Context/background of the project The idea for the project rose in 2017 when EU hostile parties gained so much support in EU countries. It seems many people in Europe long for strong leaders who address the fears of the worried and offer simple solutions for complex problems in our globalised society. Objectives of the project 1. Understanding and practising Democracy. 2. Understanding and experiencing (mobilities) the benefits of the EU. 3. Creating awareness about the dangers of nationalism and authoritarian policies. 4. Creating awareness for the language and aims of Nationalist or Populist parties. 5. Overcome the lack of trust in democratic systems in learning/practicing participation. 6. Dissemination and promoting the European values and the EU in our school communities, in our actual communities in contacting the political stakeholders, as well as local or national media. Herewith we cover the specific objectives laid out in the ERasmus+ programme guide on page 25. (improve the level of key competences, contribution to a cohesive society, quality improvements, internationalisation at the level of training and education, dissemination of good practice and promote the teaching and learning of languages to name a few.) Number and profile of participants app. 72 students mobilities app. 75 teachers mobilities indirect participation through school project work all staff and students of participating schools 5000 people Students are selected by the following criteria: -students from low income families -excellent students -average students -students with excellent social competences -students with a migration background -students with special needs Description of activities 1. C1 Initial meeting of coordinators to present the project and its objectives. Identifying common procedures of democratic principles already installed and discuss differences and similarities. Identifying chores to do between the inital meeting and the second meeting. 2, C2 which should lead to the planning of our first student`s mobility. The time between C2 and C3 should be used to prepare a virtual meeting of students and to prepare them for the first students meeting. 3. C3 Students mobility (experiencing school at their host school, attending workshops, living in host families) 4.C4 Coordinators meeting (planning a project week in all schools at the same time with a final assembly and virtual meeting As well as an exhibition and the respective school halls or gyms with the invitation of parents, press and political stakeholders). 5. C5 Students mobility ( preparing the final reports and assembly of students in an international meeting with a final address to the political stakeholders and the public. The actions planned in the project promote in particular the aims of the programme guide, see page 26 as there are: the participation in democratic life in Europe, active citizenship, intercultural dialogue, social inclusion and solidarity. The applied methodology in carrying out the project is participant and competence orientated, as we collect the experiences of the partner schools. We identify, install or adjust good practice. The documentation of good practice is the source of the project`s activities. We ensure the application of this approach with the following methods: - e-learning ICT - group work - workshops - presentations of experts (politicians, NGO`s, scientists, witnesses) - presentations, - classroom visits - international school projects dissemination efforts Description of Results and longer term benefits We expect the following lasting results: 1. We learn, enhance and install good practice. 2. Living and experiencing democratic and European values. 3. Strenghten existing democratic principles in our school and implement new ones. 4. Introduce good practice in our school programme and install obligatory projects about democracy and EU. 5. The participation of students in international projects will sensitize students for democratic values and the benefits of EU.. 6. Direct contact with the members of our European partners will vaccinate students against xenophobia and will strengthen their confidence in their language and social skills and lead to personal growth. 7. Our aim is maximum dissemination in publishing the activities and results of this project.We have disseminated the idea of the project via eTwinning and we are planning to use Twinspace during the meetings to upload the intellectual outputs, the documentation of the mobilites (meeting minutes) as well as all dissemination results in local media. We will use contacts to political stakeholders already aware of the schools benefits and their efforts in Civic engagement. The project will also have influence on the whole school communitiy and our respective local communities.
see above