U2 Have a Voice Erasmus Project

Project Title

U2 Have a Voice

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

The project called “U2 Have a Voice” is focused on increasing student competencies and skills in the area of civil engagement, responsible and active citizenship, democratic values, and more, in the context of their community, country and EU. Young people have an important role to play in maintaining and building a better democratic European society and culture. This project aims to motivate them to be more involved in their local communities, democratic processes and activities at different levels of society, starting from their towns/cities, to national and European level.

The project is divided int four topics:
1) Actions speak louder than words – focusing on responsible and active citizenship, volunteering and elections. Students will learn how they can have a voice and use it in their community, nation and EU.
2) Living together as equals in culturally diverse societies – The main focus is on different aspects of HR, and cultural diversity. Students will learn to be tolerant of differences in nationality, culture, physical appearance, origin, sex, beliefs, etc. Stressing that all people are created equal with specific unalienable rights. Special focus on bullying.
3) Hit the Books – freedom of speech. Students will read books, get to know forbidden writers, read speeches that inspired nations, learn about fake news, censorship, propaganda and media manipulation (elections).
4) If streets could talk – culture of democracy. Focus will be on why people take to the streets (protest, demonstrations, etc.) Different forms of rule. Students will map streets , street names in their town and examine what happened in these streets.

The activities within the 4 topics of the project are aimed at acquiring and increasing key competencies of the participants. The areas of competence development are, values, skills, attitudes and knowledge. Tangible results connected to the 4 topics of the project will be questionnaires, videos, posters, photographs, student diaries, timelines maps and more. Working on these tasks students will develop ICT, language and communication skills. Intangible results, will be observed by teachers in that students will improve critical thinking skills, open mindedness, tolerance, participate in discussions, read more, learn to express their opinion and more. The results of the project will be presented at schools, on the school and project website and eTwinning Platform.

All project activities will be organised on the school, national and international level so that a wide range of students can be involved and experience and learn about the topics of the project. The number of participants including accompanying persons in the LTAs will be cca. 84. However, the number of students involved in the activities of the project will be wider as project work will be carried out in specific lessons and also outside the classroom through workshops, excursions to NGOs and political institutions and meetings with interesting people. Parents of hosting students, visitors to the school and relevant stakeholders will be effected indirectly by the project through various dissemination activities.

We will adopt a holistic approach in the project which will involve cognitive, practical and attitudinal dimension of learning. Practical application of what has been learnt will be applied with an aim to positively influence attitudes, behaviour, world views of the participants. We will also apply an open-ended learning method, which will allow for multiple solutions and answers to problems and issues, where students will learn to accept and respect other views. This will help promote self-confidence of participants in debates and discussions of topics that are bound to result in different opinions and understandings. The school setting will provide a safe environment for debates and discussions. Further methods of work will include blended learning, group work in international teams, competition, discussion, and debate. Learning through experience and discovery, developing critical thinking skills, communication, tolerance, etc.

An integral objective of this project is to realise international mobilities as working in an international team influences individuals positive perception of the world around them.
This project fulfils the vision of the internationalisation strategy of the participating schools, especially improving the quality of educational outputs, sustainable development of cooperation with current social and international partners, sharing of examples of good practice thanks to visits to partner organisations, development of professional competences of students and staff, using European tools, especially eTwinning, Europass, validation of mobility outputs, learning outcomes and results of non-formal learning. Last but not least learning mobility brings benefits to individuals which will benefit them in the future.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 131678 Eur

Project Coordinator

Obchodni akademie a Vyssi odborna skola, Pribram I, Na Prikopech 104 & Country: CZ

Project Partners

• Menntaskólinn á Tröllaskaga
• Saldus vidusskola
• 2nd Lykeo of Kalamata