Digital storytelling as a tool to self-assess and enhance soft skills: Analysing the CERTIFY project as case study

Over the last decade, open, non-formal and informal learning pathways have been recognised at the centre of the European debate as a key component in achieving the objectives of the lifelong learning program. However, in many cases, people themselves may not be aware of the transversal and basic skills they are developing through such learning and the important role these can play in their competitiveness in the labour market.

The CErTiFY project is an EU funded Strategic Partnership that seeks to help individuals wanting to work in the Cultural and Creative sectors, considered to be a sector for investment by the European Commission, by developing and testing a new methodology based on digital storytelling for people to identify and recognise their transversal skills, as identified in the 2020 strategy. Indeed, the characteristics of the Cultural and Creative sectors, with less-structured recruitment processes and key competencies often acquired over longer periods of time and outside the formal education system, mean that recognising such skills is essential both for candidates embarking on their early careers and adult population seeking to work in this sector but not able to find an appropriate position.

Within CERTIFY, project partners from 6 European Countries have completed a research output that intends to:
• Map the state of art of the recruiting system in the cultural and creative sectors in six partner countries, including Italy, United Kingdom, Greece, Austria, Lithuania and Belgium.
• Compare the skills acquired through the completion of the formal education systems with those required by the cultural and creative labour market in each country.

The data from surveys and interviews will inform the development of a range of tools and training programmes designed to aid the recognition of transversal skills and key competences, considering how to better use them in the job-seeking process.