Chance Europe [Integration through exchange]

By participating in the transnational IdA project CHANCE EUROPA, job seekers increase their training and employment opportunities. They complete an internship abroad with a language and cultural support program.

Evidence of a stay abroad with a successfully completed internship is a major asset on your resume. The experiences and insights gained throughout the IdA project strengthen personal, social, and learning skills.

Target group

The offer is aimed at unemployed young adults aged 18 to 35 from southern Hesse.

Content & Services

The project is offered and implemented by the Darmstadt-Dieburg District Employment Agency in collaboration with the BWHW Darmstadt.

During the three project phases – preparation, stay abroad and follow-up – the participants are continuously accompanied by a teacher at the BWHW Darmstadt and abroad.

Phase 1 | Preparation [8 weeks]

The following services are provided at BWHW:

• Competence assessment and competence training
• intensive language support
• Group formation processes
• intercultural training and country-specific travel preparation

After approximately four weeks, the internship preferences of each participant are communicated to the international partner, e.g., via Skype.

Phase 2 | Stay abroad & internship [2 months]

The internship in the desired professional field is combined with a language and cultural support program, which promotes and improves professional readiness, training and employability, as well as foreign language skills.

The internships abroad take place in cooperation with our project partners in other EU countries

• ECTE in Rethymno, Crete, Greece
• Cooperativa Tempo Libero in Brescia, Lombardia, Italy
• Internpoint VisMedNet in Malta
• MENTOR in Linz, Austria

Our transnational partners have contacts with companies in the fields of tourism and services, art and culture, crafts and trade, landscaping and gardening, office and administration, and social institutions.

Phase 3 | Follow-up [3 months]

At the BWHW, accompanied career entry coaching is provided with the goal of finding vocational training or a job with social insurance contributions, or participating in further education (higher school leaving certificate). After an initial start in a group immediately after returning from abroad, coaching is later organized individually.

Duration & Course

The offer covers a duration of approximately 7 months.

The next preparation for an internship abroad in Greece begins in August 2021. Schedule changes due to COVID-19 remain reserved.

Preparation: 23 August 2021 – 15 October 2021

Stay abroad: 16 October 2021 – 15 December 2021

Follow-up: 16 December 2021 – 18 March 2022

Financial support

Participation costs will be covered by the project funding. Entitlement to benefits under the German Social Code (SGB II) remains valid during participation, subject to consultation with the case manager at the job center. Applications for project participation from other job centers or employment agencies in South Hesse are possible.

Sponsors

The CHANCE EUROPA project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the European Social Fund within the framework of the ESF Integration Directive, focus on integration through exchange [IdA].