Cooperation to Combat Cyber-bullying and Hate Speech in (Pre-)Primary Schools Erasmus Project

Project Title

Cooperation to Combat Cyber-bullying and Hate Speech in (Pre-)Primary Schools

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 school education

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; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

In 2019 VšĮ EDUKACINIAI PROJEKTAI (Lithuania) performed the research in 3 Šiauliai city schools (all in all 228 respondents) and Zaffiria (Italy) collected 195 questionnaires in the schools from Emilia-Romagna region. The results are disturbing – neither parents nor teachers know what children are doing online, about 67% of respondents do not know whom to contact when cyberbullying, hate speech is observed, ¼ almost every day communicate with strangers online, 1/3 notice hate groups and aggressive speech. Based on EU Kids online report, in Lithuania, Romania and Norway children use more internet, thus, are more exposed to different risks. In the same report it is also claimed that still there is a shortage of tools, training for children, parents, teachers to combat cyberbullying, hate speech on the internet. A complex issue requires a complex approach.
The project “Cooperation to Combat Cyber-bullying and Hate Speech in (Pre-)Primary Schools” (VOICE) is focusing on the challenges of the digital world – cyberbullying and hate speech online – and proposes a different approach of work – listening to the opinion of children and promoting co-education where schools as well as parents are involved in solving these issues.
The consortium involves 5 partners from 5 European countries: VšĮ EDUKACINIAI PROJEKTAI (Lithuania), Zaffiria (Italy), Norsensus Mediaforum (Norway), VI One Consultancy (the Netherlands), Bucovina Institute (Romania) and more than 8 associated schools involved in (pre)primary education.
The project has set up the following objectives:
• To find ways of collaboration, create a space for dialogue between teachers, parents and children that can facilitate the resolution of harmful or dangerous situations online by activating the positive resources of the communities and external stakeholders involved;
• To listen to the point of view of children and enable them as EU citizens to debate and reflect on the project topics;
• Experimenting with participatory tools and methodologies that enhance media production and participatory word taking for a new relationship with the media and technologies and for new alliances;
• Production of guidelines, methodology that can accompany European stakeholders in activating the active participation of people in education and childcare policies;
The outputs anticipated in the project:
1. Documentary (IO1) with interviews with children explaining their point of view on cyberbullying and hate speech;
2. Cartoon (IO2) to raise awareness of the phenomenon thanks to children creativity;
3. Interactive Notebook (IO3) with activities and games to be carried out in the family and at school to stimulate co-education.
4. Toolkit for teachers (IO4) who wish to set up a co-educational relationship with families of children in the class: it will contain methodological notes, work ideas but also concrete and sustainable activities, as well as materials to be downloaded to facilitate meaningful educational experiences.
With the outputs we are contributing to open pedagogies in education, innovative methods and tools for teaching, training and encouraging the development of the professional competences of staff involved in early childhood education as well as promoting EU values.
The activities throughout the period of 3 years are organized in a way so that to achieve the project objectives and create the anticipated outputs. There will be 4 transnational meetings, 1 LTTA and 5 MEs in partners countries to have the outputs disseminated on the European scale.
The project is contributing to a new approach promotion:
• hearing the voice of children, letting them to become the heroes and experts on the project topics, making input to the creation of the documentary and cartoon;
• promoting the need for co-education – the work on prevention, information, proper reaction should be done not only at schools, but also in families;
• the work on “difficult” issues should be done already from early age (starting from (pre)primary schools).
Teachers (150), trainers (25), families (300), children (500) of primary schools through the project activities, workshops will be involved in the co-development, co-creation and testing of the outputs.
The project outputs in 6 languages will be shared with teachers, parents, school management, policy/ decisions makers via created multilingual project website, School Education Gateway, eTwinning and Erasmus+ Results Platforms.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 229420 Eur

Project Coordinator

VSI EDUKACINIAI PROJEKTAI & Country: LT

Project Partners

• SOCIETA’ COOPERATIVA SOCIALE ZAFFIRIA
• Asociatia Institutul pentru Parteneriat Social Bucovina
• VI One Consultancy
• NORSENSUS MEDIAFORUM