Crossing Borders: New Approaches to Inclusion Erasmus Project

Project Title

Crossing Borders: New Approaches to Inclusion

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 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Access for disadvantaged; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Inclusion – equity

Project Summary

Context: During the long Comenius partnership between Austria and Denmark the partners found out that the problem of exclusion of youn people from society due to lack of training and knowledge of treachers and students had existed. Two other proejct partners interested in the project title: Crossing Borders: New Approached to Inclusion” were found on the eTwinning platform.
The project bases on three main pillars and contained the following main activities:
1. Training Area: was based in-school training. Project classes, students, teachers’ and project relevant subjects were selected.The topic “Inclusion of disabled young people” was introduced/discussed and treated in a methodological way. Students got theoretical input about the project topic and also how ot behave and to get along with disabled people. Students were also actively involved in the managment and organisation of the project using ICT and digital open resources
Main activities: in-class discussions, visits of professionals in class, presentations to disseminate the project, preparing students’ exchanges
2. Training Area: was the cooperation with a professional institution that offers different professional programs and facilities for disabled people. In this training students/teachers carried out 5 workshops based on different topics (music, craft, sports, social and culutral matters) Participants built relationships to challenged people. Students and teachers got professional information from the experts.
Main activities: regular visits of partner institution
3. Training Area: in 4 transnational students’ exchanges took place with a duration of 6 days each in each partner country. Each partner hosted 24 students and 6 teachers at each exchange.
Main activities: getting to know/social/farewell activities, progress presentations, exchange/discussion of experiences in the work with disabled people, visits of local institutions, cultural evening, logo competition, visits of touristic and cultural places,

The main objective of this project was to raise awareness of the topic among students, teachers, school administration and to furnish these stakeholders with a certain theoretical knowledge about the problems disadvantaged/excluded people face in general in society. Students and teachers should get in regular contact with disabled peole and lose their prejudices and fears.

Participating institutions:
Project coordinator: BG/BRG Judenburg, a lower and upper grammar school that has participated in several international projects.
3 Partners: Gimnazjum nr 2 im. Polskich Alpinistow w Koninie, a lower secondary school with individualizes units, integrating pysically and menally diabled students. Sofiendalskolen, a primary and secondary school, with a wide range of students from different social classes. C.C. ABAD SOLA, a school with comprising a nursery, primary and compulsory secondary school.

The project had the following impact and results:
– a deep impact on the participant schools as they working methods through a common approach, exchanging experiences of good practice through networking, defining innovative practices to modernize the learning programmes were implemented during the project
– new skills for students, reflecting on permanent changes to their daily habits, more self confidence and improvement of their social and personal development
– increase of the sense of tolerance and solidarity of youth towards those having less opportunities; particularly in disadvantaged areas
– a sustainable development of the project considering the use of the virtual platforms and open source facilities carrying out exchange of good practices and publishing project products
– a better involvement of students in the school activities implementing strategic use of ICT and innovative learning methods to reduce early school leaving
– to implement methods and training of social inclusion and enable quality learning for all to prevent drop out and take care of students with disadvantages
– transfer of theoretical knowledge from cooperating institution to students in-school and application of students’s theoretical knowledge back to active use at cooperating institutions in the practical training
– transfer and sharing of theoretical and practical knowledge with other project partners
– collection of documents, open resources an best practices to fight exclusion
– establishing a sustainable cooperation with local institutions for disabled people
– to furnish students with knowledge, skills and abilities which make them later more employable and more competitive

The project had a long-term benefit on the partnership. The cooperation between the schools an the local partner institutions were intensified and further activities are planned. Furthermore this project had such a successful impact on all scholls that the same partners applied for another Erasmus+ project based on creative teaching methods which was approved by the NA in September 2017.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 114405 Eur

Project Coordinator

Bundesgymnasium und Bundesrealgymnasium Judenburg & Country: AT

Project Partners

• Sofiendalskolen
• C.C. ABAD SOLA. GESTION DE CENTROS CATOLICOS DE ENSEÑANZA
• Szkola Podstawowa nr 15 im.Polskich Olimpijczykow w Koninie