The VIVACE project is delivered through a partnership of organisations in the public and private sectors representing education or social care provision in seven member states of the EU.  Collectively, the VIVACE team has developed a shared understanding of the project’s aims and objectives and has worked to a set of common principles regarding approaches to the identification and selection of target groups and to the design of the language learning opportunity.  Individual team members have then been responsible for the way in which the project aims and objectives have been met in their own local context. 

They have done this by the following means:

• Close collaboration with social care providers.  Reaching learners in circumstances of disadvantage through language learning is the fundamental objective of VIVACE.  The working partnership between the VIVACE partner and social care providers in the state, the private and the voluntary sectors lies at the heart of the project and is the key to its success. VIVACE partners have worked in collaboration with social care providers to identify target groups, to understand learners’ expectations and aspirations and to evaluate the outcomes of the language learning opportunity. 
• Carefully designed language learning sessions matched to learners’ needs and abilities.  Language teachers have found the challenge of delivering language learning in a VIVACE context inspiring and motivating.  By adapting content and methodological approaches to learners’ needs and abilities, language learning providers have shown that, given the right focus, it is possible to engage learners who many may think are not suitable for language learning.

The outcomes of the VIVACE project have brought benefits for all parties involved.

For learners, taking part in VIVACE has proved an enriching and empowering experience, providing a rare opportunity to move beyond the confines of their immediate life circumstances to access opportunities previously denied to them.  In almost all cases, VIVACE has increased learners’ confidence and self-esteem and has helped to improve social and communication skills.

For social care providers the opportunity to work with VIVACE has introduced a new dimension to the range of activities offered to their clients and their own organisational horizons have been expanded as a result. Many of them are now committed to ensuring that language learning activities are offered to people in their care, whatever their disadvantage, as part of their regular programme.   

For language teaching providers the experience of working in the VIVACE context has made a strong contribution to professional growth and development.  Language teachers have been exposed to new ideas about what is possible and achievable in terms of language teaching.

By working closely together, VIVACE has spread the message of the value of language learning for everyone, whatever their circumstances, widely among organisations in the field of social care provision and into the community at large.