Who do we think we are? Exploring culture and migration in the European Union Erasmus Project

Project Title

Who do we think we are? Exploring culture and migration in the European Union

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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Migrants’ issues

Project Summary

“Who do we think we are?” explored culture, stereotyped attitudes to migration and challenges intolerance of difference. “Human beings cannot help but learn from the culture or cultures of the communities within which they grow up” Renato Rosaldo (1993). Groups of up to 5 students and 2 teachers from a range of backgrounds and experiences from each participating school in UK, Germany, Spain, Poland, Lithuania and Croatia, took part in transnational learning and transnational meetings in order to promote cultural and linguistic diversity.Our project addressed five themes:1) Who are the young people in your school community? Students collected and present data about how they describe themselves and conduct interviews in the local community to define their culture. 2) Who do we think “they” are? The participants identified groups from within and outside Europe in order learn more about the wider local community, challenge stereotypes about partner countries ie their established cultures and those of new arrivals.3) Each partner school presented how young people express themselves in art, music, language, faith, dress, interests and big issues and investigate “What is the youth culture in your country?”4) Parents and the wider community were invited to contribute via interview and survey to “Is youth culture in conflict with the wider society” as students explored how their youth culture may conflict with adult culture in the partner country.5) Is there a shared culture? Students learned together about Europe, the EU and considered whether Europe has an identity crisis or is socially cohesive.With an over -arching theme of social inclusion, the project promoted positive attitudes to diversity. It provided groups of less advantaged young people with the chance to live and work alongside their peers in European schools and live with their families for short periods of time. It challenged their attitudes to family life, education, mobility and provided opportunities for engagement in the cultures of the local community of the host school. The participants learned more about their own community and culture as well as experiencing life within another culture during their transnational visit. By showcasing a broad range of European culture we enhanced skills and attitudes to equip young people to be work ready and live in a global community. We encouraged our students to appreciate the multiple cultures of Europe and overcome the obstacles and misunderstandings often resulting from lack of access to information and opportunity.Our project aimed to: overcome linguistic and national barriers and celebrate cultural diversity raise awareness and foster curiosity about others,encourage creative and innovative skills in young people and value learning. During the three year project, students accompanied by a teacher from each partner school took part in six transnational learning activities in UK, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Spain and Croatia. The teachers attended and contributed to four transnational planning and training meetings and had the opportunity to visit European schools, sharing ideas and teaching methodologies with their project peers and colleagues. Results will be available on the project website and on the Erasmus+ dissemination platform and resources including online survey templates, monitoring questionnaires, town guides, Euro Youth Culture passports, country presentations, a Euro Youth Culture Glossary and films and a photo gallery. These can be be available for use in other European institutions.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 136655 Eur

Project Coordinator

Thomas Deacon Academy & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Berufsbildende Schulen Papenburg – Technik und Wirtschaft –
• Srednja skola Ivana Trnskoga Hrvatska Kostajnica
• IES JARDINES DE PUERTA OSCURA
• Vilniaus Vladislavo Sirokomles vidurine mokykla
• Zespol Szkol Nr 1 w Zychlinie