Developed within the framework of the Erasmus KA2 project – Cooperation Projects for Adult Education “Work Inclusion 2021” (WINC2021), the WIN-VAE Guidelines Manual is now available on the project website: https://workinclusion2021.eu/.

WIN-VAE is an innovative methodology for validating the experiences of migrants, tailored to their needs and developed through the collaboration of partners from Italy, France, Greece, Germany, and Spain. This methodology adopts a European perspective on migrant inclusion and aims to enhance the tools available to adult education professionals.

Taking into account cultural diversity and based on a study of validation systems in Europe, WIN-VAE is the result of in-depth research conducted by a transnational partnership including Euroform RFS (Italy), Osengo (France), 1st E.K. Prevezas (Greece), Afridat Innovation (Germany), and Incoma (Spain). The team analyzed existing validation methodologies across Europe and identified the specific needs of migrants to develop a tailored approach that addresses these requirements.

The distinctive feature of WIN-VAE is its ability to conduct the entire validation process remotely through a mobile app, which is currently under development and expected to be launched in 2023. This digital solution will make the process more accessible by overcoming geographical and logistical barriers.

The WIN-VAE methodology is structured into four fundamental phases:

1. Reception: An inclusive initial contact to understand the migrant’s needs and experiences, inform them about the benefits of validation, and grant them access to the validation system.
2. Identification: A process to map the skills and experiences acquired throughout life and work.
3. Validation: A thorough analysis to confirm the value of the identified skills.
4. Certification: Issuance of a certificate that provides transparent recognition of validated skills.

To train validation operators for WIN-VAE, the partnership also developed WIN-Training, designed to prepare future validators and other actors involved in the validation process.

The WIN-VAE methodology will be available for adoption starting in 2023, along with the mobile app, which will simplify the management of the process. This represents a significant breakthrough for the sector’s operators and migrants, providing them with a modern, inclusive, and forward-looking tool.

The WINC team has expressed satisfaction, describing the new WIN-VAE methodology as a tool that is “effective and adaptable to various local contexts and represents a significant step forward in improving the socio-professional inclusion of migrants in Europe while equipping education professionals with more effective tools tailored to their needs.”

For more information about the project and its products, please visit the official website: https://workinclusion2021.eu/.