Sustaining Teachers and Learners With the Arts: Relational Health in European Schools Erasmus Project

Project Title

Sustaining Teachers and Learners With the Arts: Relational Health in European Schools

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 higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Creativity and culture; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education

Project Summary

STALWARTS, standing for Sustaining Teachers and Learners With The Arts, was an innovative cross-sectoral higher education project based in 5 European countries: Estonia, Italy, Norway, Portugal and the UK. It brought together 3 inter-disciplinary/professional groups: school-based teachers and educators; creative arts therapists/trainers and university staff. The teachers and educators were drawn from 5 different contexts: one residential special school; one ‘second chance’ school; one ‘production’ school and two mainstream schools that specifically prioritise inclusive educational practice. National partnerships were established between the schools and their local universities involving creative arts therapists, researchers and specialists in inclusive educational practice and music education.

STALWARTS built on the achievements of the previously Erasmus+ funded project LINK, standing for Learning in a New Key. As with LINK the main aim was to use more music and the arts to support vulnerable children and young people in the classroom. Three of the 5 national partnerships had been well-established during the LINK project; 2 new partnerships extended the involvement of professionals across all three groups. As in LINK there was much collaborative sharing of experiences and knowledge during the practical workshops and training sessions. New to STALWARTS was the main shift in focus to the higher education context. Here the practical experiences, the developed competences and knowledge base from LINK were transformed into learning outcomes for the setting-up of new Master’s level modules. The successful creation of these accredited modules became the main focus of the first intellectual output of STALWARTS. Teachers and educators in the 5 partner schools and one associate partner enrolled on these new modules: 66 on the first and 58 on the second, with 70 and 40 attendees at ‘trial’ days in one country – a reach of potential impact across 124 (+110) educators.

The project’s second main Intellectual Output is: ‘A Framework for Impact Studies.’ This output includes comprehensive guidelines on the planning, implementation and evaluation of small-scale classroom-based enquiries (impact studies) in this innovative field of therapeutically-informed teaching practice. 35 enquiries were conducted by the teachers and educators in the 5 schools during the first year; 86 during the second, as part of the university modules. Another new initiative in STALWARTS was the introduction of theoretical underpinning and relevant measures relating to the impact of music and the arts on affective and cognitive function using a neuroscience-informed approach.

The strapline for the STALWARTS project was ‘Relational Health in Schools,’ with the intended impact of embedding policy in learning and practice. Hence, the main target group for the whole partnership was those children and young people affected by adverse life conditions, including early childhood trauma. This related to the project’s third main Intellectual Output: ‘Relational Health in Schools in Context.’ This resource for the modules includes relevant national policy documents and theoretical contexts for promoting relational health and wellbeing in European schools and with an objective to reduce ELET (Early Leaving from Education and Training). There was reference throughout STALWARTS to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in safeguarding young people’s entitlements to music and arts experiences.

The three inter-disciplinary and inter-professional groups worked collaboratively within their own national partnerships and at 5-day Joint Staff Training Events for all participating members of the project; 22 participants at the first and 31 at the second (29 for all 5 days). This on-going collaboration exemplifies the Participatory Action Research (PAR) over-arching methodology of the project.

500 participants (338 with no connection to the project) attended Multiplier Events within each of the 5 countries when participants from the local partnerships presented results and materials from all three of the main IOs. These events spread the reach of STALWARTS locally, regionally and nationally, with interest in the evolution of the project from regional and governmental agencies.

The transnational project team met on four occasions during the duration of the project. There was one representative from each of the 5 universities, with the coordinator of the LINK project as consultant to the project team, to maintain continuity.

Sustainability and further reach of STALWARTS is indicated by the number of publications and presentations – regionally, nationally and internationally – from participants during the project and being taken forward. Plans are in place to develop the modules as part of each university’s CPD portfolio and to extend the geographic reach of STALWARTS to other European countries, e.g. a future module run in Romania.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 180170 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND, BRISTOL & Country: UK

Project Partners

• UNI RESEARCH AS
• ASSOCIACAO PARA A EDUCACAO DE SEGUNDA OPORTUNIDADE
• Novalis Trust
• TALLINN UNIVERSITY
• Hyssingen Produksjonsskole
• ALMA MATER STUDIORUM – UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
• Istituto Comprensivo Granarolo dell’Emilia