The European Heart Project – Strengthening democratic values on the basis of basic human needs Erasmus Project

Project Title

The European Heart Project – Strengthening democratic values on the basis of basic human needs

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

Under the impression of the crisis phenomena and the rise of right-wing populist tendencies in the member states of the Union, the understanding of the common values of the EU, the principles of unity and diversity and its social, cultural and historical heritage is becoming increasingly threatened.
Studies show that right-wing extremist attitudes are not only to be found in socially disadvantaged, educationally deprived milieus, they are affecting society as a whole.
The freedom that democracy has brought us is also confronting us with new challenges. It seems that we European citizens first have to grow into the outer shape and learn new skills that are fundamental for democratic behaviour, such as taking responsibility for oneself and others, having empathic access to oneself and others, being able to think critically and actively participate in society.

The project partnership is convinced that these major challenges can be overcome not only by raising people’s awareness of the context of the European Union and its social, cultural and historical heritage, but also by enabling people to develop a personal and emotional relationship with European values. Through the approach of basic needs we start from a level where all people are equal. With this new approach, students learn to develop an empathic approach to themselves and to others, and at the same time acquire a critical distance to emotionalising rhetoric. The values and achievements of our democracy are perceived in a new light and understood not only with the head but also with the heart. Civil society engagement and participation arise from enthusiasm for shared values, the importance of which becomes a personal concern.

On the basis of the produced materials, students and teachers learn which inner-personal processes lead to action strategies and how these can be designed in a beneficial, future- and public welfare-oriented manner. In working on the topics, the diversity within the classroom should be consciously used to develop an own understanding of democratic values, participation and personal responsibility.
Pupils train
• social and intercultural competences, engaging in dialogue with others at the level of basic needs
• self-empathy and emotion regulation
• to distinguish adaptive and maladaptive strategies
• to develop adaptive and functional strategies
• critical thinking and media competence
• civic engagement and participation
Benefits
• Inclusion by strengthening the shared values and sense of belonging of students and teachers
• Reduction of the readiness to use violence through reflection on one’s own needs and strategies
• Reduction of susceptibility of young people to manipulation, propaganda and fake news.
• Activation of young people for active democratic participation.
• More young people understand “by the heart” the context of the European Union, in particular with regard to the common values of the EU
Outputs:
IO1 Work materials “Human needs and adaptive and maladaptive strategies to fulfil them”
Based on William Glasser’s Five Needs and Elements of Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg, an experiential-oriented concept will be developed to explore one’s own needs and those of others. Pupils learn to distinguish between adaptive and maladaptive strategies to meet their own needs.
IO2 Short movies
Short movies, produced by pupils, make important historical episodes on the way to democracy tangible by allowing pupils to slip into the perspectives of different people and empathetic with their motivations, needs and choices.
IO3 Active Citizen Team-Game (ACT-Game)
With this cooperative boardgame with interactive online elements, pupils reflect their own basic needs and understand the motives/basic needs of others. Playfully and experience-oriented they train competences for a tolerant and peaceful coexistence as well as active participation in democratic processes.
IO4 Module Guide for the implementation of the materials in school
Four online modules for teachers, programmed in a virtual learning environment, describe the use of the learning materials in a lively and practical way, to show possible applications in the classroom, and present further possibilities of lived democracy within the school culture.
IO5 HEART Online Platform and App
The platform can be used as a virtual learning environment. Users will be able to find the resources and online modules, participate in learning activities and communicate with other users.

The materials can be used at school (secondary level) in the subjects history, social studies, political education, English, arts, ethics, religion, psychology and philosophy.
They can also be used in interdisciplinary projects and workshops on democracy, human rights, personality development, social skills media literacy, and similar.

Target group:
Pupils, teachers, lecturers in teacher training centres and their students

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 320607 Eur

Project Coordinator

Blickpunkt Identität & Country: AT

Project Partners

• University College of Teacher Education Styria
• Diefthinsi Defterovathmias Ekpedefsis Anatolikis Attikis
• Fridaskolan Vänersborg
• Greek Universities Network
• LP JULIEN DE RONTAUNAY