The desk research and the on-field research of the GIVE project were successfully carried out from April to July 2012. The Centre for Creative Development “Danilo Dolci” collected 150 questionnaires for the quantitative research as requested by the Project Research Plan. 50 students and youngsters from rural areas, 50 companies working with young people coming from rural areas and 50 VET professionals working with young people from rural areas filled in the questionnaires specifically prepared for each target group. Our centre used old and new methods to collect the questionnaires: for example, our researcher reached rural areas in Sicily and distributed the questionnaires in school and public spaces. At the same time, the researchers used new way of collecting data: in fact, the three questionnaires were put on line and it was possible to fill them in via the Internet and answer to the questions with the simple click of a mouse. To promote the data collection, our Centre also created a Facebook event which was based on one of the project associated partners Facebook contacts, Associazione Culturale Energie Alter-native. In this way, it was possible to reach more than 5.000 contacts. Also, the questionnaires were distributed face-to-face to teachers, students and companies. Out of 150 filled questionnaires, only 45 were completed in hard copy. All the others were filled on line. The qualitative research was carried out with a Focus Group Interview which was held on the 2nd of July in Palermo. The Focus group in Italy investigated 3 VET advisors and 2 trainers/tutors from the “Sportello Multifunzionale Palermo” (Multifunctional office in Palermo). The office offers counselling and advisory services to almost 900 users, half to students and half to young people users on training opportunities and work experiences. The focus group lasted 1 hour and a half and it investigated the use of web 2.0 tools made by advisors and trainers. With the results, Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo elaborated this SWOT analysis for using web 2.0 tools for vocational training:
Strengths
- Usability
- social networks are trendy and cool tools
- possibility to accumulate a lot of information in one place
- possibility of a long term contact of the adviser with end users
Weaknesses
- solution for motivated and independent people
- not suitable with training, scarce motivation in using social network for work but only for fun
Opportunities
- appropriate use of solutions and sites for job searching by career advisers at work
- possibility of the implementation of web tools as a “virtual” adviser
Threats
- social networks are not used for job search
- advisers are not familiar with web 2.0 tools
