Powerful Connections for a Holistic School to Work Transition

Time:         13th June, 15.15 – 16.45   
Venue:       Konrad-Adenauer-Saal

Description:
The flagship “School to Work” of the priority area Education of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region highlights the importance of joint efforts by various actors like, schools, organisations, local municipalities and government institutions. It is essential to prevent early school leaving and easing school to work transition, as well as integration of newly arrived migrants into labour market in the Baltic Sea Region.

Speakers:

• Anna Ekström (Minister for Upper Secondary School and Adult Education and Training, Sweden)
• Imbi Henno (Chief Expert of General Education Department at the Ministry of Education and Research, Estonia)
• Anna Liljeström (Process Leader and researcher at the Pluginnovation, Sweden)

Panellists:

• Anu Parantainen (Division of Education, City of Turku, Finland)
• Gunnar Anderzon (Division of Employment, Swedish Association for Local Authorities and Regions, Flagship´s “School to  Work” Leader, Sweden)
• Susanne Bäckman (Senior Manager of Project Plug In 2.0 in Bromölla, Sweden)
• Susanne von Bonin (International representative of the project “Come In“, Germany)
• Inta Edgarsson (moderator)

Organiser(s) & contact details:

• Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions; Inta Edgarsson, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  +46 76 125 1915
• The Union of Baltic Cities Task Force on Youth Employment and Well-Being
• City of Turku Education Division
• The Norden Association in Sweden

Elaboration:
The assumption that early school leaving is a result of a failure at school is the usual and easy way to discuss the topic and look for measures to prevent it. The seminar invites audience to participate in a discussion on a topic whether the early school leaving is also a failure by school.
Connectivity among institutions and countries effectively secures well-being of young people who are at risk of early school leaving and becoming NEET in the Baltic Sea Region. Projects and ongoing activities ran by members of the flagship “School to Work” prove that connectivity among institutions is essential to keep young person´s focus on the main topic – academic and personal development during secondary school studies. Flagship has given a platform for developing various successive methods and measures. Several of them have been introduced at a transnational level with a great success.

The seminar gathers policy makers and specialists to share their views about:

1. Policy measures and their effectiveness for target groups: young people at risk of early school leaving, newly arrived refugees, young people who are not in education, employment or training,
2. Latest findings and developments in the Baltic Sea Region,
3. Successful methods and effects of transnational cooperation in applying a holistic approach to prevention of early school leaving, fostering school to work transition and integration into labour market.