Empowering critical young voters for a Europe of sustainable development and equality Erasmus Project

Project Title

Empowering critical young voters for a Europe of sustainable development and equality

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 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

CONTEXT
Europe is portrayed by a set of challenges – unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, terrorism, the mass influx of refugees and ecological construction – that has face to move forward. For such reasons, over the last years, the EU has paid increased attention to a new and progressive vision of combating inequalities that stems from sustainable development. In 2015, all EU member states and other countries in the United Nations have adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, while in 2018, the first Report for Sustainable Equality (2019-2024) was published. In successfully dealing with these crises, Europe needs to endorse a different approach to European Governance that draws upon sustainable development and equality. Ultimate victory is the proof that Europe may empower critical voting among youth that will allow for better decision-making across the EU.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The first objective of this project is to empower youth to act as agents of change for building a Europe of sustainable development and equality by enhancing their critical-voting literacy that includes: (a) media and news literacy; (b) socio-emotional literacy, and (c) social-justice literacy. To do so, this project draws upon the strategies of critical literacy and experiential learning, by using new technologies, and innovative methodologies, such as collaborative role play and simulations, problem-based learning, critical-incidents analysis, and virtual communities of learning and practice. Another important objective of this project is to promote youth’s and teachers’ training to enhance their competences in using such methodologies so as to meet the first objective.

PARTICIPANTS
Four schools, 2 pedagogical departments of 2 Universities, a confederation of education and training centers, and an association focused on developing new strategies for quality management in education, youth and society across 4 participating countries: Cyprus, Spain, Greece and Italy.

METHODOLOGY
An iterative methodology under which 2 versions of the Resources and Activities Toolkti will be produced. After the completion of the 1st version, ‘Resources and activities toolkit’ will be validated in workshops with youth and teachers and based on the conclusions the next version will be planned. All other results will be planned according to the validation process.

ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS
This project will produce a methodological tool for enhancing education for critical-voting literacy, including: media and news literacy; socio-emotional literacy; and social-justice literacy. The tool will be developed according to a comparative analysis of both teachers’ and youth’s needs analyses in the participating countries, but also on the basis of the state-of-the art analysis in each participating country. According to this methodological tool, the consortium will produce a Toolkit of ‘Resources and Activities’ aiming to empower youth in critical-voting literacy. This Toolkit will be tested through workshops carried out with teachers and youth aged 14-18 and then localised and translated in national languages. As the project also envisages the development of teachers’ and youth’s competences to work accordingly, a Teacher’s Handbook and a Youth’s Handbook will be produced in the English language, and then localised and translated in national languages. A Group of Experts will contribute by sharing their ideas, expertise, and evaluative feedback to the development of all project outputs. A transnational joint-staff training event will be carried out in Greece to train teachers to use the project outcomes. All the project’s products will be promoted through international and national multiplier events that will have the form of conferences organised by the consortium. The project’s results will also be disseminated through other venues such as websites, social media, EU platforms, newsletter, publications, etc.

TARGET GROUPS
The target groups in the life of the project comprise of youth aged 14-18 and teachers working with youth of that age. Apart from these direct target groups, the beneficiaries include also indirect target groups such as schools, youth’s associations and organisations, NGOs working in the area of voting education, policy makers and educational stakeholders making decisions about school curricula, parents, curriculum developers, teachers training institutions, universities with pedagogical departments.

BENEFIT
Promote sustainable development and equality in Europe by reinforcing the development and implementation of successful initiatives in critical-voting education. The project will help in counteracting the detrimental consequences of populism to the values that define us as Europeans, and mainly sustainable equality, respect for human rights and freedoms, tolerance, pluralism and non-discrimination. Raise youth’s voices and active involvement in decision-making through innovative methodologies.

Project Website

http://eurovoters.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 208031 Eur

Project Coordinator

EDEX – EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE CORPORATION LIMITED & Country: CY

Project Partners

• DE LA SALLE COLLEGE SIXTH FORM
• Platon M.E.P.E.
• THE C & G SCHOOL OF CAREERS LTD
• VisMedNet Association
• PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS
• CONFEDERACION ESPANOLA DE CENTROS DE ENSENANZA ASOCIACION C.E.C.E.
• Colegio Santa Elena