Innovate debate: applied curriculum for debate based youth work Erasmus Project

Project Title

Innovate debate: applied curriculum for debate based youth work

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 youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

To adequately address challenges such as the rise of populism and political apathy or undermined notions of equality and inclusion, our work has to fill the gap left by formal education and emphasize critical thinking and communication skills while providing a foundation for civic engagement, appreciation of democratic principles, equality and inclusion. Experience with and research of debate methodology and it’s non-formal use clearly demonstrate its potential in developing the skills and competencies needed to tackle some of the most pressing issues we’ve identified.

This project will develop outputs(tools) debate organizations need to increase the quality of their youth work, engage larger numbers of young people in inclusive and empowering education, promote the use of innovative IT technologies in learning, and build up participants and organizational capacity for youth work.

Through a focus on critical thinking, civic activity, volunteering and youth work and the use of non-formal debate methods we will increase learning outcomes, competence development and empower young people for participation and inclusion.
This approach will also increase volunteer recruiting/retention and youth work development in youth organizations.

The three main objectives of this project are to meet these goals by:

1. Promoting, professionalizing and increasing the quality of youth work within partner organizations and across the sector (O1,O2,O3,O4)
2. Increasing the use of debate methodology with the aim of fostering civic engagement, equality, and inclusion (O1,O2,O3,O4)
3. Development and use of multilingual, open source digital learning materials (O3,O4)

The main objectives will be achieved through 4 main outputs, supported by 4 LTT’s and 5 multiplier events.

O1 – Debate based curriculum for non-formal education with the aim of developing critical thinking competencies and enticing volunteering and youth work. It will focus on content themes: Democratic and shared European values, Diversity and social inclusion, Civic activism, Media and information literacy, Youth participation Local issues. These provide for the thematic backbone of the project. Competence themes (Critical thinking, Communication skills, Problem-solving, Teamwork, Youth work) focus on competence development meant to incentivize and empower young people to become civically engaged, develop volunteering and youth work capacity;

O2 – A comprehensive study of the existing situation in the related field with developed simulations on how to best implement debate methodology, a guide on how to best implement debate methodology and civic topics in this project and in future scenarios;

O3 – Development educational tools will be organized in an OER providing education on youth work quality, the sustainability of youth organizations and youth debate clubs;

O4 – Open source e-learning tools integrating key elements of O1 and O3 into an interactive and inclusive educational experience that allows for learning without access to real life debate education. This will dramatically expand access to comprehensive education fostering critical thinking, civic engagement, volunteering and youth work.

Combined they form a one-stop shop for development and implementation of debate methodology focused on civic engagement and developing volunteering and youth work. When combined, these outputs will significantly contribute to unlocking the potential of debate methodology and youth work to address some of the sectors and youths greatest needs.

All project outputs will be localized and available in 6 EU languages.
The project will include national debate organizations with over 4000 young participants, over 200 youth workers, educators, and volunteers that are in their programmes. Young people and various educators are our main target group.
Project activities will involve in-person education for over 500 young people and 40 youth workers/teachers, while the intended audience for project IT outputs is at least 10.000 user participants.

The comprehensive approach to the development of educational materials will make them applicable in a non-formal and formal education environment, adding a cross-sectorial element to this project. Importantly, the results, in terms of transversal skills especially, will strengthen young people’s competences in formal education.

When completed, all of the outputs defined by this project will be the first of their kind and provide a major step forward in the quality and professionalization of debate related youth work.
The project will upgrade volunteering and youth work in youth organizations covering hundreds of youth debate clubs while strengthening their cooperation on EU lvl and with scientific institutions.

Effects of this project are reflected in its potential for replication and transfer to other topics, cross-sectoral impact on schools and increased number of young people with access to debate based education.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 326250 Eur

Project Coordinator

Hrvatsko debatno drustvo & Country: HR

Project Partners

• Za in proti, zavod za kulturo dialoga
• Polska Debatuje
• INTERNATIONAL DEBATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
• INSTITUT ZA DRUSTVENA ISTRAZIVANJA U ZAGREBU
• Slovenská debatná asociácia