“DARE: Democratic Actions Rule Europe” Erasmus Project
General information for the “DARE: Democratic Actions Rule Europe” Erasmus Project
Project Title
“DARE: Democratic Actions Rule Europe”
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 Schools Only
Project Call Year
This project’s Call Year is 2017
Project Topics
This project is related with these Project Topics: Home and justice affairs (human rights & rule of law); EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Social dialogue
Project Summary
• Context / background of the project;
The DARE project established a partnership between four Bulgarian, Italian, Lithuanian and Portuguese schools, which have common needs and experienced staff. These positive prerequisites are an effective basis for the development and implementation of the main project objectives. A robust working framework and plan, as well as cooperation between partners and ongoing communication during the DARE project, have led to positive partnership results. They are all closely related to the problems of democracy.
• Objectives;
Throughout the project, students had the opportunity to create new products and make decisions. They were part of an innovative social process. Working with different IT tools, participating in formal and non-formal learning activities, conducting research and producing project results – presentations, videos, films, electronic dictionary on democracy, book History of Democracy, DARE by ART exhibitions, participation in elections, participation in A Youth Parliament, discussing social issues, participating in a European club, and other activities underpinning the project, led students to realize their civic attitude and their sense of democracy.
The DARE project has conducted innovative educational activities beyond the traditional classroom, which takes advantage of students’ ability to support entrepreneurship and practical work. Thanks to the work of teachers and pupils within the project, the goals have been achieved and participants have gained benefits while exploring democratic processes.
• Number and profile of participating organizations
The DARE project identified an exchange of 108 people from 4 European schools in training activities and transnational meetings that took place in the four partner countries. The participants in the learning activities were selected according to clear criteria. Three transnational meetings on the planning, coordination and evaluation project were organized involving project team teachers. The school community in each partner represents the indirect participants in the DARE project. The number of these indirect participants was much higher due to the fact that many students, teachers and parents were involved in the indirect impact of the project.
• Description of undertaken main activities
Through effective work, pupils and teachers from each partner school have been able to carry out all major activities – to popularize the results of the DARE project at school, city and national level; to produce promotional material on the project; to organize exhibitions; to create an electronic dictionary of democracy; to create an e-book on democracy; presentations on the topics and subtopics of the project, which are excellent teaching materials.
• Results and impact attained
The DARE project is a well-structured plan that identifies the partners’ needs for its implementation and benefits for direct and indirect participants. According to a consistent DARE methodology, planned activities were carried out, results achieved and indicators for evaluation and monitoring of development were established through cooperation between partners. The results helped to raise participants’ knowledge, entrepreneurial and critical thinking. Participants gained the skills to share European values; to realize and develop career opportunities; to create conditions for communication in English and teamwork. An important part of the project’s impact is to foster friendly attitude among the participants and to establish partnerships with external organizations.
The project plan includes four student exchange meetings. Three transnational project meetings took place at the beginning, mid and end of the period, during which teachers discussed change, assessed effectiveness, identified risks, discussed challenges, shared experiences, and coordinated activities between partners. All the activities planned in the DARE project and their outcomes were beneficial to pupils, teachers, parents and stakeholders, like other colleagues and schools who were able to integrate and use them in their work. The dissemination of project results and activities has had a major impact on the local community and regional education institutions. The results were published on the project website and in the Erasmus + Project Results Platform
Recognizing that Facebook is a powerful tool for disseminating the project’s activities and results, we have created a group and page of the DARE project to help extend the project audience: DARE / group / and Erasmus + DARE project in European schools / page /.
EU Grant (Eur)
Funding of the project from EU: 93240 Eur
Project Coordinator
119 Secondary School “Academician Mihail Arnaudov” & Country: BG
Project Partners
- liceo delle scienze umane e linguistico danilo dolci
- Palangos senoji gimnazija
- Killorglin Community College
- Agrupamento de Escolas de Paredes de Coura