Today, LLLP had the pleasure to co-host with the SOLIDAR Foundation an event on inclusion and how staff in educational and training provides, NGOs, CSOs and decision and policy-makers can come together to build (more) inclusive education and training systems! The event, integrated during the LLWeek , emerged from the Inclusion BOX (iBOX) project - a two-year project with LLLP members: Learning for Well-being Foundation , CÉMEA France , ALL Digital and eucen . 🎁 iBOX project: 2 years of capacity-building The Inclusion BOX (iBOX) project is reaching the end and all the capacity-building activities were organised in the different formats: online synchronously, in-person training and self-paced materials. These moments, along the development of the key guiding documents with practical guidelines and best practices on inclusion in the education and training systems, taught LLLP and the partners a great deal of lessons for future initiatives. Learning for Well-being Foundation presented its approached on access and participation, CÉMEA France the need to consider diversity in every step and ALL Digital discussed the use of digital tools to promote inclusion. eucen introduced the Inclusion and Diversity Charter to participants, referring to the three main steps defined to create more inclusive organisations, workplaces and learning environments. 👀 Launch of a brand new position paper The SOLIDAR Foundation presented the new Position Paper on Inclusive Education to the participants, Intersecting Pathways: Inclusive Education for Active Citizenship , o fficially launched today. The paper explores the topic of inclusive education as a fundamental part of a democratic society and includes case studies as valuable examples, illustrating successful implementations of inclusive education strategies. The paper argues for 6 key recommendations: 1) Learners must be put at the centre, 2) A whole community approach, 3) Diverse teaching and training bodies, 4) Diversity as an asset to society, 5) Inclusive education must be recognised in all types of education and 5) Inclusive education as a political priority. ⚡ Roundtable discussion with policy-makers and Civil Society representatives Marcos Ros Sempere , Member of the European Parliament from the Socialists & Democrats, Annalisa Cannoni from the European Commission, Jessica Fiorelli , researcher from the Hasselt University and Loredana Dicsi , representing the European Disability Forum gathered to discuss inclusion, intersectionality and the role of education in promoting diversity and active citizenship. MEP Marcos Ros reinforced the need to continue to the work on promoting inclusion and its key links to regional development and Annalisa Cannoni, working at the D irectorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, presented the Pathways to School Success initiative which promotes better educational outcomesand well-being at school. Loredana Dicsi strengthened key messages: implementation should follow policy and resources are important to ensure these inclusive policies are implemented. Peo ple with disabilities should be included in the conversation and given a voices. Jessica Fiorelli presented the main results from her research on inclusion within science and technology organisations brought the point of view of inclusion in organisations and the workplace. 🗣 Participants' voices The event had two moments for discussion and to hear your thoughts on the three key areas: access and participation in learning processes, strategies for diversity and inclusion, and digital inclusion related to digital transition and blended work methods. Designed within the framework of the iBox capacity-building programme , participants joined three interactive LABS . Participants e xplored how dynamic access and meaningful participation can transform learning, moving beyond attendance to influence and empowerment, engaged in an interactive moment on understanding different perspectives or took the digitally excluded challenge to discover all of us can be digitally excluded in different moments or settings. In the afternoon, participants also engaged in a worldcafé as an opportunity to discuss with other participants about policy support towards an inclusive education and training sector (translating policies into practices), online resources for accessible and inclusive learning environments and the current training needs (and inspiring practices) for educators and education and training sector managers. 🌟 Good practices During the day, the participants could explore the best practices i ncluded in the iBox Compendium of Inspiring Practices and hear directly from some of the promoting organisations. Posters of practices were spread around the venue as an opportunity to discuss the enables and the lessons learn from each practice, and how to ensure their transferability to other environments. Participants were also encouraged to share their good practice during the informal moment. Thank you to all the participants for your participation and valuable contributions! It was a day of sharing best practices, experiences and proposing next steps. Let's keep the conversation alive and continue driving change! 💪 Interested in these topics and want to go deeper? Register by clicking the button below to take the self-paced courses on the three topics! Project Number: 101090952 – Inclusion Box (iBox) ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PCOOP-ENGO Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

The Global Education Meeting (GEM) was held in Fortaleza, Brazil, and addressed the most pressing issues of global education - i.e. inclusion, equity and sustainable financing. While education systems are as different as they come, common challenges reveal patterns that are best tackled together. Progress or stagnation? The event was also an occasion to present UNESCO’s 2024/25 Global Education Monitoring Report , which underscored some of the most important challenges of our times.  First off, it is remarkable to realise that just over 110 million children and young people have entered school, which marks the highest number of students enrolled in history. At the same time, the report also unveiled striking inequalities that put Sustainable Development Goal 4 severely off track: 251 million children and young people are still out of school in the world, a mere 1% reduction in almost a decade of global efforts, with alarming disparities evident across nations. There is a tenfold difference between the richest and the poorest countries in the world: in the former, only 3% of school-aged people remain out of school, while the number rises to 33% in the poorest countries; this staggering figure is led by Sub-Saharan Africa, which leads as the world region with most out-of-school pupils. . The Global Education Meeting emphasised the critical lack of financial resources allocated to education, exacerbated by the burdens of debt servicing. Low-income countries spend a meagre $55 per learner per year—drastically lower than the $8,543 spent by high-income counterparts. Now what? The Fortaleza Declaration During the event, 50 ministers of education signed and proclaimed a declaration, now dubbed Fortaleza Declaration , as a robust roadmap for addressing these challenges. It emphasises the necessity for innovative educational strategies that prioritise equity and inclusion, calling for renewed focus on financing education to ensure no child is left behind. Investment remains the most crucial issue to ensure we can meet SDG 4 “If SDG 4 is our destination, the Fortaleza Declaration is our compass,” said UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, Stefania Giannini. “It’s a call for urgent action, innovative financing, and a collective will to ensure that quality education is a human right and a public good for everyone.” The outcomes of the 2024 GEM will serve as crucial inputs for multilateral discussions, shedding light on the transformative power of education for a peaceful, equitable and sustainable future. The conference saw a high number of ministerial representatives together with academia, researchers and social partners; civil society representation was thinner than ideal, but its representatives will continue to closely follow all processes that aim to ensure inclusion and equity in education, everywhere in the world.

Between 4 and 12 November, the European Parliament held all confirmation hearings for the Commissioners-designate and Executive Vice-Presidents-designate. Hungary’s proposal for the Commissioner role and the six EVP-designates are a point of contention at the moment among the Political Groups for reasons related to vested interests of the Political Groups rather than any reference to the performance of the candidates in the hearings. The EVP-designate Roxana Minzatu’s hearing was the most important for the education and training sector, and below you can find LLLP’s perspective on her performance. Though she has been lauded by the MEPs on her competences in the sector, the EPP political group raises questions on Minzatu’s integrity due to a controversial expansion of her house in native Romania. Based on the public hearing, Roxana Minzatu appeared, overall, in control of her portfolio, with assured responses and personal stories linked to the different files in education and training, such as her recounting the lack of resources that prevented her from going on an Erasmus+ mobility. Though concerns can be raised that she echoed the general language of the European Commission when it comes to the incoherent split between education (all formal education) and skills (all adult education), she has largely gained a good command of the portfolios entrusted to her. If anything, critical points for civil society in the sector relate to the balance in her portfolio between education and employment priorities. Read the full reflection to her hearing here

Do employers value prior international exposure when hiring? If so, how should students and recent graduates showcase their international experiences in their CV or motivation letter? What competences do employers believe are learnt through such experiences? The new Erasmus Careers Employer Manual , developed by Expertise in Labour Mobility , reflects on these questions and was designed to empower both employers and prospective employees to recognise, appreciate, and capitalise on the competences gained through international mobility. This manual wants to show how the competences acquired by students through international mobility experiences match what employers are actively seeking in potential hires. Previous research points out that merely mentioning one's study abroad experience does not necessarily boost job prospects, but it’s important to leverage and showcase these experiences to captivate prospective employers.  We often forget that the journey of an international student is not merely an academic pursuit; it is a transformative experience that equips individuals with a rich tapestry of competences and perspectives, such as adaptability, communication, teamwork , creative thinking , and self-efficacy – all essential for success in today's global job market. These five are considered the skills most sought after by employers, as identified through previous research.  “I feel like I'm better equipped now to adapt to professional situations where I might not feel entirely comfortable with the culture. And, you know, it's about finding that balance – adjusting when needed but also staying true to myself. That's something I've really learned along the way.” – Marie, Student, 23 But how do these competences manifest through different indicators across the stages of the hiring process (Job Posting, CV, Cover Letter, Interview, Hire)?  Let’s take the example of adaptability . In an application, a candidate is showcasing adaptability by including side & part-time jobs, volunteer work abroad or other international experiences, travelling as a hobby. When facing an interview, adaptability can be shown with a positive, ‘can-do’ attitude, when the candidate can demonstrate open-mindedness and can self-reflect on past (international) experiences and what competences they believe to have acquired.  Check the Employers Manual here to understand how these competences are shown in both application and interview phases, to adapt your approaches on the hiring process. Remember to pay attention to language skills, interest or knowledge on global issues, but also make sure to promote an international workplace!  “(...) And also, what I've found is that generally, if I'm employing candidates with international experience, they normally have a greater sense of self-awareness, a greater sense of maturity. And this is obviously important in a professional organisation” – Vice President, Financial Services Find the full document here . Do you want to know more? Visit the project’s website . This manual was developed in the framework of the Erasmus+ Key Action 2 Cooperation Partnership project: Erasmus Careers - 101049436 April 2024, Erasmus Careers Consortium Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Reaching its 14th edition, the Lifelong Learning Week is a landmark event of collaboration between education and training stakeholders and decision-makers at EU, national and regional level. I am delighted to host the LLLWeek this year, early in my European Parliament mandate, considering the long road ahead in addressing the 21st century challenges of the educator profession! The educator profession faces mounting challenges across Europe, and addressing these requires strong, targeted actions at the European level. As society and technology evolve, the demands on educators have intensified, making it essential for the European Union to support this vital profession by improving working conditions, providing professional development opportunities, and ensuring sustainable support for educators across all member states. One of the foremost challenges is the need for attractive working conditions and career advancement pathways to make the educator profession more appealing and sustainable in the long term. Educators are increasingly expected to address diverse and complex learner needs, including social inclusion, the integration of children with special needs, and the management of multicultural and multilingual settings. Additionally, the shift toward digital learning tools demands ongoing training, so educators can fully leverage these resources while maintaining high educational standards. Such pressures are faced across all learning environments, with early childhood education professionals, teachers, trainers, adult educators, work-based trainers, youth workers in education and training, higher education teaching staff all experiencing the societal changes. A successful European Education Area requires strong professionals in all sectors. To meet these needs, Europe must establish clear standards and quality benchmarks for education and training. Such standards can provide guidance to member states, ensuring a high level of educational quality and equity for all learners across the EU. At the same time, EU-wide funding programs are needed to support educator training and professional development, enabling teachers to adapt to new challenges and develop their skills effectively. Financial support is also essential for programs that foster social inclusion and diversity in educational settings. Investments in such programs strengthen equality and social cohesion, offering long-term benefits for European society as a whole. Through increased funding, the EU can ensure that educational institutions have the necessary resources to support all students and provide inclusive, high-quality education. Civil society organisations play a critical role in this process. These organisations act as a bridge between policymakers and the realities on the ground, providing valuable insights into the specific needs and challenges educators face. By actively collaborating with the European Parliament and other institutions, civil society organisations can help advocate for the profession, ensuring that educators' voices are heard in the decision-making process. Through partnerships with such organisations, the EU can strengthen support for the educator profession, ultimately enhancing education and training across Europe. By implementing these measures, the EU can support educators in meeting the demands of the 21st century, fostering a stronger, more inclusive educational environment for future generations. Photo source: SPD MV / Photo by Selin Jasmin

Did you know that every year more than 60 000 pupils in Europe go abroad on long-term individual pupil mobility in secondary schools through different programmes offered by public, non-profit or for-profit providers? Through these learning mobilities pupils are able to learn another language, experience another culture, develop key competences such as critical thinking and intercultural skills, and explore active citizenship through living in the local community and attending school abroad. However, few pupils get the learning outcomes of their period abroad recognised or even assessed at all when they return to their school back home! Individual Pupil Mobility can be not only a life changing personal experience for the pupil, but also a key tool to internationalise the whole school. How does IPM benefit the whole school? Pupils gain personal growth, oftentimes having a life-changing experience, knowledge of other cultures and a greater sense of global active citizenship.   Educators gain professional development, new pedagogical practices and tools, as well as the opportunity to cooperate with teachers from other countries. Schools have the chance for cross-border cooperation, learning innovative practices, further motivating their staff and engaging with the local community.  By assessing what the pupil has achieved during their learning period abroad, the learning outcomes are explicitly defined, can be measured and reviewed. Consequently it improves the learning processes of both the pupil and the institution. Assessing the learning outcomes, with the help of tools such as the Transversal Competencies-based Learning Agreement and the Intercultura Assessment Protocol , is the greatest step towards automatic recognition. When the learning outcomes are explicit and assessed, recognition is feasible. On the other hand, the absence of automatic recognition is an obstacle to further promoting pupil mobility and making it accessible to a broad range of pupils.  If you are interested in learning more about the internationalisation of secondary education through learning mobility , EFIL organises training courses for teachers and school heads to prepare and support schools with Individual Pupil Mobility – through Erasmus+ and other programmes – and in designing learning agreements which foster automatic recognition of pupils’ learning outcomes. Teachers and relevant staff will learn how to capitalise on IPM experiences for internationalisation in a whole school approach and improve their ability to formulate and assess intended learning outcomes in terms of competences, which will support them in finding alignments between curricula. On top of that, teachers will also discover ways to apply non-formal education methods within individual pupil mobility programmes to foster the development of transversal competences, notably intercultural learning. Find more information and register for the upcoming training in March 2025 in Thessaloniki, Greece using this link !

The Compendium of Inspiring Practices serves as a resource for NGOs, CSOs, adult educators, and professionals in the Education and Training fields. Its objective is to offer proven frameworks and strategies that embody the values of inclusion it promotes. By highlighting impactful case studies and effective practices, the compendium aims to inspire these organisations to design and implement inclusive policies, helping to build a more just and accessible educational landscape. Let’s see together three of the practices related to the Digital transition and blended work methods area: CONNECTED LITHUANIA The Connected Lithuania Project aimed to equip the citizens, particularly those lacking digital skills , with the knowledge to use the internet safely, effectively, and responsibly. Key activities included digital skills training through public libraries, where more than 100,000 citizens participated in courses ranging from basic to advanced levels. Digital leaders and e-scouts, along with a network of community leaders, helped spread awareness and foster digital inclusion. The project engaged 15% of the population, with nearly 79,000 citizens attending over 50,000 training sessions. Its success shows how digital literacy programs can be scaled across the EU, with Connected Lithuania’s resources such as online courses, video lectures, and hackathon guides offering a model for improving digital skills in other regions. AMeLiE The AMeLiE project combats online hate speech by fostering social inclusion and media literacy and equipping educators, school leaders, and parents with the tools to address hate speech.  Activities such as the Kind Speech Day competition and international workshops raise awareness and promote engagement. AMeLiE has been implemented in Italy, Greece, Romania, and Germany, showing its adaptability across different educational systems. The project’s approach reduces teacher workloads and encourages creative methods for tackling hate speech. With its success reaching beyond pilot countries, AMeLiE also provides policy recommendations to enhance institutional support for educators. THE GOOD MANAGER The Good Manager project responds to concerns on the impact of digital technology. It aims to promote more inclusive, accessible, and eco-friendly online behaviours through a multilingual platform that raises awareness and optimises digital practices. Key features include a European database of best practices in digital inclusion, sustainability, and accessibility, presented on an interactive map. Users can also access three micro-learning modules (short and flexible) focused on eco-design, digital accessibility, and sustainable project management, providing practical guidance for reducing the ecological footprint of digital initiatives. Find these and more practices in the Compendium of inspiring practices, available free of charge for download below: To learn more about diversity and inclusion strategies, attend the next online training course in October-November, facilitated by the ALL Digital . The online course will be held in three days - October 30 & November 4 and 6 with a 'learning lunch' from 12:00 - 14:00 CET (6 hours in total). Don’t miss it, registrations and more information are available here ! Deliverable produced by LLLP, in collaboration with the iBOX partners. Project Number: 101090952 – Inclusion Box (iBox) ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PCOOP-ENGO Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Join us in exploring the DigiCards new tool: digital competence cards  for counsellors or staff working with competences and competence self-assessment & share your thoughts and practices on counselling, competence cards and digitalisation in counselling! This online workshop is divided in two parts: firstly it will focus on the practical testing of a new digital competence cards tool (emerging from a project which LLLP is a partner) and a peer-learning activity, creating a space to exchange of good practices on counselling, competence cards and digitalisation in counselling. Agenda of the event: Introduction: Plenary What is DigiCards? Presentation of the project Presentation of the new tool and Competence Handbook Testing of the new tool: digital competence cards Peer testing with colleagues  Share ideas & feedback of the tool  Exchange of good practices from participants Sharing practices on digitalisation in education and career counselling, digitalisation or on the use of competence cards Register now and join us on 13 November for a ' learning lunch ' from 12:30 to 14:00, completely online! Interested in knowing more about the project? For more information, look at the official website , read the our project page  or follow us on our social media channels! DigiCards is a project co-financed by the European Union within the framework of Erasmus+. Lead coordinator: KARBON Consulting GmbH (Austria) Partner: Lifelong Learning Platform (Belgium) Project period: 01.01.2024 – 31.12.2024 Project number: 2023-2-AT01-KA210-VET-0001758544

Join us on 19 November for a day of collaboration, sharing insights, and learning from diverse experiences and good practices on Diversity and Inclusion. The event, organised by LLLP during the 14th edition of the LLLWeek , will focus on building inclusive education and training systems by addressing important topics such as participation, diversity and inclusion strategies, digital inclusion , and best practices . Let's engage policymakers, academia, and civil society organisations to make a collective impact. The upcoming “Agora: Building inclusive education and training systems” will showcase the key lessons and results achieved by the Inclusion Box (iBOX) project . The event will feature workshops on access and participation, diversity and inclusion strategies, and digital inclusion. The conference will also include presentations of practices from our network and external representatives, and attendees will have the opportunity to network and create synergies, with other educational providers and civil society organisations in the Education and Training sector. This event is organised by LLLP, in collaboration with ALL DIGITAL AISBL , Learning for Well-being Foundation , Cémea France and eucen - European university continuing education network . Agenda and registrations available. Project Number: 101090952 – Inclusion Box (iBox) ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PCOOP-ENGO Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

The much awaited moment for EU-level politics has arrived with the calendar of the hearings for the confirmation of the new Commissioners being announced. Between 4 November and 8 November all Commissioners, apart from the Executive Vice-Presidents, will stand in front of the European Parliament Committees responsible for their portfolio. The Executive Vice-Presidents are scheduled for 12 November. The hearings are framed around a set of written questions which the European Parliament has already circulated with the Commissioners-designate. Besides these, MEPs will be allowed to put forward their own oral questions on the day. The Lifelong Learning Platform and the larger education and training stakeholders will primarily await for the hearings of Glenn Micallef (Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport) on 4 November, of Ekaterina Spasova Gecheva-Zaharieva (Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation) on 5 November and Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu on 12 November. These are those Commissioners most directly connected to the sector , though the portfolios of Michael McGrath (Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law), of Josef Sikela (Commissioner for International Partnerships) and of Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen will also touch upon the sector. The LLLPlatform has circulated a set of questions for the Commissioners with the European Parliament. Unfortunately, very few of the proposed questions were considered; regretfully, the questions are not particularly exploring the proposed split between education and youth policy on one side or between education and research & innovation on the other side, and what impact this would have on the Directorate-General for Education, Culture, Youth and Sports. It is concerning to also notice that the increased linkages between education and employment policies are not welcomed with more scrutiny over the potential danger of putting education solely in the service of the labour market. The questions already assume a defeatist tone with regard to the upcoming negotiations for the Erasmus+ budget while no questions are raised on the glaring absence of the European Solidarity Corps, the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme or the Development Education and Awareness Raising Programme from several Mission Letters . Questions on several specific new initiatives announced in the various Mission Letters or in the Commission Political Guidelines 2024-2029 , the two sets of documents outlining the objectives of the European Commission for this mandate, are also surprisingly missing. Education and training stakeholders look forward to collaborate with the MEPs on their oral questions, ensuring that more clarity is drawn, and expecting clarifications over the new merger of portfolios within the Commission as well as on the exact plans foreseen for the Union of Skills, the follow-up to the European Education Area, the EU Teachers Agenda and the Action Plan on Basic Skills and STEM Education. The European Parliament’s EMPL Committee, which oversees social affairs and employment policies, suggested that the title of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu changes from People, Skills and Preparedness to ‘quality jobs, social rights, skills and education’: a fitting proposal and a strong statement . In fact, the Commissioner’s title should better reflect the interconnection between education and skills policy, which do not exclude each other, and be actually called ‘quality jobs, social rights and lifelong learning’. It is appropriate to recall that the definition used by EU institutions for lifelong learning is: Learning in all its forms, whether formal, non-formal or informal, taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective. In any case, the commitments of all MEPs to improve the workings of the College of Commissioners is a welcomed effort, and civil society looks forward to advancing the common agenda when the new College of Commissioners will be set up.

134 MEP’s from all political groups have signed the Manifesto for #FairInternships. The initiative was proposed by the Youth Intergroup and letter was sent to President Tajani, asking him to take concrete steps to have the rules governing internships changed by the Bureau of the European Parliament. We want to thank them for their support in fighting unpaid and unfair internships in the European Parliament! Please find hereafter: The letter The list of MEPs who signed The manifesto for fair internships

Homogeneity of assessment has become a driving force throughout our educational systems, and continues to be widely applied across the majority of EU member states. Such forms of assessment have come under scrutiny for showing an indifference to the learning needs of individuals.   This drawback has ramifications – not only for learning outcomes but for wellbeing too. Learners, irrespective of age, want to meaningfully contribute to the direction of their learning and have a stake in deciding the forms of assessment that are most conducive to their particularlearning needs.   When learners are consulted and meaningfully involved in all or some of the stages of assessment and its elements, the process becomes more clear and transparent. This can mitigate feelings akin to a lack of control, loss of agency and a perceived indifference to individual needs that usually follow from more imposing assessment forms.   It would also appear that ruling out the individual – and applying a uniform assessment model free of consultation or debate – reduces learner motivation and engagement. In the idea of formative assessments we find a potential resistance and escape route from the more uniform mode of summative assessment.   Unlike the latter, formative assessment describes an assessment practice that identifies learners’ needs and then adapts the teaching and learning to these needs. It is therefore, by its very nature, more conducive to wellbeing. Characterised by a plurality of forms including oral, written, presentation, group, project based and portfolios, this form of assessment tends to offer multiple chances as well as avoiding the high-stake nature of more summative assessments – which, in considering wellbeing, has been continuously cited as a main source of stress and anxiety for learners in educational settings.   These early experiences matter. Initial experiences of education, be they positive or negative, greatly influence the likelihood of pursuing education throughout adult life. Adults who have experienced early success in education are considerably more likely to view learning in a positive light – and subsequently continue to avail of learning opportunities throughout adulthood. Conversely, learners who do not experience success in compulsory education are less likely to engage in learning as adults.   Positive learning experiences, it can be said, instils both a desire for more learning and increases an individual’s willingness to view educational environments through a positive lens. Negative early experiences of education have a reverse effect – resulting in a situation whereby education and learning is seen as something to be avoided. The use of more personalised assessments transcends the pigeon-hole, one-size-fits-all approach ingrained in standardised assessments. They offer the individual the opportunity to inject themselves into the equation and take ownership of their learning. From here, an entire landscape of collaboration, dialogue, and participation can become entrenched in the very notion of assessment – all while widening the parameters to facilitate wellbeing and instilling a positive conception of learning and educational settings that is long-lasting.