Project "Creating spaces for creativity - SPACES" will be implemented by six partners from five countries: Foundation of Education Development SPATIA (NGO, Poland), IX Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Wisławy Szymborskiej w Sosnowcu (school, Poland), Malatya Bilim Ve Sanat Merkezi (educational centre, Turkey), Edmund Rice College (school, Ireland), Escola Básica e Secundária Padre Manuel Álvares (school, Portugal), CulturePolis (NGO, Greece). Its main objective is supporting the development of creativity of students and teachers / educators through the exchange and dissemination of good practices and the creation of 3 intellectual outputs by 6 partners of the cross-sector consortium in the period from 01/04/2021 - 31/03/2023. Detailed objectives: - building a network of cooperation between 6 organizations diverse in terms of culture, competence, sector and experience, which will allow for the synergy effect; - strengthening cooperation between project partners, including between organizations operating in the field of formal, informal and non-formal education; - increasing students' knowledge of how to learn creatively; - increasing educators and teachers' knowledge of how to teach creatively; - increasing students' awareness of appreciating culture and nature as sources of inspiration for work and study; - developing the results of intellectual work that will contribute to the creation of a friendly, learning space in educational institutions. The project consortium will work out 3 intellectual outputs: 1) How to learn creatively? - handbook for secondary schools students 2) How to teach creatively? - handbook for teachers and educators 3) How to build creative space? - teaching materials, recommendations. In the project there are also planned short staff joint training events and dissemination workshop in all participating countries. The project aims to contribute to the use of innovative tools and novel didactic methods in education (formal and informal), thus improving its overall quality and relevance. Achieving this goal will involve international experience and various profiles of involved institutions. The project aims to contribute to the creation of a friendly space for the development of creative thinking skills and quick adaptation through the exchange of experiences and good practices in this area between non-governmental organizations, educational institutions and organizations from the cultural and creative sector that deals with formal, informal and non-formal education. The aim of the consortium is also to develop international recommendations and solutions that will contribute to a permanent increase in the skills of independent, reflective and creative thinking among young people (secondary school students), who will soon enter the labor market and will face the choice of a career path. It will be possible thanks to supporting educators and youth workers in using the tools and methods of creative learning. Modernization and internationalization processes will strengthen the capacity building. The project's idea supports innovation and new educational solutions through international partnerships and inter- and transdisciplinary approaches. The project assumes that the created course will be universal, and the results of intellectual work will be available in English and in the partners' national languages. Thanks to the involvement of partners from different countries and various organizations, the results of the project will have an international dimension and can be used not only in the countries of the project partners, but also by educators from other EU countries. International cooperation will ensure the multicultural nature of the exchange of good practices, taking into account the experiences in the field of formal, informal and non-formal education of organizations from different regions of Europe.
The project SPACES, thanks to the different cultural and educational profiles and experiences of the institutions involved, contributed to the use of innovative tools and novel didactic methods in education (formal and informal), thus improving its overall quality and usefulness. The implemented activities made it possible to develop international recommendations and solutions that will contribute to a lasting increase in the skills of independent, reflective and creative thinking among young people (high school students), who will soon enter the labor market and face the choice of a professional path. This will be possible thanks to the support of educators and youth workers in the use of tools and methods of creative learning. The idea of the project supported innovation and new educational solutions through international cooperation and inter- and transdisciplinary approaches. The created results are universal and available in English and in the national languages of the partners, so they can be used not only in the countries of the project partners, but also by educators from other EU countries.
The changes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic significantly increased the demand for the skills of quick adaptation to changing conditions and creative thinking. Also, the progressive technological development, as a result of which most of the current professions may be automated, makes the so-called soft-skills, especially competencies such as creativity and innovation. In the face of the climate crisis, it is also important to strengthen these competences. Conscious recipients, who approach the phenomena around them in a creative way, are a guarantee of the coherent development of societies. Teachers and educators play an important role in the process of acquiring creative learning skills by young people, as well as the educational space conducive to creative forms of learning. In a teaching model that is conducive to the development of creativity, the teacher becomes a guide. The possibility of creative teacher-student cooperation depends not only on the knowledge and skills of both parties but also on the environment. Therefore, initiatives that will develop solutions for the development of common spaces in educational institutions are important in such a way that they foster the development of cooperation and creativity.