European youth unemployment, currently above 50% in some member states, hinders Europe’s future and blights its youth. This is despite 2 million job vacancies within the EU, suggesting mismatch in skills, as well as physical location. Schools may deliver academic and vocational training but how effective are they in preparing children for future employment, or education? This project, involving six European schools, will develop a unique program to provide pupils and teachers with a new view of how to improve their schools and their approaches to obtaining jobs or further education as well as increasing their mobility within Europe. We will plan. co-ordinate and carry out “student take-overs”; experiences where students take on the role and responsibilities of staff employed within their school to better understand teaching and learning as well as how they successfully finish secondary education. First, this will be carried out within partner schools. Students will subsequently explore this internationally to understand how teaching and learning takes place within Europe and support school leaders in applying best practice in their own school. Students will then have the opportunity to apply and be interviewed for and take part in “take over” in other partner schools. This will improve their understanding of job seeking and learning elsewhere as well as raise their aspirations of working in other EU countries. In addition it will provide novel insight to schools of how they can improve their practice and raise achievement and standards. This project also contributes to the EU 2020 targets of: a) increasing levels of employment, b) reducing rates of children leaving education, c) increasing numbers of people completing third level education and it works towards enhancing mobility within Europe.
European youth unemployment hinders Europe’s future and blights its youth. Schools may deliver academic and vocational training but how effective are they in preparing children for future employment, or education? This project involving six European middle and secondary schools aimed to tackle this. The main objectives aimed to a) develop a program to prepare students for the challenges and responsibilities of the world of work, b) understand how schools can improve teaching and c) encourage mobility within Europe. This project involved six middle and secondary schools from the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain and Turkey. The U.K. and Polish schools are in a rural suburban setting whereas the schools in Germany, Italy, Spain and Turkey are urban. Schools were non-selective, with boys and girls of mixed abilities and needs as well as backgrounds. Several activities were carried out: a) Changing Places at Home. In this activity for students to gain experience in applying for jobs and the responsibilities that are linked with employment, students took over the role and responsibilities of staff within their school. Students applied for a position and were interviewed by staff and selected. Successful students then worked with the adult whose job they were taking over and prepared their activities. The periods of take overs ranged from the complete day, part or the day or single lessons depending on the partner involved. After the activity students provided feedback concerning how the activity went and determine whether the school could improve its operations for students and staff. b) Changing Places Away. Following participating in the Changing Places at Home activity students had the opportunity to explore this internationally by applying for and being interviewed to take over job in another partner school. Following selection, students travelled to the school and paired with a mentor to carry out a teaching or other function. Once again, following the activity students completed a questionnaire to record their experiences. This provided an opportunity for the students to appreciate what it is like to work in another country and capture their thoughts on teaching in another school in a partner country. c) Teacher training visits. Throughout the course of the project, reciprocal teacher exchanges took place between partner schools to exchange teaching and classroom/whole school management ideas and best practice. d) Country Activity days. To complement the activities above and heighten awareness of the culture, history and day to day life in each of the participating countries a set of “Country Day” activities were organized throughout the course of the project. This involved partners dedicating days to focus on an individual country with each producing a set of materials and plans aimed at what it is like to live in each partner country. Results and Impact Attained a) Changing Places at Home. Changing Places at Home activities have sparked the imaginations of staff and students and led to enthusiastic involvement in partner schools. The activity has been carried out three times in partner schools and has directly involved approximately 360 students. From feedback students report increased confidence, a greater appreciation of education and the responsibilities of the work place as well as increased aspirations in further education and work. b) Changing Places Away. This activity has been a unexpected success with approximately 130 students taking part during the project. Students report increased confidence in travelling to and working in another country and a willingness to use of the host language as well as English. Students have reacted well to the challenges posed in working in a school in another country. Host students have been supportive and spontaneous friendships have developed. We estimate that 95 remain in regular contact using social media. This enthusiasm has spread to the families of students involved. c) Teacher Training During the project approximately 111 teachers have spent a periods of training in another partner school. Focus has been on classroom and whole school management. d) Country Day Activities. During the project each partner school has held a ‘Country Day’ where the school has carried out a variety of activities focusing on countries involved in the partnership. These have been tremendously popular becoming whole school events. Long term Benefits Participating students report increasing self-confidence, enhanced readiness to use a foreign language, appreciate of education and the responsibilities of the work place and have increased aspirations in their further education, travel and working in Europe. Partner schools will integrate the Changing Places at Home activity into their teaching curriculum. Parents, the local press and politicians have all shown an interest in the project and the idea of Erasmus program.