INCLUDED: Inclusive sex-ed through creative methods Erasmus Project

Project Title

INCLUDED: Inclusive sex-ed through creative methods

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 : Partnerships for Creativity

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Disabilities – special needs; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

According to UNESCO, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. It aims to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will empower them to realize their health, well-being and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual relationships; consider how their choices affect their own well-being and that of others; and understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives. While the benefit of CSE has been widely demonstrated, according to UNESCO there is limited information on the impact of CSE curricula on already marginalized groups, including young people with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, and suitable and effective methodologies for this target group should be further investigated. In this context, the use of creative methods such as role-playing and theater games have proven to be effective in educating young people and even more with young people with intellectual disabilities since according to researchers methods that are based on modeling, role-play, rehearsal, and practice skills can be quite useful for improving the skills of individuals with intellectual disabilities. (Schaafsma, 2014).The outbreak of COVID-19 impacted the sexual education of (intellectually disabled) teenagers in a variety of ways, making this project particularly timely: on one hand, by closing schools, sexuality education is receiving less or no attention throughout the world. If there is an opportunity to take classes online at home, sexual education is often not a priority. (Rutgers, April 2020) Additionally, according to recent reports from Europol and Unicef, the increased use of the internet due to the pandemic has heightened the risk of online sexual harassment of children, since spending more time online may increase their likelihood to come into contact with online predators and therefore they should be educated to recognize and prevent this risk. On the other hand, as COVID-19 forced schools across the country to abruptly close, many parents took on an additional role as teachers. As families spend more time together at home, parents have a chance to connect with their kids and delve into sexual health in a meaningful and more intentional way and should be supported to do so. (Feingold).
To these challenges intends to respond the INCLUDE project which will design, implement and evaluate: (1) an inclusive sexual education curriculum for high-school students adopting the Universal design for learning (UDL) approach: a cognitive framework that focuses on removing barriers within learning environments by modifying curriculum, concepts, materials, and environments for all learners and abilities through the use of creative options and drama-based techniques. (2) a training for teachers, to upskill them providing the necessary competences to implement the programme and (3) drama-based resources and approach to adopt a whole-school approach in relation to sexual education, including the active involvement of parents/guardians/carers of students with disabilities.
The objectives of the project are:
Support teen-age students, including those with intellectual disabilities, to effectively achieve the core learning-outcomes of sexual education
 Support teachers and school support staff to be able to apply current practices in sexual education for their students through creative methods
Support parents to play an effective role in sexual education of their children with intellectual disabilities
Develop open educational resources

The project will involve students, teachers, families and the general community to its activities in order to achieve its objectives. Moreover, through the multiplier events of the project we expect to involve at least 189 local and international stakeholders to the activities of the project.

The partnership is consisted of experienced and newcomers to the Erasmus+ project and of organizations with a different professional background and experience, ensuring the multidisciplinary approach and implementation of the project. MEH, the coordinator of the project, has experience in the management of Erasmus+ programmes and will work with ANS (IT), La Xixa (ES), InTouch (NL), KMOP Skopje (North Macedonia), RDPSEA (GR) and Social Policy Academy (GR).

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 290315 Eur

Project Coordinator

MERSEYSIDE EXPANDING HORIZONS LIMITED & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Associacio La Xixa Teatre
• Family and Childcare Center – branch in Skopje
• KMOP – Education and Innovation Hub
• In Touch
• Regional Directorate for Primary and Secondary Education of Attica
• ANZIANI E NON SOLO SOCIETA COOPERATIVA SOCIALE
• Stichting Sexmatters