Improving well-being by encouraging pupils to raise their aspirations through working with different countries. Erasmus Project

Project Title

Improving well-being by encouraging pupils to raise their aspirations through working with different countries.

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Health and wellbeing; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

Our project focused on the topic of well-being and involves pupils aged 3-16 from three different countries and four different schools. Most of our joint work has been cross-curricular and met the pupils’ needs in every partner school. We linked the project’s well-being activities to our own personal lives by comparing with others from different countries in the hope of raising aspirations and self worth. All partners/schools shared a common goal to help pupils raise their aspirations through improving their well-being. This was our main motivator for the project as some of our pupils lacked wider knowledge of the world around them and therefore did not aspire to reach their full potential. As noted in the Joint Action (on) Mental health and Well-being launched in 2013 by the EU “School in general, and educational attainment in particular, are recognised amongst the fundamental determinants of mental health of children and adolescents” . Giving our pupils the opportunity to visit other countries and learn about other cultures has broadend their own horizons and ensured that they thrive. While doing the project pupils took part in cross-curricular activities making natural progression and developing favourable attitudes and key life skills. In line with the European Framework for Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing “Adoption of a public mental health approach, addressing promotion, prevention and treatment in all stages of life (with a particular emphasis before adulthood given majority of lifetime mental disorder arises in early age) and emphasising early interventions” Pupils had the opportunity to be involved in the learning process, thus creating a sense of achievement and confidence. Pupils will develop self confidence and a sense of achievement during cross curricular activities which will help the pupils to apply the skills and knowledge in varied contexts of their daily lives.
Schools in the project had noticed the need for more education in the field of well-being as the nature of our school communities have changed over time. The EU has recognised that “Early school leaving is related to the mental health of an individual. Despite the progresses made by the majority of EU member states, further efforts need to be made, as only 12 countries have achieved the target to reduce the rate of early school leaving to below 10%”
Since 2004, the Welsh Assembly Government has based it policy for children and young people on the UN Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Promoting emotional health and well-being of children and young people is an essential consideration in many current Welsh Assembly Government policies impacting on pre-school and school-aged children. Ensuring that our pupils in all schools across the project have good emotional health will ensure better prospects for our pupils as they become global citizens.
The project gave pupils the confidence to become capable ambitious learners As a result of this project we hope to create confident and ambitious learners who are now eager to learn and explore the world around them. Observing lessons in other countries has allowed teachers to see and use new approaches and strategies e.g the cross curricular approach. By using different approaches we hope to increase pupil retention and enhance pupil satisfaction with their learning experience.
During our project we managed to carry out 2 of the 4 mobilities. The first in Romania, where only adults travelled. This visit gave us an insight into the style of teaching used in Romanian schools and allowed us as delegates to have professional dialogues about the ways our school work. It was very interesting to see a text ‘fill your bucket’ being used as we would use that story to promote well-being in our countries. This gave us the opportunity to share good practice and adapt the way we teach in order to get the best out of our pupils.
Our second visit was to France, again from Wales it was adults only but the Romanian comprehensive in our team did bring pupils. It was fantastic to see them exploring a new locality, making friends and learning to communicate with others even if you do not speak the same language.
Unfortunately Covid affected our last two mobilities to Romania and Wales. Although this was very disappointing I strongly believe that we made the most of a bad situation. We planned a rigorous timetable of activities for the two week online mobility and as we were not travelling we were able to include more pupils than was originally planned.
The project has developed pupils’ social skills and has promoted self-esteem. It has helped pupils to promote positive relationships within their school and local area and further afield. The results experiences and products of the partnership are used in the local communities as we want to install a lifelong learning community to promote better well-being within our pupils and wider community. Parents and other members of the community are invited to attend pupils’ activities and will also be involved in the project ensuring that the project will have long term benefits on our pupils and the communities around them.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 67083,8 Eur

Project Coordinator

Ysgol Cynwyd Sant & Country: UK

Project Partners

• EEPU Balansun
• Scoala Gimnaziala Nr. 1
• GRADINITA “PRICHINDEL”