Healthy learners in a sustainable society Erasmus Project

Project Title

Healthy learners in a sustainable society

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Health and wellbeing; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

In 2015, the UN created the 17 global goals, in order to work for a sustainable future. These goals also correspond with the priorities of the EU and Erasmus+, in which you can find the aim to be the first climate-neutral continent as well as increased social inclusion. Now, five years later, there is still a lot of work to do. In this project, four European schools with different areas of expertise and different areas of improvement will work together for a sustainable future.

Background and participants: The project has four partners: Fridaskolan in Uddevalla, Sweden, an independently run compulsory school, with 570 students aged 6-16. The school is located in the outskirts of a small city, with nature just around the corner. The school also has a restaurant awarded with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel for pupils and staff. Friedensburg Oberschule in Berlin, Germany, with 1300 students aged 12-19, is located in the city center of a metropolis. The school has a large number of bilingual students form different cultural backgrounds. The pupils are given the chance to get a degree which allows them to study at the university. Collegio Balmes in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, has 480 pupils aged 3-12. The school is semi-private and is situated in central Palma, a city with many tourists. Apart from having successfully implemented cooperative learning, the school also works very hard on inclusion. 13o Dimotiko Sxoleio Kalamatas in Kalamata, Greece, with 155 pupils aged 6-12, is a school in a city filled with cultural heritage and tourism. However, the school is located in an area where many people face financial obstacles.

All four partners see sustainability as something our schools need to improve – albeit we take different measures and work in different ways to reach these goals. We are very different schools, not only geographically, but also in how the schools are financed, how old the pupils are, the socio-economical situation in the area, national curricula, didactics and culture. These differences are not only our biggest strengths, but also an added value to the project, along with the method we have chosen. Cooperative learning is signified by learning from each other, interdependence and mutual goals. This method is already implemented by the Spanish partner, and they will serve as a role model and expert on the area.

Objectives and activities: The project aims to increase the knowledge of the global goals for all partners and setting up a school policy. By doing so, it is also our aim to reach the surrounding target groups, such as parents, municipality local authorities and neighboring schools. The activities which will lead to increased impact are described below. We will also produce information booklets, organize events such as flea markets and visit local facilities which work with sustainability.

The project is divided into four parts, with each part focussing on one of the 17 global goals, and one goal serving as an overall theme. The goals chosen are health and well-being, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, and the overall goal is transnational cooperation and partnership. The activities will be both learning from theory as well as practical activities.

Methodology: The methodology for this project is, as mentioned above, cooperative learning. When learning from each other, we will turn our differences into advantages. We will all get new input from different angles, develop our European identity, our cooperation and partnership. By choosing this method, we will get the best results for the 17th global goal of transnational cooperation and partnership.

Results och impact: The results will be increased awareness and knowledge of health and climate change, as well as a list of actions each person can take to help reaching a sustainable world. The results will also spread to families, schools and the community. The partner schools will all have taken action to become more sustainable and healthier. Evidence of this are, for example, reducing plastic in the school cafeteria, sorting household waste and offering more break activities to reduce sedentary habits.

Longer term benefits: The long term benefits of this project will be young people living a healthier life and working actively towards a sustainable society. Another benefit will be more cooperation between our partners, and on an even longer term, several transnational partnerships working towards a sustainable world. Each school will have a policy on how to be as sustainable as possible. The policy will serve as a guideline and influence all sections of the schools in decision-making and every-day life.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 94306 Eur

Project Coordinator

Fridaskolan i Uddevalla & Country: SE

Project Partners

• 13o Dimotiko Sxoleio Kalamatas
• Centre d’Ensenyament Col·legi Balmes
• Friedensburg-Oberschule