GR2 Contact seminar on inclusion

The recent reports on social inclusion from the EU-15 Member States and four of the new Member States1 confirm that poverty and social exclusion continue to be serious challenges across the European Union. While the reports note progress in several fields, there is little evidence given of any significant improvement in the situation in recent years. They thus demonstrate the need for a continuing strong and visible political commitment to the effective implementation of the Union's social inclusion objectives in combating poverty and social exclusion.

The analysis contained in the reports confirms that the seven key policy priorities identified
in earlier reports remain valid. These cover:
• increasing labour market participation,
• modernising social protection systems,
• tackling disadvantages in education and training,
• eliminating child poverty,
• ensuring decent accommodation,
• improving access to quality
• services and overcoming discrimination and increasing the integration of people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and immigrants.

Thus in implementing their policies Member States need to develop integrated and co-ordinated responses to multiple disadvantages so as to ensure synergies between the different policy domains identified in the common objectives which underpin the social inclusion process. They also need to ensure that the needs of groups at particular risk such as people with disabilities, migrants and ethnic minorities (including the Roma), homeless, ex-prisoners, people with addiction problems and isolated older people are fully taken into account across the different policy areas both through improving access to mainstream provision and, when necessary, through targeted measures.

Our previous experiences has proved that Grundtvig contact seminars are an excellent tool for forming different parterships which are spread all over EU and are successfully dealing with above mentioned situations. Therefore we are pleased to invite participants from your country to attend Grundtvig contact seminar in Slovenia where they will be able to share their knowlegde and best practise with others. We expect there will be many new partnerships created which will offer high qualitiy answers and solutions for challenges across European Union.

Target group:

Contact seminar is open for everybody involved in adult education and would like to prepare Grundtvig 2 LP project.