Interactive Meaningfool Programs and Creative Therapies Erasmus Project

Project Title

Interactive Meaningfool Programs and Creative Therapies

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; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

The project materialized in the collaboration between two special education institutions, through which the schools introduced each other to the therapies used in their own institutions. During the mobilities and short-term training sessions, the participating institutions introduced each other to the theoretical basis and practical application of therapeutic approaches, allowing the other to learn and apply formerly unknown types of therapy.
At the end of the three year collaboration, the Kozmutza Flóra Special School for the Hearing Impaired in Cluj-Napoca incorporated animal-assisted therapeutic activities and elements of the Veronika music therapy into its daily teaching and educational work as new therapie. ÉLTES EGYMI in Pécs made the method of hydrotherapy part of daily swimming lessons, and was able to make excellent use of the digitized curriculum developed by the Cluj-Napoca school in the form of specific interactive learning scenarios.
The events included in the project were presented by the coordinating institution at the World Rare Diseases Day Conference held in the first two years. At the event, educational professionals, doctors, university students and parents got to know the events of the project through flyers, short film screenings, presentations and lectures. The events of the conference were followed live by the teachers of the school in Cluj-Napoca and interested parents.
The target group of the project were children aged 6-16. The project focused specifically on children with disadvantaged and behavioral problems who had difficulty integrating into school groups. A positive report by the psychologist on the current situation of children with integration problems after the project, as well as an increasing number of joint school events involving disadvantaged families demonstrated that the project had achieved the expected results. Parents became more actively involved in joint school programs, and became more and more motivated in the parents association activities.
The project has greatly helped the work of school educators in online education through the use of digital teaching materials. The project mobilities, visits, trainings, varied monthly programs strengthened the work motivation of educators and greatly aided the fight against burnout.
The children participating in the field trips got to know the culture of another country and made friends with children of a similar age. Visiting a foreign country increased their motivation to improve their language skills. Both schools aimed to develop specific learning skills and improve reading, writing and language comprehension through this project. Therapeutic activities included in the development plans contributed to the development of children’s specific learning skills, and the end-of year-evaluations school also showed improvements in reading, comprehension and writing.
The events of the Erasmus+ project were followed by teachers and parents through drawing and recycled arts and crafts exhibits and photo exhibitions about the project. Local media reported on the Erasmus program in print. The spread of Covid 19 has made it impossible for specialist institutions to attend in person visits and present their therapeutic approaches to mainstream schools. Although online “open house” type events did take place, the impact of these was not as great as it would have been live. This is still being implemented.
To summarize: The primary results of the project are mostly seen in the increase in the richness and quality of the methodological base for teaching-educational activities in the institutions, and from the perspective of the primary beneficiaries, the project represents long-term opportunities for development. We consider it an important and long-term gain that by introducing the animal-assisted therapy programs as regularly as possible, by getting to know the Veronika music therapy program, and the hydrotherapy intervention supporting emotional health, and helped the children of the two institutions to acquire knowledge, abilities and life skills. For many of them it was the first and perhaps the only opportunity to meet peers outside their country, to experience togetherness and our diverse cultural values.
The most important secondary gain the two institutions derive from this project and the exchange of good practices between professionals is positive changes in the organizational culture of the schools, the flow of information and the quality project management. The project increased the motivation for active participation among students, as beneficiaries of education, and their parents. The therapeutic approaches presented in the project have been introduced in the partner institutions, and their application will continue in accordance with CoVid prevention measures.

Project Website

http://www.pecsielteserasmuspalyazatok.hu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 60138 Eur

Project Coordinator

Pécsi Éltes Mátyás Egységes Gyógypedagógiai Módszertani Intézmény, Szakiskola és Kollégium & Country: HU

Project Partners

• Scoala Gimnaziala Speciala pentru Deficienti de Auz “Kozmutza Flora” Cluj Napoca