THE OVERALL AIM OF THE ARISE PROJECT WAS TO DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT AND DISSEMINATE A PROACTIVE APPROACH IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION USING PROJECT-BASED LEARNING TO FIRSTLY BUILD THE CAPACITY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROFESSIONALS TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AND SECONDLY TO PROMOTE INCLUSION, EMPOWER DISADVANTAGED AND/OR THIRD-COUNTRY LEARNERS (REFUGEES, ASYLUM SEEKERS AND NEWLY ARRIVED MIGRANTS) AND HELP THEM TO BECOME ACTIVE, RESPONSIBLE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL CITIZENS. THE GOAL WAS TO CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE AND PROSPEROUS EUROPEAN SOCIETY IN WHICH ALL STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING TO SOCIETY.
WE APPLIED FOR THIS PROJECT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT GREATER EQUITY IN EDUCATION IS NOT ONLY A SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPERATIVE, BUT ALSO A WAY TO UTILISE RESOURCES MORE EFFICIENTLY AND INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SOCIAL COHESION. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND LIFE COURSE TRANSITIONS ARE STRUCTURED BY CATEGORIES OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY SUCH AS SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS AND CLASS, GENDER AND ETHNICITY. ENSURING QUALITY EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR ALL REMAINS A CHALLENGE FOR MANY COUNTRIES AND THERE IS STILL A SIGNIFICANT EDUCATION GAP.