One World Learning Erasmus Project

Project Title

One World Learning

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 school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Environment and climate change; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

The project developed an environmental education programme called One World Learning (OWL) in which we promoted diversity, citizenship , language learning, integrated science, team work and critical thinking in an environmental context for children, youths and adults. The overall aim was to trigger behavioural changes that will lead to inquisitive, empowered, socially inclusive and environmentally responsible individuals and communities.

The project addressed the urgent need for encouraging active citizenship, critical thinking and intercultural exchange across communities in Europe as recognised in the Lisbon Treaty. The resources and events delivered encouraged participants to be active citizens, to think critically about how they can improve their local environments and learn and share knowledge and experiences from other individuals and communities across cultures and countries.

OWL has combined best practice, innovation, research and experience from five environmental NGO’s to develop One World Learning into a project which is relevant on a European level and beyond. Through transnational cooperation and exchange between education and training providers and other stakeholders we managed to achieve the following objectives:

1. To strengthen partnerships and networks between European countries in the field of environmental education.
2. To develop an international environmental education programme based on best practice and European standards.
3. To promote positive environmental behaviours, citizenship, critical thinking and innovation in children and youths.
4. To strengthen teacher and leader professional development in the field of environmental education.
5. To promote diversity and intercultural exchange through language learning for children
6. To promote new interests in science learning through opportunities for practical outdoor activities
7. Promote international awareness of the educational and health benefits of learning in the natural environment using both local and international research findings.
8. To connect outdoor learning and social inclusion

The project also addressed national priorities for the year 2017 in the fields:
1. Foreign Language teaching and/or learning
2. Life Skills for Children
3. Applied Learning
4. Science and Technology
5. Alternative Learning programme and initiatives

Project activities impacted 950 people, including 500 children and 450 teaching professionals. After the project has ended it has the potential to impact tens of thousands of children- In Malta for example- we work with around 18,000 children per year who participate in the schools programme which was developed through this project. The network developed is expanding and continuing to influence environmental and educational organisations around the world, impacting children in turn. The partnership consisted of: Birdlife Malta (Lead partner); Maltese Ministry for Education and Employment; Birdlife Europe; OTOP (Polish Society for the Protection of Birds); SPEA (Portugese Society for the Study of Birds; and Learning Through Landscapes (UK). By working together we shared best practice and learnt from each other to create an environmental education network that will have longer term relevance and reach through Birdlife International.

Year 1 consisted of three transnational meetings. The core themes that were covered included: Introduction, team building, planning and risk management (T1- Malta), communications, branding and engagement planning (T2- Belgium), Intellectual Outputs and defining One World Learning Europe (T3- Poland). This year was mainly focused on development of intellectual outputs 01-05. There was also a learning, teaching, training activity (C1), in which the partnership came together for teacher training in the U.K.

Year 2 focused on the development of digital outputs (06) and the final One World Learning programme (07), all the dissemination events took place this year and there was a final learning, teaching, training event hosted by BirdLife Europe and Central Asia. There were two transnational meetings, one was in the UK and the other took place in Portugal.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 275129,5 Eur

Project Coordinator

BirdLife Malta & Country: MT

Project Partners

• Stichting BirdLife Europe
• MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
• Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves
• Ogólnopolskie Towarzystwo Ochrony Ptaków
• Learning through Landcapes Trust