Start the Change – Embracing differences through intercultural education and volunteering

The project

Start the Change – Embracing differences through intercultural education and volunteering

Project Number

Date

30/12/2016 – 29/12/2018

Funding institution

DG EAC, Erasmus+ Key Action 3: Support for Policy Reform.

Categories

Info & contacts

alberto.biondo@danilodolci.org
https://startthechange.net/

Social Media

Description of the project

The project 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’s lighting principle for action is to make marginalized youngsters feel heard and cultivate diversity and democratic values in the social threads, bearing in mind the fact that radicalization often results from deprivation and identity crisis fuelled by negative personal experiences and wishes for revenge.

The project seeks to solve the problem by creating international cooperation among diversified social groups. The final objectives are to bring about changes in the way society handles diversity as a result of combined efforts in diverse fronts. Actions will consist of enhancing teachers’ intercultural capacities and civic competences in order to teach controversial topics, to equip CSO staff with peace-building ideas in their youth work,  and to change the perception at grassroots level with local diversity projects realized by youngsters.

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”.

Results

Partners