The European Union is currently facing one the biggest crises in its history. New boarders are mounted between the member states and the number of refugees moving into the continent is a topic of many political discussions. Every day we can read new stories about people who don't trust in the future of Europe any more. In this crucial situation, we as partners of this project consider it as most important to bring young people together to work and think on a future for Europe. In this context, we have chosen theatre as a way to express this topic.Theatre is in the central of this project to improve our students’s self-confidence and basic skills. According to observation of OECD reports about basic skills, current articles of the academicians and the negotiation of the chosen partners’ observation and analysis of their students, lack of basic skills and self-confidence affect pupils highly in means of success in education so in life. Therefore we framed our project on improving basic skills, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, responsiveness to social, linguistic and cultural diversity; improved levels of skills for employability as also defined important priorities of EU Erasmus+ programme.To battle with the weakness of basic skills, as the partners of this project we decided to develop our students’ basic skills, self-confidence and provide them opportunities for international interaction, participation in multiple events and self-expression. Since the theatre is an art that includes many features of art, we aimed to improve basic skills of our students with the effect of this project. The students will improve their artistic skills by acting in the theatre plays as well as their literacy and writing skills by writing the scripts. Moreover, they will develop their ICT skills by recording and editing videos as well as their language skills by using English both in writing scripts and performing. The students and teenagers including the ones with fewer opportunities will be our main actors and they will be in the center of all stages when the teachers will be supervisors in the project. Our basic aim is to provide an activity for every single student in school and peer environment apart from ordinary school programme. We have to include everyone in a way that everybody will be able to show an ability to improve his/her self-esteem, self-confidence so feel acceptance in social life. We knew from out experiences that anyone who join and perform something to the peers, become different from earlier. A single event may change a students if we provide facilities. This project has been created by the negotiation and agreement of all partners. The partners are from AT,HR,IT,RO,GR,TR These partners are chosen among several organizations from different countries all over Europe as they are the most convenient partners for the project theme. OBJECTIVES1. to improve our students basic skills and self-confidence2. to improve pupils’ social skills and sense of initiative and entrepreneurship3. to practice and perform sketches and two plays on the stage 4. to develop enthusiasm for theatre among students5. to encourage the learning of modern foreign languages and ICT skills6. to improve pupil`s international interaction, participation in multiple events, self-expression and social skills7. to support student`s school and life success.NUMBER AND PROFILE OF THE PARTICIPANTSStudents/teenagers: There will be teams of 30 students in each partner organization so 180 in total will take part actively in project activities. Approximately 1200 students/teenagers will indirectly be affected. Teachers/Adults: There will be teams of 5 teachers in each partner organization so 30 in total will take actively in project activities. There will be a teacher of English,Music,a Psychological Counselor, an ICT teacher and a PE teacher/trainer. Approximately 150 teachers/adults will indirectly be affected.Administrative staff: The head-teacher/chairman and a deputy head will take part in the project, Approximately 36 administrative staff will indirectly be affected.RESULTS AND IMPACTSThrough our project the six partners intend to create both short-term and long-term tangible and intangible results and to achieve the biggest possible impact to future projects and policy processes such as leading students to overcome lack of self-esteem, setting up the project website in order to provide continuous access to the general information of the project activities, progress and results, writing newspaper reports and creating on-site panels or leaflets to inform non-specialist audience about the project’s background and main results, arranging a multiplier event, communication, and cognitive skills of at risk students, cultivating effective partnerships between trainers, educators, and community organizations so as to amplify our impact.
The project was started with the background of one of the biggest crisis in the history of the European Union. In 2016, five schools from Austria, Turkey, Italy, Romania and Greece found torgether to prepare a project on theatre. It should be a way of working together and bringing together young people from different countries to think about the future of Europe, the explosiveness of actuall debates and new boarders. The start of a common debate on important questions like how to deal with refugees, the future of the educational system in Europe and social problems such as unemployment was also a crucial intention of the project. Theatre was chosen as a mtehod which basically would improve the student´s self-confidence and their basic skill. Our decision was based on international studies on the effects of a lack of basic skills and self confidence for the development of young people in their education as well as in their lifes in general. Our students should also develop an approach for important priorities of the Erasmus+ programme. The main objectives of the project were 1. to improve our students´ basic skills and self-confidence 2. to improve pupils’ social skills and sense of initiative and entrepreneurship 3. to support students’ school and life successes and improved levels of skills for employability and new business creation (including social entrepreneurship); 4. to practice and perform sketches and two plays on the stage 5. to develop enthusiasm for theatre among students 6. to encourage the learning of modern foreign languages and ICT skills 7. to develop knowledge of the diversity of European cultures and languages and its value among students and teachers 8. to learn about European countries 9. to improve pupil`s international interaction, participation in multiple events, self-expression and social skills 10. to help students gain valuable communication and problem solving experiences 11. to promote intercultural dialogue between different counties 12. to support student`s school and life success The Bundesgymnasum Bludenz in Austria was the coordinating partner. It was the first KA2 project but there was a wide experience with KA1 projects and other EU funded programmes. The school has a wide network of regional and national partners in the field of education, regional development and culture. Theatre is an important part in the school´s educational system, as there is a subject called "Cultural studies". A main objective was to offer students an opportunity to gain experience on an international level and to develop the school´s profile in the materia of Erasmus+. Among from several partners that were interested in participating in the project "Theatre unites Europe", the Bundesgymnasium Bludenz chose four partners to start a cooperation, as their profiles were most convinient to reach the project´s goals: ARDESEN KANUNI ANADOLU LISESI (TR): It is a partner who is experienced in the topic of theatre as there is a very active theatre club that is part of the school´s cultural life. Qualified teachers organize national and international plays every year. The school is also experienced in the topic of Erasmus+ and was therefore chosen as the second coordinator. ISTITUTO DI ISTRUZIONE SUPERIORE BRAGAGLIA (IT): The school is located in Frosinone and is very well known for its art and music curricula. Therefore a project on theatre was a very well received activity for teachers and students. Seminarul Teologic Ortodox "Sf.Ioan Gura de Aur" (RO): Cultural and other activities play an important role at these school. GYMNASIO ANOIXIS: Foreign languages (English, French and German) are an important part of the school´s curriculum. Through KA1 projects several teachers were involved in the Erasmus+ programme. The main activities included two transnational meetings in Austria and Turkey for the preparation and the evaluation and documentation of the project. Four Learning/Teaching/Training acitvities were organized in Italy (March 2017), Romania (May 2017), Greece (October 2017) and Austria (February/March 2017). During these activities, the participating students worked together and created theatre plays that were performed. A wide field of communication made it possible to work together between these activities. 78 students could participate in the LTT activities. Furthermore every one of the five schools was able to activity a large number of students to participate activily in the common activites. This is the reason why all of the twelve defined objectives could be reached. This fact is also clearly displayed in the project´s final evaluation. A website, social media activities, a mini dictionary, a calendar and a film documentate the acitivities. For all five schools that participated in the project it was a very important step in developing a profil in a cultural and an international sense. The experiences of "Theatre unites Europe" will last for a long time and are a main fundament.