NEWS

As robots increasingly take on manual labour in so-called Industrial revolution 4.0, we will need to foster what differentiates human from machine (at least for now): creativity. Evidence that psychological and physical well-being is paramount to creative thinking will turn the historic exchange of human health for economic growth on its head. As Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum writes, “I am convinced of one thing—that in the future, talent, more than capital, will represent the critical factor of production.” Creative humans, rather than fusion of technologies, is driving the 4th Industrial Revolution. Advancement in technology and their effective fusion is not the major driving force of this revolution — that is a result. Creativity is the major driving force behind this “industrial revolution.” While it is true that AI, super computers and robot manufacturing have already started reshaping workforces and economies, it is the creative workforce at companies such as Google, Tesla, SpaceX, and other notables who are helping engineer our future. At the same time, 40% of employers cannot find people with the right skills to fill their vacancies, and too few people have the preparation, mind-sets and competences to set up their own businesses or look for new opportunities. At the same time, 65% of school students in the moment will work on professions that do not exist yet. Education and training in Europe is the competence of Member States. National and regional labour markets and education systems are faced with their own specific challenges but Member States face similar problems and opportunities. That is why European initiatives for skills aim to mobilise all EU stakeholders along the following lines of action: Understanding Skills; Developing skills; Showing skills. In line with the Europe 2020 strategy, country specific recommendations related to skills development are addressed to a high number of Member States each year to guide their national policymaking. Support for developing National Skills Strategies in conjunction with the OECD is available to help Member States design concrete policy responses, while EU funding (the European Social Fund, Erasmus+, Youth Employment Initiative, EGF, Horizon2020, EaSI, EFSI, COSME) helps to put policy designs into practice. This process has to be horizontal and needs to be used in all the available fields to be able to ensure proper implementation of innovative educational methodologies and to prepare young people for the future challenges.

This project will have the following main objectives:

• Getting youth workers familiar with the skills and knowledge of the future with a specific focus on creative thinking;

• Deep understanding on how creative thinking is created and further developed in young people;

• Understanding EU policies and priorities in the field of empowering young people in their personal and professional development;

• Discuss and find possible answers of the current situation and future scenarios of the equipping young people with the needed skills and knowledge for the Industrial revolution 4.0.

• Raise knowledge and gain new experiences on how will our world looks like in the forthcoming years and be ready for the challenges and opportunities;

• Increase understanding on EU policies in the field of sport and physical activity and how sport can contribute to the development of creative thinking;

• Empower young people to be more aware on EU policies;

• Create a network of professionals from different countries, that understand and implement in their daily life the EU values;

• Develop the potential for young people within education and employment.

Participants:

• Youth workers/sport coaches/social workers/educators active within their community;

• Motivated to develop their competences in creative thinking and skills and knowledge for the future;

• Committed to attend for the full duration of the exchange;

• Aged preferably 25+;

• Competently able to work in English.

Duration: 7 full working days activities, 1 travel days in the period July - August 2020, Sofia, Bulgaria.
The countries involved in the project are: Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, Slovakia in total 35 participants (5 youth workers per country + 2 trainers - BUL and BIH + 1 facilitator - BUL).
The TC will follow the NFE approach: a combination of different creative and interactive methods: theoretical inputs, round table, Compass/Salto sessions, individual/group activities, exercises, work on examples in a small group, case studies, real attempts and using Sport as an educational tool for acquiring skills and knowledge.

Art of creative thinking /ACT/ is co-funded by ErasmusPlus Programme of the European Union.