Dear all,

some issues related to web site and dissemination strategies.

(I) Blog

Unfortunately it's not possibile to create a blog on our website for technical reasons. However, there are several alternative options:

a. We create a blog on our moodle cooperation platform, which would be accessible also to externals. On our web site we create a link that points visitors to our blog placed in the moodle cooperation platform. This option, however, could be implemented from January 2018, when the blog application will be released by moodle.

b. In the meantime, if we want to post something which is read by thousands of people, we could create a special column of the ADAPT International Bulletin: http://englishbulletin.adapt.it/adapt-international-bulletins/ The ADAPT's Bulletin is released every two weeks in cooperation with labour departments of several top ranked universities (Cornell, UCLA, Monash...). 

(II) Resources

ADAPT'ITs are already working on a new page of our web site called "Resources". This will be ready soon.

(III) Internal communication

I restructured the moodle area related to communication. The old discussions are placed in the forum named "Archive forum", yet we don't have to post anymore on this forum. Now we have to use the forum named "Internal forum". Please don't create new discussions. If you have to post something, please do this by replying to one of the forums of discussion that I just launched.

Best,

Paolo

Dear Matt,

This is to inform you that Francesco Nespoli from ADAPT is able and keen to create tags/categories and coding the audio files of the workshops, according to your and Chris indications.

If you also confirm this, the 25 days of activities will remain on ADAPT's budget.

Looking forward to reading your feedback.

Best,

Paolo

Hi,

in attached file you can find some proposals related to our national reports - common editing.

I put three questions to all of us.

See you next minutes.

Iza

DISSEMINATION

Hi all!

Just a quick update about dissemination of our project.

On ADAPT bulletin web page:

http://englishbulletin.adapt.it/

On ADAPT international bulletin:

http://englishbulletin.adapt.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ADAPT-International-Bulletin-No202017.pdf

On Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ADAPT_bulletin/status/928621127374704640

https://twitter.com/ADAPT_bulletin/status/926094297715367936

Next week Chris' article will be in the ADAPT bulletin as well.

Best,

Paolo

Hi everyone-

Chris and I had a workshop last week of union reps in the finance sector.  Attached are the notes which Chris took.  It was a really interesting discussion and we got a lot out of it.  One of the reps is with Newcastle Building Society.  He's put us in touch with the head of HR who is keen to join an employer forum which we'll organise early in the new year.

Matt

Hi All,

here's a quick feedback on the pilot workshop I just had with an employers' representative of agricultural companies and a trade unionist from CGIL-General Confederation of Italian Workers.

Structure of the workshop

Hello,

As agreed along our last SKYPE call find attached all the slides that we used during our pilot workshop. All slides are in Spanish! Let us explain you a little bit how these slides were organized for the workshop:

- Slide #2: Workshop's main goal.

- Slide #3: Workshop agenda.

- Slides #4-8: About the ASPIRE project: concepts, objectives, expected outputs.

- Slide #9: About the organizations participating in the workshop.

- Slides #10-11: 5 key questions to be covered throughout the workshop:

1) How do industrial relations inhibit and/or facilitate collective agreements on active ageing?

2) How are age and ageing perceived in workplace contexts?

3) How are employers and trade unions responding to EU and national active ageing policies?

4) How are the interests of older and younger workers negotiated and reconciled?

5) How are being shared existing good practices on active ageing?

- Slides #12-16: each slide focuses on one of the 5 key questions. How? Suggesting several questions to be addressed so that through them an answer to the key question may be attained.

- Slide #17: Homework. We ask workshop participants to email back their individual replies to the following 4 quesitons:

1) 3 main keys to approach active ageing in industrial relations.

2) 3 most important barriers inhibiting the progress of active ageing in workplace contexts

3) 3 elements able to facilitate the promotion of active ageing in workplace contexts.

4) 3 basic tips regarding the training that we intend to organize in the framework of ASPIRE.

We hope that you may find all of this helpful.

Pilar & Mariano

Hi Matt,

One quick question? Do we have a final version of the overarching executive summary whose draft was circulated by you on 10 October? I am talking about the executive summary condensing content from all national reports.

Thanks!

Mariano

Hello,

Pilar and I have been able to review and edit the Spanish desk report following Iza's instructions. Find it attached. We are attaching as well the report's executive summary both in English and Spanish.

With these two documents we consider fully finalized our contribution to WP3 in the project.

All best wishes,

Mariano

Hi Everyone

Attached are the UK report and summary.  I've also included the second version of the consolidated summary (the one structured around the five research questions).  I've also separated out the first part of the UK report which Chris wrote giving a rundown of previous European funded projects on workplace active ageing.

Matt

Dear All, 

Dear all,

Hi again,

I attache Polish summary. Report I will send tomorrow, it needs some edition work. Sorry for delay.

Have a good day

Iza

Hello everybody,

Here's the link to the ADAPT's bulletin with the new ASPIRE articles published:

https://us3.campaign-archive.com/?u=477f592c29b5a739ce4cc8917&id=ca51a02bc3

Best,

Paolo

Good morning,

I prepared report from pilot on pre-agreed shit. Have a look.

Have a nice weekend

Izabela

Dear All,

please find attached our feedback on the pilot workshop and also the semi-structured interviews we conducted with employers' and workers' representatives. It (indirectly) covers all the seven Chris' questions.

Best,

Paolo

___________

Our unit of analysis

We conducted the pilot workshop on December 20, 2017, with and employers' representative of agricultural companies (male, 32 years old) and a trade unionist from CGIL-General Confederation of Italian Workers (female, 30 years old). The workshop was also participated by a post doc researcher with an expertise on managing workers affected by chronical disease (female, 29 years old) and Ph.D. student (male, 25 years old).

We also conducted 4 semi-structured interviews with the following persons:

-  2 trade unions officials from one on the main trade unions federations in the metalworking industry in Italy. The first one (female, 43 years old) is responsible for companies based in Lazio region. The second one (female, 30 years old) works at collective bargaining department of the Lombardy region.

-   1 official from the lead employers’ association for the Modern Retail sector in Italy, working at the national department for labour policies and welfare (male, 35 years old).

-  1 official from the main employers' association of agricultural companies (male, 32 years old).

The following information reflect both the contents of the background interview and the pilot workshop.

Common views and positions

All people interviewed and involved in the workshop seemed generally enthusiastic about active ageing in general and the project in particular. The general impression was that, although the promotion of active ageing is not among the priorities of social partners in Italy, the issue is starting to be considered following some pressures from their members. This is in line with the traditional Italian logic of collective action according to which trade unions and employers’ associations strategies are shaped and influenced by problems emerging at the shop floor. Therefore, social partners tend to recognise that active aging is an issue of considerable concern, but it needs time to go on top of their agendas.  This is also why active ageing measures in collective agreements are still scarce.

(Some) interviewees and participants to the workshop tried to elaborate their own definition of what active ageing is. They are not aware of technical definitions or of the debate in literature. They generally have in mind the idea that the working population is ageing, workers will stay longer at work, and these trends necessitate specific responses to manage the related challenges and take the opportunities. They generally agree that “sustainability” is the keyword to approach the issue: this means to keep older workers productive and to allow them to respond to the increasing work-life balance demands. In this connection, the industrial relations approach is generally perceived as a better way to reconcile sustainability with productivity.

In the pilot workshop, participants stressed the importance to contextualize active ageing within a wider conceptual framework to understand and manage changes in society, economy and the labour market as a whole. The discussion involved the theoretical foundations of contemporary society and capitalism. Problems linked to active ageing must be addressed in a broader discourse of a new social contract that fits for all. They also highlighted the importance to understand active ageing as a life-long learning process as well the centrality of occupational welfare and related measures. Personally, I think that this discussion was very much fuelled by the educational level and sensibility of the two representatives involved in the workshop and it didn’t reflect at all the general understanding and perception of the problem by social partners.

Finally, apart from one case, social partners seem to be generally unaware of technical aspects related to statutory legislation (e.g. some contractual schemes, incentives etc.) potentially useful to support active ageing policies.

The position of employers’ associations

Employers’ associations tend to take a bottom-up approach to active ageing. They mainly act in response to companies’ requests. Therefore, they mainly play a consultancy role for their members. Their labour law and industrial relations departments – which normally carry out consultancy activities toward their members – is competent on active ageing. Active ageing is a priority for the federation to the extent that it is a priority for their members. An interviewee state that: “We believe this is a critical issue for our members and its relevance will increase in the next few years. Skills shortages coupled with ageing workforce put pressure on our members, thus retaining older workers, ensuring their sustainability, and allowing them to transfer value to new generation of workers become priorities”.

Employers’ associations argue that there is a divide between bigger and smaller companies. Big companies tend to address the problem of an ageing workforce as a priority. SMEs are less attentive on this issue. On the other hand, big companies are also those where more structured MRM departments exist: they tend to involve the federation in case of very technical issues, mainly concerned with the interpretation of normative provisions, or when there is a specific need to be addressed to public institutions. Moreover, MNEs are those where HRM takes place in a cultural environment most favourable to concentrate on active ageing. An interviewee referred to German companies operating in Italy as a good example in this respect.

In general, the approach of employers’ associations to active ageing tends to strike a balance between sustainability and productivity of an ageing workforce. According to an interviewee, the policy rationale is “to combine the needs of older workers, in terms of work-life-balance, health and safety and motivation, with the need of the companies to keep workers productive”. These aspects are seen as two sides of a same coin in principle. However, in some contexts is much more difficult to combine them, because short-termism tends to prevail in HRM. Workers wellbeing in general, is considered as a cost: the return in terms of productivity is not immediate. Active ageing, in contrast, necessitates investment and a long-term perspective: this is the high-road to productivity.

In this connection, the industrial relations approach is perceived as a better way to reconcile sustainability with productivity: “The important is that trade unions have a collaborative and proactive approach to this topic and not a conflictual one. If trade unions are keen to collaborate on active ageing policies their support becomes fundamental, as they better know the needs of the workforce”. A company’s firm-level agreement, which was agreed by management and workers’ representatives, establishes a so-called positive action committee which is tasked with proposing initiatives and solutions for promoting diversity and inclusion, also through a company project called ‘inclusion and diversity’, and monitoring the actions of the company’s active ageing project designed to support the activities and the potential of employees over the age of 55. This was reported as a good example of how cooperative industrial relations can result in good measures to promote active ageing at company level.

Collective bargaining is also fundamental when it comes to implement some normative provisions to promote active ageing or intergenerational relay schemes. However, both companies and workers’ representatives are rather sceptical on this issue, as that kind of measures implicates an added cost for companies or a reduced net income for workers.

Beyond collective bargaining, bilateral bodies are also mentioned as a source of regulation and financing of active ageing policies. Training, income support in case of working time reduction or any kind of welfare measure directed to older workers can be potentially covered by bilateral bodies. However, in most cases such opportunities are unknown.

The position of trade unions

Trade unions are clear that active ageing should be addressed bilaterally. This is because active ageing is an issue of common concern for both employers and workers. Sustainability is the keyword to approach the issue: this means to keep older workers productive and to allow them to respond to the increasing work-life balance demands.

Nonetheless, trade unions are also clear that active ageing is not a priority for trade unions so far. They are vocal against the Government when it comes to pension reforms; but active ageing policies are hardly settled and implemented. Instead, what emerge is that companies, especially the big ones, tend to address this issue unilaterally. This is unfortunate because managing the issue at company level, or without trade unions coordination, risks create dualism in the labour market. Indeed, just the most profitable and structured companies are keen to invest on active ageing, while on average firms are too much concerned on labour cost and short-term management of older workers’ problems.

This problem is likely to intensify in the metalworking industry because of technological change. The opinion on this aspect is twofold: on the one hand, automatization makes production more sustainable for workers as workers, including older workers, are less and less requested to carry out heavy activities; on the other hand, job polarisation and skill changes risk to penalise older workers. Risks seems to prevail over opportunities. Thus trade unions should act in order to ameliorate and mitigate the technological effect on the older workforce.

In terms of levels of collective action, an interviewee argued that multi-employer bargaining is essential to give universality to the agreed measures. It is important to guarantee a combination of bargaining levels: resources and institutions should be agreed at a national level; then the local level of negotiation should implement and modulate them. In this connection, the trade unions’ representative gave a positive evaluation of some economic incentives that the law recognises in favour of work-life balance measures agreed in firm-level collective agreements. These measures should be spent also to fund programmes focused on older workers. Training programmes, mentoring actions and working-time organisation are key elements that should be negotiated by social partners.

A final comment was given on the wage structure and its rigidity. A provocative question was asked about the fairness of a wage system where older workers produce less and earn more while young workers produce more and earn less. The trade unions’ representative said that this is largely a false problem: it is not necessarily true that older workers produce less and earn more. However, the interviewee also recognises the importance that wages should be based more on competences than on seniority.

Structure of the workshops

In terms of structure of the workshop and possible improvements, we and the participants noticed the following:

-  Repetitive questions/answers: in most cases different questions lead to same answers, or the persons involved in the workshop tend to digress beyond the limit of a specific question, covering also other issues which make inappropriate other questions afterward.

-  How to prepare toolkit and dissemination: the internet must be complemented with face-to-face relationships as social partners are generally unprepared to use IT instruments.

-  Importance to involve trade unions federations of retired workers: they are a good channel of dissemination and lobbying, also towards sectoral federations internal to the same confederations which are generally more preoccupied with contingencies.

-  Workshops should last no more than 1 and 1/2 hour.

-  Better to involve both sides of industry.

-  Better to circulate preliminary information or even questions among the participants.

Dear all-

As promised, in advance of Monday morning’s call, I have read through the summaries and made a few amendments with track changes.  Please feel free to also add/make deletions using track changes for a final version.

1)     Need to be flexible on timing and modes of communication: the Polish discussants thought 90 minutes was too long, but the UK participants were happy to stay for 3+ hours. Italians (and possibly Spanish) were happy to follow up with emails and homework. My recommendation is that we adopt an hourglass approach to the protocol asking a few broad questions at the beginning to capture broad views on active ageing followed by more detailed questions to get more granular information. I would say the broad questions are: a) what does your union/employer think about ageing workplaces; b) what do you think older workers want in terms managing extended working life; c) what is being done now to support older workers and promote active ageing; and d) how can social dialogue help?

2)     There seem to be some differences in perspective on what Active Ageing means to respondents with Polish discussant framing it as a business case issue more similar to the UK and Spanish and Italian discussants taking a broader perspective.  Chris and I got some interesting perspective by asking the question “How important is work within the context of active ageing?”

3)     I’ve added a question on whether there are important people either within or outside the organisation who are important in the social dialogue on active ageing (prompts: retired workers, occupational health specialists, pension managers)? Which came from the Polish workshop

4)     I note that some respondents found some questions to be repetitive.  I haven’t taken out any question, as the protocol is meant to be a series of prompts for us rather than verbatim questions which need to be asked at each session.  I’ll be happy to take suggestions on what should be deleted, but I think a longer list can help with longer workshops or where participants are less vocal and/or go off topic.

5)     We need a feedback form to distribute and collect for the evaluation.  I’ve attached a draft here.

THanks! I look forward to talking to you Monday.

Matt

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS FROM PILOT WORKSHOP

Hello,

Find attached the Spanish report.

All best wishes,

Mariano & Pilar

SPAIN - WORKSHOP #1

Yesterday we carried out our first workshop. It was a very, very interesting experience with participation of 3 unionists and 2 employer's representatives, all of them linked to one corporation in the industrial sector.

We have 3 more workshops ahead in the next 3 weeks.

We'll keep you posted about our progress!

Pilar & Mariano

Hi everyone-

Attached as promised is a draft of the schedule for work package 6.  We've got a skype meeting scheduled for Thursday when we can discuss. 

Mariano-  Can you add this to the timetable for the Granada meeting? I'd also like to discuss the structure for the online tool and training material.  Although this workpackage isn't until later, it would be good to start a discussion on how we will structure these so we can build content in the second half of the year.

Matt

Just a quick message to let you know what we have already run 3 of our 4 scheduled workshops. The last one shall take place on 6th April. It is urgent for us to clarify what's the final approach around translation into English of workshops' transcriptions.

All best wishes,

Pilar & Mariano

Hi everyone-

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone next week.  In addition to the WP6 protocol i circulated, I'd also like to table the attached draft coding structure for discussion.  It would be great if we could have a chat about the coding structure for the workshops which has enough detail but is not overly prescriptive.

COuld you all let me know if you have access to NVIVO which is the qualitative method software which we will be using?

Matt

Here is an example of a way of offering learning materials, developed as part of the UK Mid-Life Career Review project (which provided career review sessions to over 2000 people aged 45-60). An intersting model - simple to implement using existing materials. www.xtlearn.net/p/mlcr 

Hi-  Here is my proposed structure for the product.  Let me know what you think- if there are any modules which are redundant and or if any are missing

Introduction

What is active ageing and why is it important to employers?

How can age be better managed in the workplace?

Who to involve in the conversation and how?

What are the barriers you might face and how can you overcome them?

How to support older and younger workers?

What are good practices?

Summary

Matt

Rough notes on work going forward

Paolo

Elearning platform

Newsletter

Guideline for PDF

Cancel meeting

Panel Bergamo

Excel spreadsheet on content of material put into online tool folders

Blog post for May

Matt

Excel file on meetings and activities

Nvivo file

Draft email to stakeholder groups

ETUI- Chris

EFWB- Matt

ETUC- Matt via tuc

Business Europe Matt via ENEI

CEEP

UiAP

Copa Cogeca- Paolo

EuroElectric- Paolo

Age Platform- Chris

European Partliamentary committee- Matt

Newcastle- extension

Open access

Resources/folders

5 minute video

Check with Voice North

Template (Marta to send)

-what activities

-who was invited

-local/national/European

-Activities

Iza

Blog post for April (as drafted on small businesses)

Leaflet draft to circulated

Mariano

Questionnaire for Pilot

Coordination of workpackage 7/8

Everyone

1^st workshop transcription

Meeting on 27 April

WP6 schedule:

All coding 15 May

Country reports 7 June

Consoldated report 21 June

Reflection- 30 june

Feedback forms to Stephen

Contact social partners about whether they want to join Brussels meeting

Attached is the NVivo file with the coding structure we discussed. If you think we need further nodes, please suggest them but it would be good if we could keep our four Nvivo files as close as possible.

Both Newcastle and Hull only have NVivo 11 Pro.  I can send anyone who needs it the software and codes but you'll need me to know which version you need:

NVivo 11 Pro Windows (64-Bit)

NVivo 11 Pro Windows (32-Bit)

NVivo 11 Mac

Matt 

Dear all,

here's the link to the moodle page for the e-learning programme:

https://moodle.adaptland.it/course/view.php?id=645

Mariano is entitled to modify, edit and organize the page as he wishes: he only needs to click on the top right button/link of the page ("modify"). 

Best,

Paolo

Hi everyone-

I've reset the Doodle poll to have discussions in the afternoon as Mariano and I will both be in the USA in August.  I set the time as 5pm Europe time if that's ok. Could everyone complete the form? https://doodle.com/poll/7mdzfd5n8mhcmngu

Also, I've started mapping out what the four reports have said.  This will help us with the consolidated report by identifying some commonalities and differences.This is a working document, so please add to it with your thoughts.  Going forward, Chris and I will be coming to you to ask for data/quotes/examples to illustrate the points which have been made in the national reports so perhaps we can talk about this on the skype call.

Matt

WP7 starts

Hello,

We hope that you all are keeping well. Last week, Matt and Mariano had the opportunity to meet and discuss how to take WP7 to a good start as soon as possible. Hence this email. A new section on WP7 has been created in our Moodle platform including the following documents:

1) WP7_steps & timeline (PDF): it provides a PROPOSAL on how to organise our work to be able to deliver WP7's outputs in due time. Please, read and provide feedback in the way of a reply to this message in case that you would like to suggest any changes regarding steps and/or timeline. Please, pay attention to our suggested first deadline on 3rd SEPTEMBER.

2) Training module_CORE content_v0 (PDF): initial chart with basic information after Mariano & Matt's discussion. Please, read and provide feedback in the way of a reply to this message in case that you would like to suggest any changes in this chart.

3) Training module_CORE content_Must include (PPT): one slide for you to fill in short description of content (ideas, statements, principles, methodological tips, and so on) that you feel our training module MUST DEFINITIVELY INCLUDE according to your accomplished research.

We hope that the suggested process to trigger our work on WP7 is clear. Shouldn't that be the case, please let us know.

All best wishes,

Mariano & Pilar

Great to talk with everyone!  Here is chris' reprot

Hi Mariano-

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.  I had suggested the week of the 15th in order to accommodate Philippe who isn't available on the week of the 15th.  We could still do w/c 15 (perhaps 16 or 17) which seems to be ok with all of us and Chris can talk with Philippe about alternative speakers from Age platform.

Matt

EVALUATION FORM FOR PILOTING TRAINING MODULE

Hello,

As committed, find attached a DRAFT form that we have prepared to be used along the piloting sessions of content for our training module. Remember that each partner must do the pilot at least with 2 social partners.

The form has been outlined as a complementary tool to be completed through raising verbal feedback.

Please, make comments in the next week so that we are able to get to an agreed version of the form.

By the way, the draft form has been uploaded to our Moodle platform as well as the updated version of our table to follow-up submission of pieces for the training module.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Mariano & Pilar

DETAILS REGARDING OUR FINAL CONFERENCE

Hello,

We are stuck in the process to get ready for our final conference in Brussels. There are two questions that we do need some feedback about:

1) What's the address for the conference's venue? Is there any convenient accommodation nearby that you are able to recommend?

2) We have interest from 2 of our social partners to join us. However, none of them speak English. How will we approach this language barrier? We don't mind to get involved in the overcoming of this barrier (for instance, providing some sort of whispered translation at the back of the room) but whatever the way we approach this issue it'll have an impact on the conference's flow and timeline (unless we could have simultaneous translation English-Spanish). Please, we need some comments about this question.

Can anyone help?

Many thanks!

Mariano

Greetings everyone-

I'm attaching two reports which you can circulate to your social partners.  These are:

a) A report of the main findings of the research

b) An executive summary

We have a much longer presentation of evidence which Chris is just polishing up and will circulate tomorrow.  This document has the quotes and data.  All three documents will be put onto the website and I'll put into the Workshop Findings report hyperlinks to the evidence report. Please suggest any changes to these reports. One thing that isn't quite clear is the names of workshop organisations so please do correct.

Also, in order to ensure that i have the most up to date versions of the country reports, could you resend them to me in word format.

Many thanks

Matt

Greetings everyone-

Attached is the evidence report from Chris which is the longer report to be read alongside the Summary and Findings reports. As with the earlier reports, if you have any amendments please let us know. THere may be changes needed especially on the details of the workshops and interviews.  Could everyone also send me the latest copy of your national workshop reports to ensure i put up on the website the right version.

Matt

INTRODUCING WP 8: REVISION, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS

Since the pilots involved in WP7 are on their way and the final conference is around the corner, it is time to pay attention to our final work package: WP8.

This final package is aimed at (1) producing the final education and training materials (once our pilots have been carried out), (2) implementing these materials through roadshows, (3) and evaluating the materials' effectiveness.

Let's remind ourselves some of what our application says about WP8:

- In WP8 implementation (C2) (M21-24) education and training materials are refined, finalised and implemented by each partner with both employers and social partners.

- Upon developing the workplace tools, we will conduct three roadshow events per country (12 total) to promote them as well as discuss the research outcomes with social partners across each country. Through these roadshows, we will work with local social partners in embedding good practice in relation to active ageing in workplaces around the four countries.

- All participants in roadshows will be surveyed through written feedback forms in their native languages. Feedback forms will be translated by the partners and sent to Prof McNair in order to evaluate the impact of project on workplace level negotiations on ageing.

As we are expected to lead this WP, we would like to share some preliminary thoughts on how to implement it.

1) Once the online platform has been finalized in the UK and we have got and shared feedback from all partners, we'll proceed to revise our draft training materials so that they can be shaped into a final version. In the case of those countries (as it happens with Spain) that have already translated into their national languages all training materials we'd suggest that this final revision and improvement is made directly in their languages (instead of having to suggest changes in English and then translate them into national languages).

2) Each partner will conduct 3 roadshows to present and evaluate final training materials. In our context we may consider a roadshow any meeting attended by local employers, unions, and other stakeholders with the purpose of presenting and discussing both our research outcomes and training materials. We'll take photos of each roadshow for the record and final report. A list of roadshows' attendees would be prepared by each partner too. 

3) We (the team in Spain) will draft an evaluation form to collect written feedback from participants in roadshows. All this information will be sent to Stephen for him to be able to evaluate the impact of the project.

4) We understand that all of the above should be carried out before the end of April 2019.

Please, react to this email from today until 5th April.

All best wishes,

Mariano & Pilar

Hi Does anyone have a high resolution version of the Aspire logo?

VISIBILITY OF UNION FUNDING

In the preparation of our final meeting I have been reading reports uploaded to the ASPIRE's platform. I am not sure that we are meeting requirements under Article II.8 in the GENERAL CONDITIONS document for the project regarding "Visibility of Union funding". Let me copy this Article for you:

"ARTICLE II.8 — VISIBILITY OF UNION FUNDING
II.8.1 Information on Union funding and use of the European Union emblem
Unless the Commission requests or agrees otherwise, any communication or publication made
by the beneficiaries jointly or individually that relates to the action, including at conferences,
seminars or in any information or promotional materials (such as brochures, leaflets, posters,
presentations, in electronic form, etc.), must:
(a) indicate that the action has received funding from the Union; and
(b) display the European Union emblem.

When displayed in association with another logo, the European Union emblem must have appropriate prominence.

The obligation to display the European Union emblem does not confer on the beneficiaries a
right of exclusive use. The beneficiaries may not appropriate the European Union emblem or
any similar trademark or logo, either by registration or by any other means.
For the purposes of the first, second and third subparagraphs and under the conditions
specified therein, the beneficiaries may use the European Union emblem without first
obtaining permission from the Commission.

II.8.2 Disclaimers excluding Commission responsibility
Any communication or publication that relates to the action, made by the beneficiaries jointly
or individually in any form and using any means, must indicate:
(a) that it reflects only the author’s view; and
(b) that the Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the
information it contains."

I am afraid that all our reports include the EU emblem BUT not an explicit acknowledgment of EU funding nor a disclaimer excluding Commission responsibility. All of this is only made clear at the ASPIRE website as a container of the reports. However, I understand that ALL publications and communications should abide by this Article.

What should we do about this question before it is too late?

Mariano

Hi everyone-

I apologise for the late response. We have spoken to employers and union reps to get feedback on the online tool. There are a few events coming up but I can report the feedback so far:

We received mainly positive feedback on the tool's content. There is a lot of useful information. It was thought that 'further reading' material would be helpful so the reader could read in more depth on a subject which is the focus of their workplace.  For example, somebody using the tool may be focused on flexible working and may want to see good practice guides on flexiworking from social partners or good practice case studies.  This shouldn't be too difficult to add and we can each add further reading texts from our respective countries in our respective pages.

It was thought that the material will be very useful for trainers and people interested in looking at Active Ageing in depth.  TO that end, I'm talking with East Riding College which runs union rep training about disseminating on their courses for union reps.  It was thought it'd be less helpful for someone who wants to read up on Active Ageing over a lunch break or for CPD students.  TO that end, Newcastle is arranging to maintain CHris' employment contract to develop a shortened version of the tool for Future Learn which can be used by members of the public.  Once this is developed, it will have full acknowledgement of all of the partners, EC, and ASPIRE project and if you're interested, we could either replicate in Italian, SPanish and Polish and/or let you use it for your learning platforms.  THis will benefit us as it will maximise on impact and widen the scope of service users.

Matt

Hi 

I've added some of the video interviews which Chris and i have done onto the English part of the platform.  We have some really interesting insights from people in academia (including Alan Walker) unions (eg Chris Haswell whom you met in Brussels) and the media (Kerry Hannon).  We still have some more to edit.  One of the features of youtube now is that you can get an autogenerated translation. THese need to be edited but it might not be a huge effort.  THere was one interview I did with Jurgen Deller which i really liked but the sound quality was bad.  The automatic transcriber was able to catch about 80% of the discussion accurately and this was with really poor sound quality. I edited the rest. It might be worth checking how well the translator works.  If you all have videos in your modules, I'll see if the translator works back to English.

If you are interested in using any of the videos we have, you can find them on: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8NewFIgUCeNHpYsh7D7VAg. If you want to use one for your site, I'll make a copy and you can set up the translator.

Matt