We Eat Healthily We Live Happily Erasmus Project

Project Title

We Eat Healthily We Live Happily

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: International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education

Project Summary

Context
A sedentary lifestyle, poor or unhealthy eating habits, and lack of physical exercise among schoolchildren represent a troubling problem that arose mainly because of the fact that in recent years the technology lead children into the home. This, doubled by the fact that parents are now too busy to pay attention to their children’s eating habits, has increased the number of obesity cases among children. In addition to causing several physical disabilities, technology addictions and affecting them psychologically, being overweight increases the risk of a person developing various illnesses and has a negative psychological impact.
Objectives
– To decrease the number of consumers of fast food in the target group by at least 50% after the 2 project years.
– To raise the awareness of at least 70% of participants about the principles of healthy eating;
– To increase physical activity to a minimum of 1 hour per day for 60% of students in the TG;
– to improve communication skills, interpersonal skills and self-confidence in a European environment of at least 65% of participants
– To exchange ideas and practices with other European schools in order for teachers to produce one brochure for students and parents and one brochure for schools.
– To develop the knowledge about the diversity of European sports and cultures of at least 70% participants.

The project addresses three target groups – the first one is that of students aged 10-14, students with weight problems as well as regular students (the reason for the choice of this age range is that at these ages, students start developing long-term behaviors, so it is a critical age for the development of the future adults). They will be in the middle of all activities, both carried out at transnational level, in exchanges, and locally. The second group is that of parents – we will inform them about the project development and involve them in the local activities so as to raise their awareness about the importance of healthy diet for their children’s development. We want parents to join our activities, to observe their children in interaction, to see how happy they are and to support them to continue this way of living at home, to involve their children in outdoor activities . Thirdly, teachers who will participate in exchanges will be able to exchange experiences, to explore the similarities, differences, identify good practices and spread them on in their own schools. They will learn from their peers and become resources for their colleagues to ensure the sustainability of the project results.
Direct participants (from sending institutions):
C1 – 12 teachers and 4 student counsellors
C2-C5 – 20 students and 8 teachers
From host institutions
C1 – 5 teachers and 1 students counsellor
C2-C5 – 120 students, 30 teachers, 100 parents

Activities
C1 – Lack of physical exercise and obesity – current trends in Europe (Nov. 2019, TR)
C2- The topic of C2 is Obesity – causes and effects on the short, medium and long term (Mar 2020, IT)
C3 – You are what you eat – How to have a balanced diet (Oct 2020, GR)
C4 – Sports and physical activities to combat sedentarism and obesity tendencies (Mar 2021, RO)
C5 – Hiking and outdoor activities (May 2021, PT)

Results
1. Initial survey report and final survey report
2. Collections of materials produced after each LTTA – Causes and effects of obesity, Rules of healthy eating, Sports activities in different European countries, Outdoor activities that can be organized by the school and by parents.
3. Students’ journals
4. Brochure for parents and students about healthy diet and pastime dynamic activities
5. Brochure for schools with a shortlist of all the activities that can be performed by schools dealing with the same issues
6. 4 exchange reports in which we present the results of each exchange and measure the impact on students
7. 5 newsletters
8. Impact study at the end of the project.

The impact of the project is to raise awareness about healthy living and healthy and balanced diet for students and parents in our schools. They will learn about the causes and effects of being overweight, will acquire ways to combat the tendency towards physical inactivity, be more enthusiastic about spending their free time outdoors and using it to exercise in a playful way. In short, students are expected to significantly change / improve their current unhealthy eating and living habits. In addition, through direct participation in exchanges, students become more motivated, committed, more culturally aware and improve their communication, interpersonal and language skills. We expect them to develop a greater sense of tolerance and mutual respect.
In addition, participating teachers become more motivated, involved and develop on a personal level. They become more prepared and better equipped to deal with the problem locally. Through the exchange of best practices with their European peers, they are expected to also develop professional practice.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 143962 Eur

Project Coordinator

Agrupamento de Escolas Alberto Sampaio & Country: PT

Project Partners

• Istituto Omicomprensivo “Ridolfi- Zimarino”
• Scoala Gimnaziala Nicolae Titulescu
• Petrol Ofisi Ilkokulu
• 3o Gymnasio Larisas