve your host partners and placement providers in the dissemination of your

project and its outcomes? How will the participants help to disseminate the project?

Managing your budget

The Leonardo grant is regarded as a contribution to your project costs and may not cover the total

cost of your project. When applying for a Leonardo Mobility project you are eligible to receive funding

for the following cost headings on a per participant basis:

Organisation and management of the project Preparation Travel Subsistence

You will need to calculate your provisional budget at the application stage according to the rates

outlined on the following pages. The UK NA has produced the “Budget Calculator” tool, which is

available on our website to help you with your calculations. Please note: if you miscalculate your

budget and request less than you are entitled to, you will only receive up to the amount requested.

Similarly, you may not be allocated the full budget you originally applied for as we aim to fund all

projects that meet or exceed the assessment quality threshold, which may result in budget cuts.

You must ensure that the budget provided is consistent with the activity described in your application

form. For example, the duration of the placement, number of participants and host countries.

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All projects must complete and submit a final report in order to receive their grant. Non-submission of

a final report may result in a request for a refund of any pre-financing payments made. Final project

spend must not exceed the grant awarded for each budget heading.

Organisation and management

These funds form a contribution to the costs of organising, managing, monitoring and evaluating the

project and are calculated as a lump sum per participant.

You can, where relevant, share management funds with partner organisations that incur costs. This

should be established through formal agreements. Payments to intermediary organisations for

management fees should be paid out of this cost heading.

Preparation

Lump sum funding is available for the pedagogical, linguistic and cultural preparation of the

participants. Funding can only be awarded where the preparation does not form part of the

participant’s normal course of study. Linguistic preparation must be connected to the content of the

placement and must be provided by professionals. You should ensure that your description of the

anticipated preparatory activity reflects the grant allocated.

The maximum funding per participant for preparation is as follows:

Type of funded

activity

People in initial

vocational training

(IVT)

People in the labour

market (PLM)

Vocational education

and training

professionals

(VETPRO)

Preparation for

placements of up to 8

weeks

€200 per participant


Preparation for

placements of 9

weeks or more




Type of funded activity Amount to be granted

Organisation and management € 300 per participant

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Travel

Travel costs are defined as the cost of the entire journey from the UK to the placement destination

and can include airport transfers.

Please note, local daily travel costs are treated as part of the subsistence costs.

Duration Max Rate

12 weeks or less

€ 400* – Travel costs will be treated as a separate component of

expenditure for which real costs will be paid

*Please note that at application stage you must apply for the

maximum rate of €400 per participant. However at final report stage

the UK National Agency will only validate actual travel costs.

13 weeks or more Travel costs included in subsistence rate

Please note that if your Mobility project includes travel to expensive destinations or the Overseas

Countries and Territories, requests for higher travel costs may be considered. You can request

additional funding for travel in the application form and will need to provide a clear justification for the

amount required using quotes for travel costs where possible. Based on your justification and the

availability of funding the UK NA will then be able to determine whether additional funding can be

granted.

Subsistence

Subsistence costs are defined as the day-to-day living costs incurred by participants whilst on

placement. This includes accommodation, food and local travel to and from placement in the host

country; and insurance. If you pay any costs in advance of the placement, for example

accommodation, you will need to record this and evidence that you have split the remaining

subsistence budget between your participants.

A flat rate allowance will be payable according to the country of destination and the duration of the

placement. Please note that different subsistence rates apply for IVT and PLM/VETPRO projects.

The table on the following page outlines the IVT and PLM/VETPRO rates for the 2013 Call for

reference. Please make sure that you use the 2013 Budget Calculator provided in the 2013

application pack to calculate your budget. You should include a copy of your Budget Calculator when

submitting your application form to the UK NA.

26

Insurance

You are required to ensure that participants have adequate insurance for their work placements. This

should be met from the subsistence cost component.

IVT PLM VETPRO

2 Weeks

Additional Amount

per Week (3-12

Weeks)

Total Amount

for 13

Weeks

Additional Amount

per Week (14-39

Weeks)

2 Weeks

Additional Amount

per Week (3-12

Weeks)

Total Amount

for 13

Weeks

Additional Amount per

Week (14-26

Weeks)

1 week 2 weeks

Additional Amount per

Week (3-6 Weeks)

Austria 1499.40 171.70 3857.30 171.70 1587.60 181.80 4084.20 181.80 1134.00 1587.60 181.80 Belgium 1416.10 161.50 3643.10 161.50 1499.40 171.00 3857.40 171.00 1071.00 1499.40 171.00 Bulgaria 916.30 104.55 2424.20 104.55 970.20 110.70 2566.80 110.70 693.00 970.20 110.70 Croatia 1332.80 152.15 3447.60 152.15 1411.20 161.10 3650.40 161.10 1008.00 1411.20 161.10 Cyprus 1249.50 142.80 3219.80 142.80 1323.00 151.20 3409.20 151.20 945.00 1323.00 151.20 Czech Republic 1249.50 142.80 3226.60 142.80 1323.00 151.20 3416.40 151.20 945.00 1323.00 151.20 Denmark 1915.90 219.30 4935.10 219.30 2028.60 232.20 5225.40 232.20 1449.00 2028.60 232.20 Estonia 1082.90 124.10 2840.70 124.10 1146.60 131.40 3007.80 131.40 819.00 1146.60 131.40 Finland 1749.30 199.75 4499.05 199.75 1852.20 211.50 4763.70 211.50 1323.00 1852.20 211.50 France 1666.00 190.40 4278.05 190.40 1764.00 201.60 4529.70 201.60 1260.00 1764.00 201.60 Germany 1332.80 152.15 3419.55 152.15 1411.20 161.10 3620.70 161.10 1008.00 1411.20 161.10 Greece 1332.80 152.15 3454.40 152.15 1411.20 161.10 3657.60 161.10 1008.00 1411.20 161.10 Hungary 1166.20 133.45 3065.95 133.45 1234.80 141.30 3246.30 141.30 882.00 1234.80 141.30 Iceland 1499.40 171.70 4042.60 171.70 1587.60 181.80 4280.40 181.80 1134.00 1587.60 181.80 Ireland 1582.70 181.05 4051.10 181.05 1675.80 191.70 4289.40 191.70 1197.00 1675.80 191.70 Italy 1582.70 181.05 4074.05 181.05 1675.80 191.70 4313.70 191.70 1197.00 1675.80 191.70 Latvia 1082.90 124.10 2874.70 124.10 1146.60 131.40 3043.80 131.40 819.00 1146.60 131.40 Lichtenstein 2165.80 247.35 5576.00 247.35 2293.20 261.90 5904.00 261.90 1638.00 2293.20 261.90 Lithuania 1082.90 124.10 2845.80 124.10 1146.60 131.40 3013.20 131.40 819.00 1146.60 131.40 Luxemburg 1416.10 161.50 3649.90 161.50 1499.40 171.00 3864.60 171.00 1071.00 1499.40 171.00 Malta 1166.20 133.45 3008.15 133.45 1234.80 141.30 3185.10 141.30 882.00 1234.80 141.30 Netherlands 1499.40 171.70 3848.80 171.70 1587.60 181.80 4075.20 181.80 1134.00 1587.60 181.80 Norway 2165.80 247.35 5578.55 247.35 2293.20 261.90 5906.70 261.90 1638.00 2293.20 261.90 Poland 1082.90 124.10 2805.85 124.10 1146.60 131.40 2970.90 131.40 819.00 1146.60 131.40 Portugal 1249.50 142.80 3208.75 142.80 1323.00 151.20 3397.50 151.20 945.00 1323.00 151.20 Romania 999.60 113.90 2638.40 113.90 1058.40 120.60 2793.60 120.60 756.00 1058.40 120.60 Slovak Republic 1166.20 133.45 3008.15 133.45 1234.80 141.30 3185.10 141.30 882.00 1234.80 141.30 Slovenia 1332.80 152.15 3446.75 152.15 1411.20 161.10 3649.50 161.10 1008.00 1411.20 161.10 Spain 1416.10 161.50 3649.05 161.50 1499.40 171.00 3863.70 171.00 1071.00 1499.40 171.00 Sweden 1749.30 199.75 4500.75 199.75 1852.20 211.50 4765.50 211.50 1323.00 1852.20 211.50 Switzerland 2165.80 247.35 5530.95 247.35 2293.20 261.90 5856.30 261.90 1638.00 2293.20 261.90 Turkey 1166.20 133.45 3139.05 133.45 1234.80 141.30 3323.70 141.30 882.00 1234.80 141.30

28

How subsistence is calculated

IVT project example: 6 participants and 2 accompanying persons going to Portugal for a 6 week

placement (no specific needs).

Subsistence

Number

of

persons

Calculation using IVT rates Total subsistence

requested

Participants 6 6 x 1249.50 + (4 x 142.80)

i.e. 6 participants x 2 week rate +

4 additional weeks

10,924.20 (1,820.70 per

participant)

Accompanying

persons 2

2 x 1249.50 + (4 x 142.80)

2 participants x 2 week rate + 4

additional weeks

3,641.40 (1,820.70 per

accompanying person)

Total € 14,565.60

Please note that subsistence rates are calculated based on a 7 day week. For IVT participants who

go on placement for 2 weeks and 2 days, their additional week's subsistence rate is divided by 7 and

then multiplied by 2 to calculate subsistence for the extra 2 days. This is then added to the 2 week

rate.

Accompanying People

Funding is available for accompanying persons for projects involving participants who require

additional support, for example those who are under 18 or those with a disability. It is expected that

all IVT projects with participants under the age of 18 will request accompanying people. The number

of accompanying persons funded will depend on the number of participants and their needs.

Accompanying people are there in a supervisory capacity and therefore you must provide a clear

justification in your application form.

Please note that travel and subsistence costs for accompanying people are calculated

according to the same rules as those for participants i.e. for an IVT project, IVT rates apply for

both the participants and the accompanying people. If accompanying people are staying for a shorter

duration than the participants, the subsistence rate claimed can be calculated on a daily basis (as a

proportion of a full week’s subsistence i.e. 7 days).

It is acceptable for one member of staff to replace another during the placement if circumstances

prevent a single member of staff from staying for the whole duration. In such cases it is possible to

29

claim travel expenses for each accompanying person, and subsistence in respect of the period spent

accompanying the participants. This must be detailed in your application form and a clear justification

must be provided.

Specific Needs

Funding can be provided in cases where a participant has a disability or other specific needs for

which additional costs will be incurred. A person with specific needs is defined as a potential

participant whose individual physical, mental or health-related situation is such that his/her

participation in the project would not be possible without extra financial support.

The additional grant will be assessed case-by-case and based on real costs incurred. The individual

situation should be described and the particular needs and extra costs attached to it should be

detailed in the application form. Based on these explanations, the availability of funding and the

potential National Priorities, the UK NA will then be able to determine whether extra support can be

granted.

Ineligible Expenditure

The following types of expenditure will be considered ineligible in all cases:

Expenditure relating to movement between countries not officially participating in the

programme

Expenditure incurred on activity to partners / countries / target group not listed in your

application form

Expenditure incurred outside the contract period

Expenditure incurred with no direct link to the project

Expenditure already financed by another European Union or National source

Purchase of equipment

Bank charges and interest on loans

Losses connected with exchange transactions or exchange rate fluctuations

The assessment process

In order for you to write a good Mobility application it is essential that you understand how your

application will be assessed.

30

The assessment of applications is carried out in two stages:

1) A formal eligibility check undertaken by the NA staff (as detailed in the application form)

2) A qualitative assessment undertaken by two external experts who will have been selected

based on their experience and knowledge of vocational education and training.

Experts will grade each section of the application form.

The table below illustrates the key areas against which your application will be assessed and the

maximum score that can be awarded:

Very good Good Fair Poor

Scale of 10 8-10 6-7 4-5 0-3

Scale of 15 12-15 9-11 5-8 0-4

Topic Area Maximum Score

Partnership 15

Aims and background 15

Project organisation and management 50

Selection, preparation and practical support 10

Training content and monitoring 15

Validation of acquired skills 10

Project management and evaluation 15

Dissemination of results 10

Budget and flows 10

National Priorities 15

Total 115

31

Score Validation

Very good The information provided fully addresses the question and criteria to a high quality

Good The information provided addresses the question and quality criteria satisfactorily

Fair The information provided partially addresses the question and quality criteria but lacks an in-depth approach

Poor The information provided fails to address significant elements of the question and contains many weaknesses or fails to include a minimum amount of evidence to enable evaluation.

You will need to ensure that each section of the application form is completed in full and that the

activities conform to the Leonardo Programme guidelines and the eligibility criteria (target group,

placement duration, partners and financial provisions). You should make sure that each answer refers

to the question asked, avoid duplicating information and ensure consistency and clarity. Remember to

proof read your application!

National Evaluation Committee decision

The final decision regarding the selection of applications will be taken by the National Evaluation

Committee (for further details please see the LLP Guide 2013: Part I – General Provisions 3B page

19). The Committee will review the proposed list of successful applicants and provide expert

appraisal of applicants’ potential contribution to the development of VET in the UK, their validity in

relation to the areas of intended activity and the potential impact. In order for your application to be

put forward to the National Evaluation Committee for selection the average assessment score of the

two external assessments must be equal to or exceed 70 points (2013 quality threshold).

A national evaluation committee will convene in early May 2013 and applicants will be notified of the

outcome towards the end of May.

Feedback

All applicants will receive written feedback on their applications identifying the main areas of strengths

or weakness in their proposals.

Please check our website www.leonardo.org.uk for details of when our information events will be

held.

32

Where to Find More Help and Advice

For further information, please refer to the “How to Apply” section on our website:

www.leonardo.org.uk. The Mobility team are also here to help you with any queries which you may

have regarding your 2013 project. You can contact members of the Mobility team by phoning the

Leonardo Helpline on 0845 199 2929 or by emailing [email protected].

33

Annex 1: LLP Guide 2013: Part II b – ‘Explanations by Action’ fiche no. 27 – 29

Leonardo Mobility: Template Work Placement Plan

Work Placement Programme: Week 1

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday AM (Specify Hours)

Describe tasks to be completed during work placement





PM (Specify Hours)






Work Placement Programme: Week 2

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday AM (Specify Hours)






PM (Specify Hours)






2013 mobility guidelines updated october 2012€¦ · experience to supplement their curriculum...

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