Stereotyping stops creativeness Erasmus Project

Project Title

Stereotyping stops creativeness

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 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Gender equality / equal opportunities

Project Summary

Context
The differences between us are essential to humanity. They are a circumstance of birth and should not become a source of conflict or hatred. The latest events on the European social stage show us that we are still victims of some deeply rooted mentalities according to which we evaluate human beings belonging to different cultural groups based on some ready-made appreciations which have no connection with the reality. We are all unique and different from each other, but this is a reason for celebration rather than conflict
We believe that all people deserve respect, irrespective of skin colour, religious beliefs and practices, descendants or ideas. If people understand that, we will be able to live in harmony, respect and acceptance
The topic is a hot one in the context of today’s ever-increasing immigration numbers. Spain, Turkey and Italy, three of the partner countries are making efforts to deal with this phenomenon through a variety of programmes, initiatives etc.
Romania and Bulgaria are the other countries which are also in the frame of the issue as the members of the European Union.
The reason why we chose to make this topic a priority for our schools and project is the fact that the sooner in life students become aware of the problem of stereotyping and discrimination, the better the chances will be for the world to change and for people to live in harmony with one another

Objectives
We wanted and we reached the following objectives:
– to combat hate speech and hate behaviour inside schools;
– to increase social awareness , tolerance, empathy for the immigrants and refugees
– to destroy stereotypes and raise awareness about the risks they cause
– to improve the know-how related to tackling the issues of stereotyping and discrimination inside schools
– to promote the active involvement of students in the social life on the topic of stereotyping and discrimination
– to strengthen the relationship between schools and local NGOs who are addressing the same issues

Participants
The project addressed a target group of 360 students of different specializations in our school, boys and girls, who are 14-17 years old. We believe that this is a critical age, when the risk is higher for them to develop long-lasting negative attitudes towards other people based on stereotypical thinking and discrimination.
The project also addressed teachers in our schools, school counselors and psychologists who turned the project results into long-term practices at local levels by gathering lesson plans which were integrated into the school curriculum into a booklet “Stereotyping at school – how to neutralize it”.

Main activities
We accomplished 4 student exchanges:
C1 – Stereotypical thinking and discrimination: common stereotypes related to nationalities; direct, indirect, multiple discrimination; forms of discrimination and their effects – xenophobia, homophobia, trans-phobia
C2 – Gender and racial equality: common gender and racial stereotypes and their effects; ways of combating them
C3 – Religious equality: common stereotypes related to religions and religious beliefs; effects of such stereotypes; analysis of cases in which stereotypes and discrimination against religions had terrible consequences
C4 – Stereotypical thinking and discrimination in schools – how can we address and solve these issues?

Methodology
The project covered five main areas:
– Project management
1. Design and implementation of methodologies – selection of participants, communication, reporting
2. Financial management
3. Risk management
4. Monitoring and evaluation of activities and results
5. Organisation and attendance of TMs
– Selection and preparation of participants
– Organisation and participation in exchanges
– Elaboration of tangible results

Results and impact
The results we achieved are at the level of the students:
– increased awareness of the democratic values of the EU, increased desire to participate actively in local campaigns against discrimination, better intercultural awarеness, communication and dialogue; increased social awareness, tolerance, empathy for the immigrants and refugees; improved knowledge of the concepts of stereotyping and discrimination and the areas in which they can manifest, the dangers they bring about; improved English skills, data manipulation, critical thinking skills, improved team work abilities (developed in local activities and transnational exchanges)
Tangible results
– informative materials developed for the purpose of the exchanges, creative poems and prose by students on the topic of European diversity, videos, posters on the topic of “NO HATE in schools”, “United as One under the European Sky”, photographs of students for the competition about cultural differences “I am not You but We can be together”, collection of interactive games and activities, a booklet with methodology for teachers “Stereotyping at school – how to neutralize it”, 2 online magazines with reports by students

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 123458 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gimnaziya s prepodavane na tchuzhdi ezitsi Yordan Radichkov & Country: BG

Project Partners

• Istituto Comprensivo Giovanni Falcone Napoli
• Fundación Patronanto Avemariano de Granada C.E.P. AVE MARIA CASA MADRE
• Kuleli Ortaokulu
• Liceul Teoretic Mircea Eliade