EQUAL SPACE – innovative gender and diversity strategies in adult education Erasmus Project

Project Title

EQUAL SPACE – innovative gender and diversity strategies in adult education

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 adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Gender equality / equal opportunities; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

The idea for this project derives from the joint observation among the partners of the role adult education can play for intersection of gender and cultural diversity and for the inclusion of disadvantaged groups to society and education.

The main objectives of this project are:

• to increase the knowledge about intersection in the partner countries and on EU level

• to enforce gender and diversity equality and social inclusion through a community education approach in the field of intersection of gender and cultural diversity,

• to support the integration and social inclusion of migrants and minorities in lifelong learning by training CEFs in the field of intersection

• to enhance the quality and relevance of leaning offers in adult education, using digital tools and resources.

• to develop research based recommendation for regional, national and EU level

• to develop a transfer model for Equal Space for other fields of education, to promote the access and motivation for education of different target groups

• to promote the importance of cross-sectoral and cross-country cooperation for the development of a curricula, training material and online tools for training CEFs in the field of intersection

To achieve that, the project aims to develop a research based Community Education approach focusing intersection. Community education promotes learning and social development work with individuals and groups in their communities using a range of formal and informal methods. Our experience in community education have shown that community education processes need actors – community educator facilitator (CEF) , who initiate local or regional learning processes, which would anchor community education in the field of gender and cultural diversity (intersection) as a central task.

Currently there is no curriculum or training program for CEFS in this field. There are community development courses, but education and learning are a by-product in them and there are concepts of outreach learning and embedded learning. Our approach is to train CEFs in the field of intersection (gender and cultural diversity) connected with strategies which change the structure of education systems.

This project brings together 4 partners from different fields, 1 research organization, 1 education organization with the focusing diversity, 1 education organization for women and 1 women’s organization from 4 countries, Austria, Bulgaria, France, Portugal. All have practice in intersection and education.

The fact that the partners involved come from different sectors and countries gives added value to this project, as they offer their own expertise, views and experiences and will be able to create a product that is relevant not only to each country specifically but to a wider European context.

The methods that will be used in this project are diverse and aim to increase the quality and its outcomes, as well as to wider and successful dissemination of the project’s results. Such methods include extensive research, needs analysis, development and assessment of a curriculum for CEFs, non-formal face to face and virtual learning tools and methods, a transfer model, monitoring, evaluation and disseminations strategies.

The Project will have 5 intellectual outputs:

IO1 Study about the intersection of gender and cultural diversity (national and EU level) & recommendations

IO2 Development of a curriculum for Community Education Facilitators on gender from an intersectional and intercultural perspective.

IO3 Toolkit for face to face training of Community Education Facilitators in the area of intersection of gender and cultural diversity

IO4 Portal of online training for Community Education Facilitators in the field of intersection of gender and diversity – Equal Space

IO5 Transfer model of the concept of “Equal Space”

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 241053,25 Eur

Project Coordinator

PERIPHERIE – VEREIN FUER PRAXISORIENTIERTE GENDER-FORSCHUNG & Country: AT

Project Partners

• Center of Women’s Studies and Policies Foundation
• ELAN INTERCULTUREL
• REDE PORTUGUESA DE JOVENS PARA A IGUALDADE DE OPORTUNIDADES ENTRE MULHERES E HOMENS