Diversity and inclusion: perspectives of differently abled young European Citizens from Luenen and Unna, Germany and Glasgow, Scotland – a filmmaking project. Erasmus Project

Project Title

Diversity and inclusion: perspectives of differently abled young European Citizens from Luenen and Unna, Germany and Glasgow, Scotland – a filmmaking project.

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: Inclusion – equity; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Access for disadvantaged

Project Summary

Context and background of the project
Our project ‘Diversity and inclusion: perspectives of differently abled young European Citizens from Luenen and Unna, Germany and Glasgow, Scotland’ is a two year long cooperation between Hollybrook Academy in Glasgow, UK, Maerkisches Berufskolleg (MBK) in Unna, Germany and Foerderzentrum Nord (FZN), Luenen, Germany.
Hollybrook Academy is a secondary school for students with additional support for learning needs (ASNs) in Glasgow. MBK is a vocational college for Health and Social Care in Unna, in the Ruhr area of Germany. FZN is a secondary school for students with additional social, emotional and learning needs in Luenen which is located close to MBK. Glasgow, Unna and Luenen are regions with a background of working class families, high numbers of immigrants and refugees as well as high levels of unemployment among other forms of deprivation.
The topic of diversity and inclusion is relevant to all three student groups; it is a part of the improvement plans of all three organisations and is prioritised in international and local educational policies. These concepts offer a rich base for meaningful language and cross cultural learning and they form part of the students’ everyday life experiences.
Our project objectives are:
• To raise awareness and create a better understanding of cultural diversity
• To create an understanding of diverse lifestyles (e.g. race, religion, sexuality, ability/disability)
• To enable positive relationships between students with different needs
• To increase foreign language skills and enable our students to be better prepared for the European job market
• To equip our students with improved knowledge and experience to develop their knowledge, experience, beliefs and opinions to live as responsible citizens

Number and profile of participants:
25 students will be involved in each of the three mobilities. The overall number of participants taking part in the various activities planned for the duration of the project, however, will be higher as the project incorporates the whole school communities of all three organisations. During mobilities, partners from the local community and other organisations will be involved too. The seven students from Hollybrook Academy will be between 16-17 years old and all have ASNs including some who are on the Autistic Spectrum. For the majority of the students, taking part in a mobility during this project will be the first time they travel abroad. The 12 participants from MBK are between 18-20 years old. A high number of the students are looking to pursue professions in the care sector with the focus on disability support work when they leave college. The 8 participants from FZN are between 15-17 years old and have additional special social, emotional and learning needs. Most of them have never travelled abroad.

Description of activities:
All three student groups will make initial contact and introduce themselves through short films and personal profiles to learn about common interests. During their first mobility the students will jointly discuss aspects of diversity and develop the basis of a plan for a film documenting selected areas of diversity. Throughout the second and third mobilities the project group will continue to focus on making a film about their experiences of diversity in Glasgow, Unna and Luenen. Film production will be ongoing throughout the project following the mobilities. At the end of the project the film will be released via the schools’ websites and be presented to a wider audience.
The activities during the mobilities will focus on peer teamwork.

Methodology:
Our project has a strong focus on peer learning and co-operative learning. All types of peer learning activities aim to boast motivation, confidence and a deeper cross cultural understanding.
Results and impacts:
For all three schools we expect to see:
• Students developing an awareness and understanding for diversity
• An increase in understanding of and sensitivity to the lifestyles of others
• Students becoming mature role models who inspire fellow students and future generations
• A sustainable and long lasting relationship between our schools and their staff and students
• An increased motivation among our students to learn about foreign languages and cultures
• An improvement of our students’ foreign language skills
• Higher attainment in the German and English, Media and Social Studies aspects of the curriculum
At MBK specifically we expect to see increased skills among participants working with students with ASNs as well as additional social, emotional and learning needs, which will have a direct impact on improving students’ employability chances when looking for work in the care sector.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 61020 Eur

Project Coordinator

Hollybrook School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Förderzentrum Nord (FZN)
• Maerkisches Berufskolleg