What we do / Training for employment

We consider that training plays an exceedingly important role in the social and occupational inclusion process, as it helps to activate a series of elements that are fundamental to acquiring new personal and professional skills. We understand that the approach to training must be holistic, and that it must serve to eliminate differences and establish a situation of equal opportunities, even for those people in the most disadvantaged situations.

At Sartu, our work is based on the philosophy of Continuous, Lifelong Learning, whereby training processes are considered to be activities that are constantly available over time, and that are tailored to suit the needs and potentialities of those persons receiving our assistance. In this respect, whilst we serve as a resource for Social Services, Social and Health Care, and associated organisations, working in co-ordination with these entities to develop roadmaps based on their specific professional requirements, we also offer people a complete range of flexible, accessible and tailored training activities, particularly adapted to the socially disadvantaged.

These types of activities are directed at increasing the number and level of personal and technical competencies, expressed as capabilities, skills, experience, knowledge, attitudes and aptitudes, which people use in their learning and professional activities. Competencies that are expected of people in a specific occupational and / or socio-personal field, subject to ongoing technological and organisation changes. This acquisition of competencies implies learning, understood to be the progressive process by means of which people internalise, acquire and use information, capabilities and knowledge.

The training activities have the capacity to cover a range of interests: from learning a technical skill for different trades in order to increase one’s employability (Vocational Training) to activities that give priority to improved social and personal competence, working on pre-occupational skills (Social and personal training) or the learning of other cross-related matters such as a knowledge and the application of technologies, the prevention of occupational hazards, environmental awareness, social and occupational information or technical literacy in trades.

In some cases, the training activities combine real work experience, through programs in which students are recruited for stages in which training and employment are combined, or else through a period of work placement in companies in the sector relating to the training in question.

From this perspective, we consider Training to be any useful learning activity, continuously conducted, in order to improve one’s qualifications, knowledge and personal skills. In this way, the ultimate goals of training are, on the one hand, the active participation of citizens in our society and, on the other hand, employability.

From our point of view, in order to promote and implement this learning activity and to motivate students to continue learning in the future and throughout their lives, the following key messages need to be taken into account:

• The need to guarantee universal and continued access to training, in order to obtain and renew the qualifications required to continually participate in the knowledge society. In short, there must be some basic qualifications for the entire society.
• The need to develop effective teaching and training methods and contexts. However the didactic systems must be focussed on each individual, on his/her training potential, interests and prior experiences.
• The need to offer continuous training opportunities as close to people as is required, in their own communities, at home. To do so, there is a need to facilitate the installation and use of new technologies in the homes of each and every person, with no exceptions at all, and / or in the immediate vicinity, with transport services, child care and social assistance where required.
• It is important to value informal training, in which people learn through training that has not taken place in the normal, regulated way, through life experiences, with no express organisation, simply by a person’s own daily activities.

From this perspective, we would highlight the fact that, at SARTU we are seeking to certify and recognise skills acquired in these informal areas, basically centred on two groups in socially disadvantaged situations. This is the case for women who have worked as carers of dependent people and domestic workers without a contract, and immigrants with considerable professional experience acquired in their own country, but who cannot demonstrate this with official certificates.

At Sartu, we are working on the possibility of having these titles officially approved through the Body for the recognition of Competences, which we are working with in order to enable immigrants and women to demonstrate their knowledge, capabilities and competences in jobs that they are skilled at, despite the fact that they have no experience that can be demonstrated by a contract or official certificate.

There is therefore a need to invest in human resources to give priority to its citizens, who are the most important capital available to the Community. There is a need to seek formulas to enable continuous, lifelong learning, at an individual level, considering the characteristics, needs and baseline situation of each specific person.

It is essential to ensure that all people have easy access to quality information, guidance and advice on the learning and training opportunities offered by each community. Training, educational, personal and occupational guidance must be a resource that can be continuously accessed by each and every person, without exclusion, and primarily for the most disadvantaged groups.