Inclusive Independent Secondary School “Amigo”  obtained funding for the project:  
“School of life – how to increase the chances of disabled students and students with autism in adult life”.

The school is an institution where 93 learners and 36 employees – teachers, therapists and career counsellors . The school is adapted to the needs of students with special educational needs (Asperger Syndrome, hearing and sight impairment, ADD, ADHD emotional disorders). The main objective of our project is to improve the quality of life of the less fortunate in educational process as well as in their adult life.

The specific objectives of our project “School of life – how to increase the chances of disabled students and students with autism in adult life” are:

1. to enhance social integration and independence of the disabled
2. to prepare the underprivileged to participate in labour market
3. to prevent the early school leaving by people with disabilities
4. to propose the non-formal education programmes
5. to improve the quality of teaching by introducing new educational methods
6. to increase the mobility of the staff
7. to improve the language skills of the staff
8. to intensify international cooperation between educational institutions.

In order to achieve described goals the five people of the school staff were selected for the project. They possess required qualifications, meet the formal requirements regarding education, training and professional experience. Their level of English is sufficient for the requirements of the project. They teach Polish, English, German, Maths. One of them is a school counsellor. Our activities concern:

•  the analysis of the demands of the students as well as of the school staff
• the defining of the aims of the project
• choosing the participants of the project
• preparing the participants to involve in the courses (through language lessons, meetings   concentrated on Erasmus+ project „Mobility of school education staff”
• attendance in courses: in France (Non-Formal Education), Italy and France (Coaching and Mentoring. Motivational Actions and Prevention of Early School Leaving), Finland and Italy (Education Systems for People with Special Educational Needs in the EU), Portugal (Career Orientation. Work Preparation)
• setting up the crucial aims and implementing the proper strategies in work place
• preparing pre-orientation employment programme
• introducing benefits of non-formal education to school
• spreading the advantages of the project in local communities as well as in organisations which work for people with disabilities
• evaluating the project
• continuing the cooperation with institutions from EU
• applying internet sources
• platforms for collaboration and exchanging of ideas, sharing experience with other institutions.

We have strong belief that the participating in the Erasmus+ project would be advantageous for the students from our school since their chances to become independent members of the society would increase as well as their chances concerning career opportunities. What is more, it would also be beneficial for the school staff because attractive and efficient methods would be adapted into teaching and therapeutic programmes. Additionally, the students’ motivation to learn would increase and their involvement in social life would increase. All those factors would contribute to improving their quality of life.

1) Training programme for beneficiaries of projects approved for funding in the 2019 competition – Act KA101 SE ‘’School Staff Mobility” conducted by the Fundation for the Development of the Education System, the National Agency of the Erasmus+ Programme – Katowice, 11^th June 2019.

2) Participation of two students in an ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) training course as part of the AsperIT project, run by the European Foundation for Social Activation EFAS. One of them obtained the ISTQB certificate for a software tester – August-September 2019

3) Presentation of activities planned as part of a project at the Teacher’s Meeting – August 29, 2019 and an information leaflet about the project at the parents’ meeting – September 11, 2019

4) Continuation on two levels of the all-year English-language course for teachers.

5) Continuation of the programme of occupational-therapy lessons (internships in the ‘’Cafe Równik’’ as well as occupational lessons in school) – September 2019.

6) Participation of teachers – project participants on an online course called „ABC mini-enterprise”, organized by the Youth Enterprise Foundation – preparation for running a student company

7) Starting a student company: ‚Manufacture beneath an umbrella’ – October 2019, accompanied with workshops in vocational counselling.

8) Training courses in Italy entitled: „COACHING& MENTORING. Innovative technics for teachers, mentors and educators to fight drop up and motivate youth” ,  4^th-8^th November 2019.

9) Training courses in France entitled:  „Stop! Qualitative classroom management and innovative strategies to fight against early school leaving”  and  „Non formal learning– the golden door for an innovative future for schools”, 18^th-25^th November  2019.