Together we are strong Erasmus Project

Project Title

Together we are strong

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

The project “Together we are strong” was created by SOSW No. 4 in Kraków, in cooperation with partner schools from Europe. Social inclusion is the most important priority. Additional project issues are: the social and educational value of European cultural heritage and supporting people in acquiring and improving basic skills and key competences. In the project, we will pay attention to the special needs of people with disabilities, innovative curricula and different methods of therapy, with the use of ICT as well.
Project participants are students and teachers from five partner schools: Poland (Specjalny Ośrodek Szkolno-Wychowawczy Nr4 in Kraków), Croatia (Josip Matos Primary School in Vukovar), Romania (“Horizon” School Center of Inclusive Education, Oradea) and two from Turkey (Alanya Sakine Nesibe Zamanoğlu Özel Eğitim Uygulama okulu; Arpacbahsis ozel egitim uygulama merkezi 2. kademe). These are all special schools focused on working with children and young people with deeper intellectual disability, autism and developmental disorders. International student exchanges are planned as a main part of the project: each school will be a guest four times and it will be a host once. Moreover, a preparatory and a summary visit for coordinators will be organised. 2 to 4 students from each school will take part in a certain LTT (up to 20 students in total) as well as parents and teachers – the caretakers. For most of the participants it will be the first trip abroad, which, preceded by numerous educational activities, will become a kind of an independence and self-reliance exam.
Many of our students are unable to travel alone because of their disability. Probably they will never live on their own. Participation in our LTTs is probably the only chance for them to visit different countries and we are convinced that this experience will change their lives. It is a chance for them to experience everyday life in a different reality, to derive from the richness of cultural heritage – as disabled but fully-fledged citizens of Europe. They will learn a lot, it will be a pleasure combined with learning and therapy. Trips will have a very positive impact on meeting the special needs of our students: these will broaden their horizons, enable them to acquire new key competences, especially independence. They will contribute to raising self-esteem, increasing their importance as equal members of the society. A social campaign that will be a result of the project will help to accustom the issue of intellectual disability to the society.
During each mobility we will get acquainted with tradition, culture, monuments, cuisine, dance and music – with the entire cultural heritage of a host country. We will participate in everyday school life, expanding social competences. We will get to know the educational and therapeutic methods used at that school, the ways of spending free time and ICT tools which are used. We will learn non-verbal communication and thanks to the music, dance, art, culinary workshops, sport and sightseeing trips – we will break the barriers, establish friendships and create a common field for intercultural integration. The project will lead to openness to other cultures and tolerance of different customs and norms. The exchange of experience will increase the level of knowledge and competences of teachers. We plan to share our experiences in a wider group: at the school meetings and on online platforms. Participation in the project will take the school to a higher level, expanding its educational offer. What is more, we are a training facility for Kraków universities, therefore our development will become the development of the next generation of special education teachers.
We want to promote the results of our activities among the local community, as well as present them to a wider group, mainly online by using the ICT tools and social media. The main effect of our activities will be the social campaign “Together we are strong” (eTwinning, School Education Gateway, FB, YouTube, Instagram), in which we plan to shoot an international music video, release a calendar for 2023 with photos of participants and conduct a social survey in a form of video interviews. These activities will help us to achieve the main goal of the project which is social inclusion and raising awareness about the needs and ways of functioning of people with intellectual disability. We will create multimedia presentations, films, dictionaries and AAC cookbooks, which will be the final effects of our project. Being professional is crucial when working with people with disabilities. Therefore, we plan to use high-class equipment to carry out the above activities. We would like to become a partner and a participant in the exchange in a wider European context. Our cooperation will continue to develop even after the end of the project – “Together we are strong”.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 164011 Eur

Project Coordinator

Specjalny Ośrodek Szkolno Wychowawczy nr 4 & Country: PL

Project Partners

• Arpacbahsis ozel egitim uygulama merkezi 2. kademe
• CENTRUL SCOLAR DE EDUCATIE INCLUZIVA ORIZONT
• OSNOVNA SKOLA JOSIPA MATOSA
• Sakine Nesibe Zamanoğlu Özel Eğitim Uygulama Okulu