SEAL CYPRUS is a non-profit organisation based in Nicosia, the ethnically divided capital of Cyprus. With our work, we try to overcome the results of the urban division, and our members are from both ethnic groups.
OBJECTIVES
(1). To provide continuing education to youth professionals, teachers and adult educators.
(2). To improve the level of key competences of students, young people, adult, and senior learners.
(3). To advocate the recognition of non-formal education, lifelong learning and youth work.
(4). To reinforce the link between the youth field, adult education, and the labour market.
SEAL CYPRUS achieves excellence by:
(1). Developing and delivering state-of-the-art youth work, training and coaching.
(2). Building strategic partnerships to address the learning needs of individuals and organisations.
(3). Conducting research studies to identify the needs of beneficiaries and target groups.
(4). Attracting, developing and retaining dedicated and skilled trainers & adult educators.
Starting from the needs of the learners, we provide blended learning solutions based on accurate scientific ground. We use a wide range of innovative interactive educational methods to provide open and distance learning, non- formal education, e-learning and on the job training. We are currently involved in the development of e-learning platforms and educational animated video.
SEAL CYPRUS supports the professional development of youth workers, trainers, mentors of EVS/ ESC volunteers through the coordination of 12 Erasmus+ mobility projects; international training courses:
Two projects on Dissemination & Exploitation of Results “Make an Impact!” (2015) and “Dandelion Effect” (2019). These projects provided our organisation with substantial experience which we are planning to apply to this particular project to create a wide impact.
-“Know the Way- Go the Way- Show the Way” (2015) on Leadership.
-“Making Ideas Happen” & “ARTrepreneurship” (2016) on Entrepreneurship Education.
– “Youth Minded” about the mental health of young people in the era of social media.
– “Human Rights Education versus Cyber-hate” (2018) to tackle hate speech and radicalisation.
– “Go Digital” (2018) and “ADD ME- Adopting Digital Media in Youth Work” (2019) on Digital Competences and Media Literacy in youth work.
– “YOUTHPASS EXPANDED” (2017) and “YOUTHPASS PLUS” (2019) aiming at recognition and certification of non-formal learning and the Revised EU framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning
Research
We are using research to identify the needs and preferences of the key target groups of our project. Needs analysis and state-of-the-art are part of many of our projects. We have profiled the “Youth Trainers in Cyprus”. In 2017, we led research in Cyprus, Estonia, Ireland, and Romania to present an overview of the structure of youth work, and to identify the training provision available for youth trainers and youth workers engaging with young disadvantaged people. In 2018 we have researched the “Best practices in the design of blended learning curricula and e-learning environments in career guidance of the young people, with a focus on those with fewer opportunities” in Cyprus, Romania, Ireland, and Poland.
In 2019, we have led a needs analysis on Entrepreneurship Education, and a Research on market needs on job profiles, skills and attitudes in Cyprus, Italy, Greece, and Portugal.
Staff- Target Group- Learners
Our target group consists of young people and youth professionals, adult and senior learners, adult educators, vocational trainers, social workers, school teachers, careers advisers. Our work targets people fewer opportunities (i.e. people who face social barriers, financial barriers, disabilities, learning difficulties, cultural differences, health problems or geographical difficulties), immigrants and refugees.
We employ 4 full-time and 2 part-time staff, and we are now hiring project officers. In order to implement our projects, we hire several professionals, including IT experts, trainers, researchers, and career advisers. We have a large network that allows us to activate the necessary number of volunteers, to undertake social initiatives, activities and events.
Last year, we provided training courses to more than 300 people. The learners were youth professionals, adult and senior learners, adult educators, vocational trainers, social workers, school teachers, careers advisers, and people with fewer opportunities; mainly young NEET, and adults from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In December 2019, we have provided a Joint Staff Training to Adult Educators who work with migrants. The topic was leadership skills to promote migrant integration. In February 2020, we have provided a Joint Staff Training to youth professionals on Bushcraft as a tool for competence development.
During the last four years, we have prepared approximately 120 youth workers and adult educators from Cyprus to participate in mobility projects coordinated by our partners abroad.
KEY PERSONS
Please, contact us to send you a description of our key- persons and their qualifications.
ACTIVITIES & EXPERIENCES
SEAL CYPRUS has experience as a coordinator in three Erasmus+ KA2 “Strategic Partnerships for Youth.”
(1) “TRACES- Supporting youth to manage their digital & social media presence” (2019- 2021). With this project, we are developing Digital and Social Media Literacy Curriculum Resources, In-service Training Handbook, Collaborative online Learning Database, E-learning Portal, Library of Case Studies, Guidelines for Youth Workers working with Digital Media.
(2) “CURSOR- Crafting Career Roadmaps” (2018- 2020). We have developed a Training Handbook and digital tools for youth workers to use in their work to support young people with fewer opportunities in Career Planning. The digital tools are aiming in building career management competences in four areas: (1) SELF- to develop the sense of self within society, (2) STRENGTHS- to build on strengths and pursuing rewarding learning and work opportunities, (3) HORIZONS- to visualise, plan and achieve career goals, (4) NETWORKS- to develop relationships and support networks.
(3) “ARTSQUAD” (2017- 2019). After researching youth work and blended learning opportunities for youth workers in Cyprus, Ireland, Estonia and Romania, we developed a Training Curriculum and digital tools for professionals who wish to use Digital Media, Storytelling, Drama and Music in youth work.
We are partners in the Strategic Partnership in Adult Education “EXEMPLAR- Young Migrant Integration Leaders” (2018- 2020) coordinated by JUGEND- UND KULTURPROJEKT E.V. (Germany). The objectives of the project are: (a) to develop a training programme curriculum addressed to young male migrants (b) to develop an in-service training programme for front-line youth workers and trainers working in migrant support organisations to assist them in delivering the Integration Leaders curriculum.
In the field of Youth, we are partnering in two Strategic Partnerships:
(1) “Forest Schools and Bushcraft Practices” (2019- 2022) coordinated by Essex Boys and Girls Clubs (U.K).
(2) “Young Female Entrepreneurs Program” (2019- 2021) coordinated by Autokreacja (Poland).
We are also partnering in a Capacity Building (Western Balkans Youth Window projects) titled “Promoting Equality through Gender-sensitive Journalism” and in the Europe for Citizens project “Debating the Future of Europe and Challenging Euroscepticism: A Journey into Media Literacy to Fight Eurosceptic Narratives”.
SEAL CYPRUS is leading a 10-partner consortium in the project “DARE- Day One Alliance for Employment” (2019-2022) with the support of 1.2 million Euros from the EEA and Norway Grants/ Fund for Youth Employment. DARE is aiming at strengthening transnational cooperation to address European challenges in the area of youth employment.
FIELDS OF EXPERTISE
Training for Competence Development
With participatory teaching and learning methods, we motivate and empower youth and adult learners to acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to shape a sustainable future.
Starting from the needs of the learners, we provide blended learning solutions based on scientific ground. We use a
wide range of innovative interactive educational methods to provide open and distance learning, non- formal education, e-learning and on-the-job training.
Educational curricula
We are developing educational curricula for short training courses for youth workers but also for Strategic Partnerships. For our Strategic Partnership ARTSQUAD, we have created a full suite of modules for a Train-the-Trainer Curriculum.
The objective was to support youth professionals working with disadvantaged youth to use Digital Media, Storytelling,
Drama and Music in their work with the youth.
For our Strategic Partnership CURSOR, we have developed an In-service Training Programme Handbook. The handbook
will be used by youth professionals to support young learners in their career planning endeavours with the use of digital tools.
Research
We are using research to identify the needs and preferences of the key target groups of our project. Needs analysis and state-of-the-art are part of many of our projects. We have profiled the “Youth Trainers in Cyprus”. In 2017, we led research in Cyprus, Estonia, Ireland, and Romania to present an overview of the structure of youth work, to identify the training provision available for youth trainers and youth workers engaging with young disadvantaged people, and to evaluate the quality and availability of resources for youth workers. In 2018 we have researched the “Best practices in the design of blended learning curricula and e-learning environments in career guidance of the young people, with a focus on those with fewer opportunities” in Cyprus, Romania, Ireland, and Poland.
In 2019, we have led a needs analysis on Entrepreneurship Education, and a Research on market needs on job profiles, skills and attitudes in Cyprus, Italy, Greece, and Portugal.
Digital tools in training and youth work
SEAL CYPRUS has a team of versatile professionals that can undertake the digital part of an educational project. We build powerful and scalable web apps that are custom made using agile development processes leveraging the latest web technologies. We are flexible in our approach and diverse in our skillset. Each project is different, and we treat it as such.
The advantage of our organisation is that we can pilot our digital tool with diverse target groups of young people, youth workers, youth trainers/ facilitators, and adult educators.
For our Strategic Partnerships TRACES, we are creating a series of animation video to support young people manage their digital and social media presence.
Dissemination and Visibility
SEAL CYPRUS has substantial experience in communication and dissemination strategies. We provide training to other organisations on Dissemination and Exploitation.
Standardised procedures
In SEAL CYPRUS, we value efficiency. By following standardised procedures in all the managerial aspects of our projects, we are capable to focus on the quality of the intellectual outputs.
