Journey Together: Families, Schools, and Communities Erasmus Project

Project Title

Journey Together: Families, Schools, and Communities

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: Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Inclusion – equity; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

The concept of ​​organising a project within the context of the Erasmus + program was born at the Tallinn Service School within the external quality assessment. The quality assessment was coordinated by a workgroup of the Estonian Higher and Vocational Education Quality Agency. The internal evaluation assessed the effectiveness and sustainability of curriculum development, including curriculum development, the effectiveness and sustainability of learning and teaching, leadership and management, and the use of resources. As a result of the quality assessment, it has been concluded that in order to maintain the quality of vocational education, it is essential to build and establish measures to increase the social inclusion of students and their relatives in learning activities as it increases motivation to learn & improve labour market expertise. The personnel of the project team have participated in 8 training courses in order to acquire basic knowledge of the project topic and project coordination and management. Combining the wisdom of quality assessment and knowledge from the training courses, the school has conducted an educational innovation pilot programme emphasising the integration of school and family life.

The main emphasis is on increasing social inclusion, as Europe faces a long-term migration exigency, but also large-scale emigration within the Union, which diminishes the overall quality of education. Problems in educational establishments arisen due to low social cohesion, such as early school leaving and insufficient expertise to enter the labour market, exist in all the countries of the Union and by virtue of this, the project will be advantageous for all the partners and other stakeholders.

• Pedagogical extent:
› Increased knowledge of other educational systems;
› Comparison experiences of the need for social inclusion of families in the learning atmosphere;
› Comparison experiences from various forms of how to implement activities that link students, teachers and family members;
› Identification of positive effects of activities on educational attainment and social inclusion with and without family involvement
› Development and implementation of the strategy.

• Cultural extent:
› Enhancement of European values ​​and identity;
› Promotion of cultural characteristics of countries;
› Acquiring more information about Europe’s cultural diversity;
› Educational communication between students from different countries;
› Increased student engagement in social and democratic life. The outcome of the program will be incorporated into the school development plan for at least the next three years.

The aim of the activities is to increase the involvement and sense of belonging within the educational institution in order to create around the student supportive support system and motivate the learner to continue their studies and strive for better learning outcomes. The strategic partnership fosters the internationalization of schools, the modernization of teaching methodology and the growth of linguistic competences

•Goals

SOCIAL INCLUSION

1.1 Improve the social inclusion of students and their families in the learning environment.
1.2 Eliminate gender gaps in educational communities.
1.3 Improve communication between educational communities (students, parents, schools).
1.4 Increase cohesion within the school & the local community.

INCREASE ACCESS TO EDUCATION

2.1 facilitate access to schooling for young people with fewer opportunities;
2.2 Encourage the recognition of learning difficulties at school and support students with learning difficulties;
2.3 Modernize the curriculum in the light of the digitalisation and globalization

REDUCE EARLY SCHOOL REDUCTION AND ABSENCE
3.1 Prevent early school leaving, academic failure and absenteeism:
3.2 Achieve a greater sense of equality within the school family and increase social participation in school life, in teaching and events;
3.3 Developing an educational innovation program.

INCREASING THE COMPETENCIES OF SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS
4.1 To increase the motivation of teachers and school staff, to promote professional development;
4.2 Contribute to the internationalization and modernization of schools;
4.3 High-quality learning outcomes and follow-up create indirect beneficiaries in the form of other schools.

Organizations pay special attention to all young people with fewer opportunities. Young people with fewer opportunities make up almost half of all participants. Activities are designed to involve fewer opportunities in the implementation phase of the project, but at the same time, one of the aims of the project is to develop a framework sustainable to support young people with fewer opportunities in the school space.

Activities used are non-formal learning methods, principles of inclusive education and motivational methodologies.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 83904 Eur

Project Coordinator

Tallinna Teeninduskool & Country: EE

Project Partners

• Istituto Comprensivo “Federigo Tozzi”
• Tradium
• Agrupamento de Escolas de Vilela
• Scoala Gimnaziala Ady Endre