Take it SERIOUS Erasmus Project

Project Title

Take it SERIOUS

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Health and wellbeing; Environment and climate change; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

Throughout the last decade, disasters have become a serious problem both nationally and internationally because of the damages occurred. As the increasing frequency and complexity of disasters affecting communities has risen significantly over the past decade, the negative impacts of natural disasters like floods, fires, landslides, earthquakes, drought, extreme weather, pandemics and man-made hazards like school violence have increased in many parts of Europe. Thus, recent disasters have created the need to develop strategies and plans to diminish their negative impacts. Herewith, it is highlighted that there is a need to support the improvement of European capacities to assess risk, as the first step towards the development of disaster prevention and emergency plans, while allowing European countries to assess their levels of preparedness and capabilities to manage disasters. (EU Commission)
As children are one of the most vulnerable groups when faced with a natural disaster, they should learn from early age about the risks in order to be better prepared for disasters, and this is equally entire society’s duty to make effort for a safe life. Therefore, EU strategy supports disaster risk reduction through all-of-society view that promotes an integrated approach to disaster management with social and economic factors causing vulnerability. Many communities around the globe have brought into focus the role of education in preparing for and preventing disasters, as UNISDR (2007) stated that “knowledgeable and involved people are critical to building a safe society”. The need for creating a safer society reveals the importance of imparting necessary knowledge to people in order to develop disaster management skills, and to increase awareness about disaster-related issues. It is emphasized that schools can be models of participatory risk reduction and disaster management in their communities.Thus, disaster education in schools has lead roles in development of coping capacities of both individuals and societies to reduce any adverse impacts. Disaster management education is about building teachers from cross-curricular disciplines, students’, school authorities’ and families’ understanding of the causes, natural disasters and effects while also encouraging them to contribute proactively to the prevention, preparedness and response of the disasters.
With this project, it is aimed to foster a “disaster management” culture in Europe and strength the resilience of communities against natural disasters; support teachers to teach in matters of risk reduction, emergency preparedness and in response to disaster situations; raise awareness of children in the field of natural disasters and disaster management cycle with the use of gamification based on authentic disaster scenarios; support school authorities to develop disaster management strategies at local/regional level; develop a set of innovative awareness materials to train the European population on the prevention, preparedness and response to disasters; to raise awareness of families and community-at-large about the disaster management cycle; support schools to be better prepared disasters for leading the community about disaster management.
The target groups of the project are: teachers from cross-curricular disciplines, students aged 10-13, school authorities, families, local/national authorities and community-at-large.

Also, following outputs will be developed to
IO1 Methodological Teaching Framework for Teaching Disaster Management
IO2 Disaster Management Training Content for Teachers
IO4 Guide for Developing Disaster Management Strategies at Schools
IO5 Awareness Materials on Disasters for Families and Community

For an effective disaster management in the respective countries, all outputs and activities will be centered on affective, holistic and inclusive approaches. Namely, all interested parties like students aged 10-13, teachers from cross-curricular disciplines, school authorities, families and community-at-large will be involved in the activities throughout the project timeline so that each interested party can get the best out of the project activities and results by engaging actively.

The project will have a direct and positive impact on increasing the awareness level of disasters among the children aged 10-13, teachers, families and school authorities, increasing resilience to disasters, minimizing the vulnerability against the disasters, have them children better prepared for the disasters through gamification based on authentic scenarios, guiding schools to make and adapt their own disaster management strategies, supporting teachers from cross-curricular disciplines with innovative methodologies so that disaster training can be mainstreamed.

The envisaged long term effect will be strengthening the profiles of teachers, school authorities, school support staff, and mainstreaming holistic and affective disaster management in Europe.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 275142 Eur

Project Coordinator

Risley Avenue Primary & Country: UK

Project Partners

• ISTANBUL VALILIGI
• PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS
• SDRUZHENIE TCENTAR ZA OBRAZOVATELNI INITSIATIVI
• INSTITUTO PARA EL FOMENTO DEL DESARROLLO Y LA FORMACION SL
• Aspire Education Group Ltd