The MOVE-UP project develops, pilots and mainstreams innovative guidance and training methodologies and tools for upskilling unemployed women who are dedicating most of their time and efforts to the role of mother and who are in need to (re) join education activities and the job market. 

It offers the opportunity of assessing, recognising and further developing their prior learning for facilitating their participation in training and in the labour market, mainly by enhancing the Personal, social and learning to learn competence (PSL) they gain thanks to their role of parent.

The Council Recommendation on key competences for lifelong learning (2018) defines the PSL) as “the ability to reflect upon oneself, effectively manage time and information, work with others in a constructive way, remain resilient and manage one’s own learning and career. It includes the ability to cope with uncertainty and complexity, learn to learn, support one’s physical and emotional well-being, to maintain physical and mental health, and to be able to lead a health-conscious, future-oriented life, empathise and manage conflict in an inclusive and supportive context”.

It includes, indeed, several skills that women acquire o further develop while becoming mothers: valuing these competences can have an immediate positive effect on both mothers’ willingness to be empowered and involved in formal learning opportunities to better match highly required job positions in the labour market and employers’ awareness on how to rethink motherhood as an asset for their business. Moreover, the skills related to PSL competence, cross-cutting to different jobs and sectors and promoting self-awareness, can be considered among the most important for adults who need to reactivate themselves.

The project is articulated in the following actions:

• Defining and piloting outreach strategies and guidance measures which overcome gender bias and stereotypes, also making evident and valued the target group’s experience and needs in the context of LLL.
• Identifying and self- assessing Personal, Social and Learning to Learn competence (PSL) functional to the evaluation of basic skills, for activating an empowerment process to promote and facilitate the access to further training and employment opportunities, as well as the participation as full citizens in their communities.
• Developing, testing and piloting innovative and integrated tailored learning provisions based on the individual needs for upskilling and designed accordingly to existing European frameworks, to be learner-centred, easily accessible and available considering the need for more appropriate work-life balance measures.
• Recognising and paving the way for validation of both PSL competence and basic competences and to use them on the labour market or for further learning/qualifications.
• Providing a permanent framework to stakeholders for setting up effective and renewed policies / provisions in favour of unemployed mothers.