The progress of SPINE in making the Extra Qualification has reached halftime. In 2018 we had two transnational project meetings where we discussed the aims of and content in the Extra qualification.

The three learning modules were decided on as well as the subjects within these. Parts of the final module in Starum Norway will be an exam, evaluation the outcome of the learning activities that the Extra Qualification holds.

In the exam our 9 students will be able to show their abilities to work abroad in the equestrian market, in a new country and in a different language.

Summary Module 1 Warendorf Germany

Module 1 was carried out in December, 13-17, 2018. 9 students along with 17 teachers from all 9 partnership schools attended the first module.

This was the first Learning/teaching/training activity in the project. The module was successfully completed with just a few small changes. During the module the project group discovered that the timetable was somewhat too ambitious.

We had a debriefing at day 3 summarizing the module so far and the discussions regarding time/subjects and decided to make some changes for the rest of the module. In this process the students contributed with their perspective and thoughts.

The students got to practice giving lessons in English, with students from Warendorf riding as well as teaching each other. They also had lectures from the teachers in Horse Welfare, Principles of Riding & Principles of Training, Riders performance, Self marketing & Social media, Cultural & social understanding, Business & Management, Language & communication and Laws & Regulations.

The teachers summarized the Homework for Module 2. All presentations in the Workshop will be included in the Study/Teaching Material of Extra Qualification. Looking to the result reached so far, the project is following the timeline and is well prepared for the upcoming Learning/Teaching/Training Activities.

For the students piloting the first module in Warendorf there was, beside the learning regarding the equestrian European labour market, an exchange of social, cultural and human skills and knowledge.

In workshops, discussions and lessons they contributed to the creation of the Extra Qualification. They were given homework to produce before the next module which also enables their classmates at home to know and see what the projects aims are.

In module 1 additional members of the EEN was invited to follow and give input to the SPINE project. They participated in discussions regarding the subjects and the final outcome of the Extra Qualification.

Summary Module 2 Saumur France

Module 2 was carried out in the end of February 2019. The same 9 students attended this Module along with 16 teachers. The students continued their education with progress in all subjects from Module 1.

They were able to practice teaching students from the organizing school IFCE and also analyse horses whilst riding themselves. All in supervision of the teachers. The students were also asked to present their homework from module 2, with good results.

At the end of Module 2 the students were asked to answer a questionnaire about their involvement in the SPINE project so far. The results showed that they enjoy the experience in being a part of creating the Extra Qualification and feel that they are learning and developing. It also shows that the schools can be even better with using the SPINE project at home for discussions and lessons, so that the project can have an impact on even more students at local and regional level.

The teacher finalized the structure and content of the starting days of Module 3 in Starum as well as the exam days over there and the debriefing afterwards. The homework for Module 3 and the content of the portfolio that the students are asked to present was discussed from a warm and sunny Saumur.

We are now looking forward to the testing the final Module 3, in Starum Norway in November. The Exam of the Extra Qualification will include a theoretical part with presentations from each student and a practical part where each student is assigned a “client” in form of a student from she school of Starum.

The student is asked to perform a two day clinic with their client.

Erasmus+ Project 2017-2020 SPINE

SPINE Start Up meeting in Flyinge October 2017 with Project Partner representatives from the European Schools belonging to the Erasmus+ project.

SPINE is an innovation project with the major aim to enable young professionals within equine sector to enter the international labour market.

Looking into the national vocational education and training systems in equestrian schools it is viewable that the education is mostly focused on the demands of the national market. With increased global opportunities for equestrian professionals there is a need to establish an educational system to provide the required knowledge, skills and competences for an international career.

The target group should be all professionals, educated within national equestrian schools wishing to enable themselves an opportunity to create an more international professional profile.

The project seeks to develop language skills and knowledge primarily in English together with an understanding of how the equestrian industry works in different countries regarding national traditions and cultures in horse sector. This will be included in creating a curriculum for an extra qualification (EQ) with high international standard regarding knowledge, skills and competences fitting to the equestrian labourmarket.

The European project parners are working close toghether in the vocational and educational training field. All of them do have a profound overview of the existing educational products. The needs analysis is based on the experience of these partners. Especially for the equestrian sector there is no education avaliable which prepare young professionals enough for the European labour market.

The added value to do the project with these established project partners is to guarantee the transnational spreading of the knowledge, skills and competences within the Extra Qualifications (EQ) on the same high level all over Europe.

Most equestrian educations are only fitted to the national labour market and needs. Therefore the students are not prepared enough to work in an other country than their own. Student feedback in previous projects also strongly points out the need to be trained in different work environments regarding historical, social and cultural circumstances in the equestrian professional sector in different European countries.

The innovative part of SPINE is to create an international qualification which prepares young professionals for the European labour market. This project of education is meant to be shared between different schools in Europe. The involved schools are the main important stakeholders for the equestrian vocational education in their countries. The schools are going to develop an Extra Qualification (EQ) with a unique curricula. It will contain the needed learning pathway, containing training and teaching subjects relevant for the international equestrian market. It also emphasizes that the students going through this qualification have to collect experiences in different schools and different countries and practice their professional skills and competences in various social and cultural environment.

Expected result is to create an Extra Qualification (EQ) used to complement a national VET education.

Three Transnational Project meetings has now been carried out in Flyinge (SWE) October 2017, Barneveld (NED) March 2018 and Golegã (POR) May 2018. The work done in these three meetings has resulted in modules that are going to be tested and evaluated 2018-2019 in three different learning/teaching /tranining activities held in Germany, France and Norway. These activities will also bring together students from all Partner schools.

Visit our webpage: http://equestrianeducationalnetwork.net

Project leader
Flyinge AB, Sweden
Linda Eriksson linda.eriksson@flyinge.se

Projectpartners
Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung e.V. (FN), Germany
Markus Scharmann MScharmann@fn-dokr.de

Ypäjä Equine College, Finland
Päivi Laine paivi.laine@hevosopisto.fi

Ridskolan Strömsholm, Sweden
Åsa Steninger asa.steninger@stromsholm.com

Atheneum Martinus Bilzen, Belgium
Muriel Coppin murielcoppin@gmail.com

Aeres Group, Netherlands
Monique van den Hoeven m.vdhoeven@aeres.nl

IFCE, France
Eric Deyna eric.deyna@ifce.fr

Stiftelsen Norsk Hestesenter, Norway
Contact: Evija E. Lie evija.lie@nhest.no

Escola Nacional de Equitacão
Maria Margarida Carmo Costa mktplaneamento@gmail.com