Cooperating Actively for Responsibility and Empathy Erasmus Project

Project Title

Cooperating Actively for Responsibility and Empathy

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 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Social entrepreneurship / social innovation

Project Summary

Context
Today lots of school graduates lack insight into the world of work as well as a social sense of responsibility. CARE would like to offer students insight into the international world of work and wants to make them aware of the meaning of social work in our society.
The skilled worker shortage in social professions as care work in lots of countries offers great career opportunities.
As students often fear unemployment and lack of perspective they need support in their process of deciding on their future career. But as soon as they have gained first experiences and realized that their long-term prognosis is good, their willingness and motivation to train for a profession rises.

Objectives
The main objective of the project is to improve the student’s key competences concerning participation on the job market and at the same time to encourage social solidarity.
Moreover we think the German concept of having a compulsory internship while still at school an extremely valuable experience and we would like to promote and hopefully even establish that in more European countries.
Finally the project strengthens networks between schools and social institutions and enhances social awareness and social competences at school. Further intended goals are the reduction of prejudices as well as a higher appreciation of social professions.

Participants
The participants of the project should be students from years 10 & 11 (between 15 – 17 years old). We want to make sure that especially underprivileged students can get the chance to participate in the project.

Activities
There will be 5 big project meetings during the project duration. Every school will host one meeting and thereby contribute its special expertise about social work to the project. The meetings will be prepared by the participants with the help of content-related pre-tasks. The meetings will consist of theoretical and practical elements, excursions, workshops and presentations. Moreover the participants will spend one day in a social institution to collect first hand experience. Every meeting will be finished off with an evaluation and an outlook on how to implement elements of the project at the respective schools.
In addition to the meetings the German and the Dutch schools will establish an exchange project about internships to offer the opportunity to gain work experience abroad over a longer period of time.
During the project duration there are supposed to be common (online) workshops, presentations and charity projects.

Methods
The project is marked by virtual and real exchanges. eTwinning and other platforms offering an exchange of ideas, concepts and attitudes should be used to prepare and evaluate the project meetings afterwards.
The participants get the chance to gain assurance in workshops concerning the world of work, job orientation, work fields and in role plays.
Organizing charity projects will improve the students’ competences in the field of organization and management.
Short internships in social institutions will offer a deeper insight into a working-life.

Results
It can be expected that all participants will gain as an institution and personally concerning ‘contacts to social institutions’, ‘internationalization of education’ and ‘awareness for social work’.
Moreover we pursue the implementation of internships at the participating schools.
Longterm cooperations between schools and social institutions should be established.
Furthermore we hope to motivate more schools to see the necessity of promoting job orientation and establishing contact to social institutions through many and varied disseminations.

Benefits
Participants
The participants get the chance to gain various experiences in the work field social professions. They reduce prejudices and inhibition levels and broaden their horizons. They work independently and establish social responsibility in a European context.
School program
The schools get the chance to establish internships or regular internships abroad.
Social institutions
The social institutions get the chance to present their work to a new group of interested students and to establish cooperations with the participating schools. One idea is for example to implement a social day for one year group at school.
The participants become aware that they are citizens of a united Europe, which offers the chance to improve the living conditions through cooperation and team work. They realize that they are the motor of the European future.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 137728 Eur

Project Coordinator

Wittekind-Gymnasium Lübbecke & Country: DE

Project Partners

• OMO Scholengroep Helmond
• I Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace im.M.Kopernika w Toruniu
• Schildtin lukio
• Escola Secundária Francisco Rodrigues Lobo