Objectives

The SONETOR project aims at developing a training platform that will integrate existing social networking applications with modern adult education methodologies and specially produced content and services. It will be designed in a manner that will facilitate the up-skilling and re-skilling of those working as cultural mediators through the provision of flexibly delivered formal modules and the putting in place of systems and processes for the recognition and accreditation of the learning attained by the individual through their informal and non-formal learning gained through their work with migrant communities.

The project aims to achieve the following specific objectives:

  1. A detailed comparative user needs analysis in the fields of legislation, training, collaboration and skills definition in order to clearly define the knowledge, skills and competences that professional cultural mediators must possess. The outcomes of the analysis will be a user study, a draft job profile and the training platform requirements. From this each individual learner with the assistance of appropriate educational guidance will be able to identify their individual training needs
  2. The project will develop a portal which will serve as a focal communication point for European Cultural Mediators and other stakeholders. The portal will contain a training platform composed of social networking tools, which will be used to train Cultural Mediators with the help of adult education and peer learning methodologies
  3. A bank of highly interactive, flexible and user friendly digital content composed mainly of videos, but also containing text, wikis, forums etc.
  4. At least three peer learning scenarios on topics related to the everyday work of Cultural Mediators such as Health, Education, Public services, etc. The scenarios will realize the principles of peer learning, make use of the digital content modules and will be delivered via the training platform
  5. A European learning community of Cultural Mediators composed of representatives of all stakeholders. In the context of the project, about twenty five core community members will initially join from the participating countries, while in a subsequent phase, about two hundred and fifty people will be trained using the platform
  6. Five pilot training sessions, one per participating country, with the participation of members of the learning community
  7. Six evaluation reports, summarizing the project’s progress and evaluating its outcomes
  8. Five promotional workshops, one in each participating country, together with leaflets, brochures and a promotional project video
  9. A final plenary workshop, organized in Greece, which will promote the outcomes of the project and define exploitation and sustainability policies

Over the last number of years the demography of Europe has changed significantly. This change has become more evident through the vast changes that have occurred in the make-up of the population of individual countries within the European Union and especially in the ethnic mix of populations in each country. To this end it is essential that the role of the cultural mediator is defined and strategies put in place to ensure that these individuals are properly trained and that ongoing continuing professional development programmes are put in place. The SONETOR project will contribute to this work through the development of innovative initiatives to develop and enhance the current situation regarding cultural mediation through the following actions:

  1. A European community of Cultural Mediators will be formed, ensuring the sustainability of project outcome
  2. The Knowledge, skills and competences of Cultural Mediators will be systematically identified and described for the first time and this in turn will serve as the basis for the specification of real life-like training scenarios
  3. The social networking training platform will be continuously supported to serve as a European focal point for Cultural Mediators and other stakeholders