Intercultural education is a valid tool to promote social inclusion and to enhance diversity. It is important to raise awareness among children and young people on the respect for the others and the multiculturalism values to prevent marginalization and radicalization phenomena.
How to support teachers in this delicate task?
Last 28 March – 1 April 2017, the CSC Danilo Dolci team participated in the kick-off meeting of the project START THE CHANGE – EMBRACING DIFFERENCES THROUGH INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEERING that took place in Zagreb (Croatia). The project is funded by Erasmus+ Programme, KA3 – Support for Policy Reform. The partnership demonstrates a strategic mix of geographical contexts regarding the refugee scenarios, as well as distinguished competences in capacity building for schools, civic education, youth work, and grassroots-based social work.
During the meeting in Zagreb, all partners had the chance to go through major technical points of this sophisticated and in-depth project, apart from stringent administrative and financial rules required for a KA3 project. The Croatian coordinator, being the forerunner having successfully implemented the “If I were someone” project, which is the precursor of “Start the change”, shared with the consortium valuable tips and advice in order to overcome practical challenges, particularly when trying to involve and manage schools and students as the very first step.
START THE CHANGE – in its 2-year implementation (30/12/2016 – 29/12/ 2018) will carry out the following activities:
- Research on the most difficult and important intercultural topics with 40 focus groups and interviews.
- Development of training manual in 4 languages.
- Exchange of best practices in educational and integration methods.
- 36 Peace-building projects in local communities conducted by 2000 young volunteers.
- Capacity-building training session for 110 school teachers and volunteers in Diversity work.
- Organization of the creative contest “Paint the World with Diversity”.
The next project’s milestone will be marked by the “Training for Trainers” event that will take place in Zagreb for the whole five days during May /June 2017. For this event, training experts from four partner organizations will decide on the contents of train
ing programme to be conducted later with 35 school teachers in each country in October 2017.
START THE CHANGE aims to fight the radicalization among young people, a process that has to start as soon as in the primary and secondary schools. In order to deal with this issue, START THE CHANGE will organize a large-scale coordinated action that foresees the participation of 40 schools, 110 teachers, and 2000 youngsters across 4 European countries.
The project partnership consists of four organizations around Europe:
- FFE – Forum for Freedom in Education (Coordinator, Croatia);
- Development Education Association (UK);
- Youth Centre Dravinje (Slovenia);
- Centro Per Lo Sviluppo Creativo Danilo Dolci (Italy).
For further information please contact Trang Dang at trang.dang@danilodolci.org