The project is motivated by a growing health challenge for the EU, the shift in eating habits at early ages and diseases related to poor diet. The shift and its impacts are observed both by scientific research and through a careful scrutiny over local communities. Scientific research and surveys have already identified a diet which has a low nutritional value, a high sugar and salt ratio, an excessive fat intake and artificial sweeteners and chemicals as a poor diet, which is also linked with incommunicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Participating partners too have observed several contributing factors to this worrying trend in their own communities and schools: excessive tendency to consume fast-food, soft-drinks, processed meals, loss of cooking skills and of scheduled meals in the families and growing rates of physical inactivity. The shift from a healthier and convenient diet to a rather poor diet, particularly at early ages, took attention of participating partners in shaping the project. We collectively share the idea that eating habits are established at an early age; and therefore, our primary objective is to contribute to the progress towards halting the increasing rate of the shift in eating habits. To this end, the project seeks to foster more rational, decisive and conscious pupils (i.e., primary target group), to promote a healthy-school concept, to inform and empower families and to improve cross-cultural partnerships in this field. We believe that our team is competent enough to conduct this project and well-informed about the issue and the needs of the project. The secondary schools from Finland (coordinator partner), Germany, Denmark, Italy, Poland and Turkey are the participating partners of the project. We possess the necessary skills in ICT and foreign languages in order to operate in a multicultural social setting and to sustain the line of communication among partners. In carrying out the project, we will mostly prioritize the use of participatory approaches and ICT-based methodologies. In this regard, upon a collective agreement and within realistic parameters, we set up activities in order to achieve the targeted results and impacts: -Creating project corners containing regularly updated information and supportive materials about activities in the school. -Making a web site dedicated to the project including descriptive information, announcements, up-coming events, photo albums, presentations, feedback and comment board. -Researching what organic food is, which of it can be prepared at home and how it can be obtained from nearby local locations. -Preparing simple, healthy and convenient food recipes with the pupils. -Informing the participants about reading nutrition fact labels and scientific terms used thereof. -Making research and a series of interviews about the eating habits of elders as well as traditional healthy recipes. -Having the pupils keep notes of what they consume in one week/month time period and later, discuss about the commonalities with and the differences between the pupils from other participating countries. -Making a research with the pupils on what they consume the most in order to learn what the constituent ingredients of those products are such as cholesterol, fat and carbohydrates. -Organizing periodical health promoting school events, such as measuring height and weights of the students, distributing milk, auditing the school canteen etc. -Giving away free fruits in public spaces with the pupils wearing project’s logo-printed T-shirts. -Compiling a set of healthy, simple and convenient recipes reflecting different cultures and traditions, in order to form a cookbook -Inviting a nutritional expert to make a brief speech concerning the risks of excessive salt and sugar consumption. -Preparing survey forms and distributing them to other schools and relevant public spheres. Upon a successful completion of the project, the participating partners envisage results, briefly, as empowered and informed pupils, families and community about healthy eating habits, informed pupils and families about diabetes, obesity and other related diseases, a shift from poor diet to a healthy diet, preparation of a cookbook by pupils consisting of simple and healthy recipes and a DVD prepared by the pupils about their activities and healthy eating habits. The project also seeks to have a positive impact on more active participation in society, more positive attitude towards the European project and the EU values, incentive for other schools to participate in the EU platforms for future collaborations. The project also carries potential longer term benefits such as a reduction in the rate of diabetes and obesity at an early age, a positive impact on the family budget, an incentive for large-scale action plans and promoting the EU values and principles for future cooperation.
"A number of family-related factors such as family instability and lifestyle, single parenthood, poor living conditions, physical and mental health and domestic violence can increase young people's likelihood of giving up education and training prematurely. Other family-related factors such as parent-child relationships and parental involvement in children's education can also play role." (European Parliament, 2011). Relating to the statement our primary objective in this project was healthy lifestyles, and we can affirm that it contributed directly to curricular expectations in all partner countries which was linked with the development of a healthy attitude towards learning. During the implementation and the completion of the thirteen activities that took place within the two years of the Erasmus+ Eat Right, Be Bright -project our pupils and families became familiar with the importance of healthy lifestyles. The project and its activities enabled the schools to look at issues that are normally hidden behind curricular subjects but affect the integrity of children and staff. The project provided the schools with new tools, a different vision and different ways to face challenges. As the project was created, the partners: Finland (coordinator), Italy, Poland, Denmark and Turkey agreed that improving health should be a priority achievement within their communities as this was an area requiring attention. The targets were set individually by each partner school and the survey was conducted both in the beginning and the end of the project to assess its impact. The data gathered from the survey demonstrated that the project has had a positive effect on the pupils, staff, parents and the wider community. The project was well managed with good communication between the partners and open and cohesive approach which cascaded into the individual communities. All partner schools were equally involved in each phase of the project activities (planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation). Every school appointed a project representative who was in contact with the project coordinator in order to receive related tasks and responsibilities, and distributed them to the project team. Combating obesity is a key objective of Europe 2020 as 17% of European citizens are reported as being overweight. The project addressed nutrition successfully. A number of innovative approaches were implemented within the schools to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into the diet of students, families and staff. The schools held Take and taste -days for the students, the students were taught to follow simple healthy recipes and lessons encouraging the research of foods and diaries of meals were undertaken. Workshops and lectures were held on every LTT meeting to inform and educate the participants on the benefits of healthy diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, and this information was disseminated amongst partner schools on their return. Physically active lifestyles are also a key target of the Europe 2020 policy to increase the health of European citizens. The project had a positive effect on this through a variety of methods, e.g. increasing physical activity during the school day (games, sport activities during the breaks), extra-curricular sport activities, disseminating information about different sports etc. For example Laivakangas school has joined a national action programme Finnish Schools on the Move which aims to establish a physically active culture in Finnish comprehensive schools. The project outcomes impacted directly on healthy lifestyles through the use of new methodologies from the sharing of good practice and implementing them in our school communities. The students adopted a healthier lifestyle which can be demonstrated by the comparison of the questionnaire completed in the beginning and the end of the project. In addition, they familiarized themselves with different countries and cultures and made lifelong friends. The teachers developed their professional skills by exchanging ideas, teaching methods, know-how and experiences with teachers from other countries. The main products of the project are the web page: http://www.erasmuspluseatrightbebright.com/ which also includes a cookbook presenting traditional recipes from each participant country.