Evaluating School Social Engagement Erasmus Project

Project Title

Evaluating School Social Engagement

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: Social/environmental responsibility of educational institutions; Social entrepreneurship / social innovation; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

The ‘Evaluating School Social Engagement’ Project seeks to narrow the gap between high schools and their community promoting teachers and students skills and school engagement. The overall aim of E.S.S.E. will be to foster Community Service in schools in order to increase civic engagement within higher education, students, staff and the wider community. More than this, and as an step further, the project wants to include Community Service in the Education Plan of each participating school finding practical and effective ways to evaluate and integrate it in each school curriculum and disseminate project results to local communities and other European schools that could be interested in including Community Service in their Education Plans.

“From the beginning, the mission of public schooling has been, in part, to develop an informed and active democratic citizenry. When service and learning goals are mutually supportive, community service can be justified as an effective teaching strategy in the public school curriculum” (Conrad & Hedin, 1997, p. x).
Schools and teachers we are responsible to a degree for strengthening child’s value whilst also helping to promote respect and understanding. Community Service results in significant benefits for the student, the academic, the school, the teacher, the community, and the country. Students develop real-world skills that will help them succeed in high school and beyond. They practice leadership, problem-solving, collaboration with others, time management and communication, among others. Most importantly, students learn that the work they do can make a real impact in the world.

Evaluating School Social Engagement is a two-year project involving three institutions of higher education with experience and interest in this methodology. About the participants, they are from three European countries: Belgium, Italy and Spain. It will be directly involved through LTT activities 21 people: 7 people in each country (5 students, 2 teachers). Also, 6 members of staff directly involved in the project activities in each country. 18 people in total. During the workshops, activities and meetings we expect to involve about 10-15 teachers per country, parents, school students, other schools, people who benefit from community service activities and social entities. So we can estimate approximately 300 people in 3 countries directly benefiting of the project. But the influence to the school and local community will be wider.

The project includes activities of evaluation, training, dissemination, support to local social entities and the creation of an European team work related to Community Service. The following are the main activities and results of the project:
• A portrayal. Explain why Community Service can be relevant in each participating school curriculum. Results: Three online SWOTS, E.S.S.E. initial report.
• Project Twinspace. Results: public page that includes database of the participating schools and social entities, evidences of training experiences and activities which allow the identification of good high school Community Service practices, evaluation materials and publications and Community Service resources.
• Erasmus+ link in each participating school. Results: public page to disseminate the project in local communities.
• On-line document. Results: Free e-book to summarize the project and share evidences and material created.
• Training and dissemination of the project. Each participating school organizes three dissemination activities (one after each mobility) to share the project and best practices with the participation of all the staff, school students, other schools and social entities of the country. Participating students become trainers as well and organize some workshops for other students in the school to share best practices. Teachers training event before the project in order to become aware of the importance of being a good Community Service supervisor and develop the best skills. Results: at least 6 dissemination events and 1 teachers training event from ‘Evaluating School Social Engagement’ to disseminate project results and develop the thrust and understanding of Community Service.
• Implementation of Community Service in each high school associated to the project, including common elements designed during the process. For example: use of the Twinspace and application of common evaluation tools.
• Increase the number of students involved in Community Service in each School. Results: initial and final survey and report of the project.
• Imply students in the management of Community Service. Results: creation and participation in a Charity Event to help local students from low-income families.
• Exchange of good practices are expected to help transform schools into entities committed to society, social justice and sustainable development. Results: use of Twinspace to expand the project and integrate to it other European high schools.

Project Website

https://esserasmusplus.wixsite.com/website

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 31043,37 Eur

Project Coordinator

INS Celrà & Country: ES

Project Partners

• GO! lyceum Aalst
• Liceo CLEMENTE REBORA