Sharing and Sustaining a Healthy Future – Promoting Health and Wellbeing through a cross-cultural peer learning approach between students with and without additional learning and support needs in Glasgow and Unna. Erasmus Project

Project Title

Sharing and Sustaining a Healthy Future – Promoting Health and Wellbeing through a cross-cultural peer learning approach between students with and without additional learning and support needs in Glasgow and Unna.

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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Health and wellbeing; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

Context/background of the project:
Throughout the duration of the project students of a German vocational college cooperated with a group from a Glaswegian school for students with Additional Support Needs (ASNs). Their cooperation focused on the healthy lifestyle of teenagers and young adults in both regions. In Glasgow as well as in Unna as a part of an industrial area there is a high percentage of working class or even deprived families who do not benefit from a healthy way of life. As a result a high percentage of students of both schools have poor nutrition and unhealthy free-time habits. All in all the group met four times (6 days for each visit), twice in Unna and twice in Glasgow.

Objectives;
The objectives of the project were as follows:
– raised awareness of health habits
– greater responsibility for the students` own health and wellbeing
– critical reflection on their own dietary choices
– skills to assess nutritional value of food
– preparation of simple and cost-effective healthy meals
– measurable improvements in the students` fitness levels
– learning and using relaxation and anti-stress-techniques
– overcoming the challenges of social and language barriers
– increasing ICT skills

Number and profile of participating organisations;
This is a bilateral project, coordinated by the Hollybrook Academy and carried out with its partner school, Maerkisches Berufskolleg (MBK). Hollybrook School is a non-denominational school for 100 male and female students aged 12-18 with additional learning and support needs. Hollybrook School has been recognized as an establishment that provides effective support to learners on the autistic spectrum.
MBK is a Vocational College for Health and Social Care which is situated in the Ruhr area of Germany. A percentage of students live in areas of social deprivation and approximately a quarter of the students have a migration background.

Description of undertaken main activities:
After a short period of getting to know each other via email as well as personally at the beginning of the first visit in Unna, the participating students drafted a questionnaire about nutrition and free time habits. After carrying out and evaluating the survey at both schools the participating classes received direct feedback including health advice via personal letters. To gain transparency about the results for the whole school community the participants drafted a flyer about healthy lifestyles that was distributed and discussed at both schools. Additionally a health and well-being morning was for the whole school community was organized and carried out at the Hollybrook. This morning focused on nutritional as well as active and relaxing workshops. During the last two visits in Glasgow and Unna special activities focusing on creating awareness regarding a healthy lifestyle took place: examples were blind-food-tasting, production of shower gels to raise awareness of personal hygiene, a sensory parkour course and the preparation of healthy meals. Through these activities as well as a health focused Europass-celebration at the end of the fourth visit both school communities were hopefully motivated to choose healthier lifestyles.

Results and impact attained:
The above actions resulted, e. g. in healthier food and drink options in the school cafeterias as well as individually fitting sports activities. Throughout the whole course of the project there was a focus on peer learning. The students of both schools communicated about a healthy way of life and copied positive habits from each other. It could be observed that in the course of the time they chose healthier food and drink. Furthermore they suggested sports-oriented free time activities. Despite different special needs of the Scottish participants friendships developed quickly so that the project-cooperation was very effective. Long-lasting-friendships developed and have been sustained via social media.
Project results were permanently presented in the local press as well as in educational magazines. In Glasgow, the project has been awarded the Green Acorn Award and was nominated as a finalist for the Glasgow Trades House Citizenship Award.

If relevant, longer-term benefits.
In the long run we want to create and establish a long-lasting awareness of health and fitness issues. Additionally we want our students act as multipliers and spread their experience among their friends and family. In both Hollybrook and MBK the high profile nature of the Erasmus Plus project has enabled awareness of the importance of sustained healthy lifestyles among young people and in the wider communities.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 49475 Eur

Project Coordinator

Hollybrook School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Maerkisches Berufskolleg