Skills4Life – Promoting the Transition to Active Life through Gamification and Game-Based Learning

Soaring temperatures got you down? Don’t sweat it! Here are some life skills to help you stay cool and prepared this summer:

• Hydration Hero: Master the art of staying hydrated! Carry a reusable water bottle and sip regularly, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
• Sun Safety Savvy: Sunscreen is your best friend! Apply SPF 30+ liberally and reapply every 2 hours, especially after swimming.
• Budgeting for Beat the Heat: Plan heat-friendly activities that don’t break the bank. Think library visits, park picnics, or DIY water games!
• Meal Prep Master: Fuel your body with light, refreshing meals. Opt for fruits, vegetables, and salads to stay cool from the inside out.
• Planning Powerhouse: Schedule outdoor activities for cooler times of the day, like early mornings or evenings.

These life skills go beyond summer! Mastering these skills helps you stay prepared and adaptable in any situation.

The Skills4Life partners recently convened in the beautiful city of Aix-en-Provence for the LTTA event, held from June 11th to 14th. This gathering provided participants with a comprehensive overview of the Skills4Life project, including its objectives and outcomes. A significant highlight was the in-depth exploration of the Serious Game, an innovative tool designed to enhance life skills. Partners engaged with the game’s various levels, offering valuable feedback to refine and enhance the experience. The event fostered collaboration and shared insights, driving the project’s mission forward.

WORKING ON WORK PACKAGE 4 🙌

Work Package 4 focuses on community engagement and outreach to empower young adults in alternative care settings. Key activities include crafting a policy paper with operational and policy suggestions based on project analysis. Targeting adult education and social inclusion policymakers, this paper will draw insights from the seven project partners, offering qualitative and quantitative recommendations. It will highlight the potential of educational technologies for educators and social workers, and advocate for game-based learning to reach marginalized youth effectively.

In today’s digital age, the challenges faced by care leavers in Europe are both compounded and potentially alleviated by the ongoing wave of digitalization. As these individuals navigate the transition into adulthood without traditional family structures, they often encounter barriers in accessing essential services, education, employment, and housing. However, digitalization also presents unique opportunities to address these challenges and empower care leavers to thrive independently.

One of the primary obstacles care leavers face is accessing vital information and resources. Digital platforms and online resources can bridge this gap by providing easily accessible information on available support services, educational opportunities, job openings, and housing options. By leveraging digital tools, care leavers can overcome geographical and logistical barriers, gaining access to a wealth of resources that may otherwise be out of reach.

In recent years, both young adults and care leavers face hurdles in transitioning into adulthood. Parents and caregivers can play a crucial role in providing support. Here’s how:

1. Encourage open communication to address concerns and fears.
2. Set realistic goals tailored to individual circumstances.
3. Teach financial responsibility and budgeting skills.
4. Promote independence in daily life tasks.
5. Seek professional support for mental health or career guidance.
6. Practice self-care and set boundaries to maintain a healthy relationship dynamic.

By combining efforts and support, both care leavers and parents can empower young adults to overcome challenges and achieve independence successfully.

Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/promoting-empathy-with-your-teen/202401/supporting-young-adults-in-their-transition-to

27th February 2024

The partners have met for a third transnational partner meeting in Virginia, Ireland at the partner institution of Spectrum Research Centre.

It has been a very efficient meeting! The partners have gone through the learning platform and the serious game and discussed final improvements. The next steps will be to test the platform and the game with young adults. Stay tuned for the next phase of the project 🚀

Exciting News ‼️

🔜 The Skills4Life platform has gone online!
We´re currently working on the finishing touches, but soon you will be able to visit and enjoy the incredible learning platform 🥳

Dear readers,
the Skills4Life-Team wishes you a Happy New Year!

The start of a new year is always exciting. It is celebrated and feared at the same time. Because new beginnings are not always easy. They bring new challenges and uncertainties, but they also bring new opportunities and chances. This is exactly how care leavers feel before their transition into adult life. On the one hand, there are many reasons for hope and joy, and on the other hand, the new brings fear and worry. This is exactly where we as the Skills4Life team want to help. We want to show young adults the positive aspects of a new beginning and help them through their transition. #skills4life #newbeginnings #erasmusplus

Christmas can be a lonely time for young people who have just left foster care. Perhaps they have not yet found a new connection or built up a social network. That’s why charity is particularly important at this time of year. There are many organisations that want to help care leavers in particular over the Christmas period. Here are some tips of how you can help:

1. Offer opportunities that bring young people together without forcing or patronizing them
2. Give practical gifts that can be used in the long term and join forces with others to do so
3. Approach them and ask what they want and what they need
4. Don’t force Christmas on anyone, not everyone celebrates Christmas
5. Also offer your support after Christmas

Find out more: https://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/social-life-blog/2016/dec/21/five-things-ive-learned-supporting-care-leavers-at-christmas

Financial literacy is a lifeline for young care leavers. Equipping them with the knowledge and skills to manage money is not just about budgets and bills; it’s about empowerment and independence. Understanding finances enables these resilient individuals to make informed decisions, avoid debt traps, and plan for a brighter future. Skills4Life supports financial education for care leavers, giving them the tools they need to navigate the financial challenges of adulthood with confidence. Empowering them with financial literacy is a step towards breaking cycles of disadvantage and fostering self-sufficiency.