Context Schools are workplaces for both teachers and pupils, and everyone has the right to feel comfortable and thrive in their workplace. Although society is placing more demands on schools, existing legislation has been improved, and new legislation created to secure children’s wellbeing, the phenomena of bullying, harassment and discrimination is still pressing. All the partner schools in this project are interested in allocating their time and resources in order to tackle and reduce violence and bullying. We want to share practices, experiences and analyse the similarities and differences in our prevention plans, the extent to which the authorities get involved in the process and what they can further do to assist schools dealing with such issues. Objectives Our aims are: 1. To enable teachers to deal with the problem of violence, bullying and discrimination at an institutional level 2. To develop a common strategy of violence prevention 3. To promote a culture of care, mutual respect and tolerance 4. To promote inclusion of disadvantaged students 5. To develop participants’ communication, interpersonal, intercultural skills 6. To create the context for peer learning 7. To encourage self-expression and creativity Participants The project addresses two target groups – that of the teachers who deal with problems related to violence and bullying on a daily basis. They will exchange experiences and practices related to the topic, thus being able to analyse the similarities, differences, identify good practices and apply them in their own schools. The second target group is obviously that of students whose negative attitudes we wish to change. We want them to become aware of the causes and effects of violence and discrimination, to make them embrace tolerance, respect and acceptance in order to create a positive atmosphere in our schools. We will organize 5 LTTAs in which an overall number of 80 students and 48 teachers participate. Activities C1 – Violence and discrimination in schools – common and different aspects (short-term joint staff training event) – 16 teachers C2 – Say NO to stereotypical thinking (student exchange) - 20 students and 8 teachers C3 – Say NO to violence (student exchange) - 24 students and 8 teachers C4 – Say NO to bullying (student exchange) - 24 students and 8 teachers C5 – Say YES to equality (student exchange) - 24 students and 8 teachers Results Concrete results - A step-by-step report about ways to address violence and discrimination at school level. A student magazine, a calendar of the most important moments in the project, a website which will contain all the activities developed, information about the project and its objectives, students’ works during LTTAs, CDs with photo stories, films, pictures, video diaries. We plan a series of outcomes too - Participants will boost their awareness about the importance of the concept of equality, thus becoming more open to differences. They will also increase their respect and tolerance for other people, develop their communication skills in English, their interpersonal competences and social skills as a result of working directly in multinational teams and spending time with host families. The project will result in better intercultural awareness, a reduction in the number of bullying and violence cases and an improved working atmosphere. Impact Participation in the project will greatly benefit our institutions. We estimate that the number of violent incidents among students will be reduced, as a result of the activities centred on the topic which are meant to raise their awareness and have a positive emotional impact on them. Through dissemination after exchanges, we will target as many students as possible, so that the impact of the project on their behaviours and attitudes will be multiplied and transferred from participants to other students. In the long run, teachers will be able to better deal with these issues at local level and will be able to implement initiatives in collaboration with authorities. They exchange ideas and practices with their European peers, which will permit them to diversify their methods. Also, by attending regular classes during LTTAs, by watching presentations of partner countries systems of education and by attending discussions with their peers, teachers will identify good practices and adapt them to their own schools. Partners will continue cooperation after the project end date, celebrating important anti-discrimination dates in online projects.
In the project with the participation of 5 countries, we worked on the topic of social coexistence without discrimination and violence. All the partner schools in this project "Just be Humans! - Say No to any Forms of Discrimination and Violence!" We examined the sub-themes of stereotypes, harassment, violence, discrimination, and finally equality. Our goal was for the participants and those associated with them to feel and pass on the importance of the topic so that we can show the results we have achieved to others, as well as so that we can sustain them for the future. The project involved at least 5 teachers and at least 50 students per country and per mobility. It addressed two target groups – that of the teachers who deal with problems related to violence and bullying on a daily basis. They exchanged experiences and practices related to the topic, thus being able to analyse the similarities, differences, identify good practices and apply them in their own schools. The second target group was obviously that of students whose negative attitudes we wish to change. We wanted them to become aware of the causes and effects of violence and discrimination, to make them embrace tolerance, respect and acceptance in order to create a positive atmosphere in our schools. Good practices (rules, language tasks, scenarios), calendars, youth magazines were created as a tangible result of the project. As an indirect result, the topic became more valuable in schools as part of pedagogical programs, and the participants' foreign language, social, communication and creativity competencies developed. We reached our aims like enabling teachers to deal with the problem of violence, bullying and discrimination at an institutional level, developing a common strategy of violence prevention, promoting a culture of care, mutual respect and tolerance and inclusion of disadvantaged students, developing participants’ communication, interpersonal, intercultural skills, creating the context for peer learning. As a concrete results of the project a step-by-step report about ways to address violence and discrimination at school level. Student magazines, a calendar of the most important moments in the project, a facebook site which contains all the activities developed, information about the project and its objectives, students’ works during LTTAs, CDs with photo stories, films, pictures, video diaries. Finally, the Erasmus Plus program is a fantastic and unique opportunity to achieve the above, a forum for gaining experiences that make school life much more colorful and richer, enabling students and teachers to develop attitudes, especially on issues that are very important today, such as non-violence and the issue of discrimination. The project was implemented according to plan and the submitted application, however, the epidemic situation justified a change. Unfortunately, we were only able to complete the project online with the management of the Hungarian school. It was a great pleasure to experience cooperation, collaboration and understanding. we could be part of touching moments. We would also like to have a face-to-face meeting at a later date, as our goal is to keep in touch with our partners and continue to work together in the future. The virtual meeting enriched us with a lot of experience, as it was necessary to be creative, to search for forms of online experience, to share valuable thoughts. Most participants rated the meeting and the whole project positively.