Month: February 2024

SMILE: Sustainable MobILity in school Education

Written by Hanna Yerega on 02/02/2024. Posted in Projects & Initiatives. No Comments on SMILE: Sustainable MobILity in school Education

By the end of this century, climate is expected to change due to the large amounts of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere. The European Green Deal (EGD) wants to tackle the threat of climate change by having no net emissions of GHG by 2050 and the EC aims for Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, but in order for this to occur, there is a need to decrease anthropogenic GHG emissions.

The EC suggests that education and training will help achieve the green transition the EGD is aiming for. Therefore, equipping teachers’ knowledge and skills on using green activities will contribute to achieving environmental sustainability and thus, sustainable mobility.

SMILE aims to build the capacity of teachers to be able to implement activities with students in the field of climate change, sustainable mobility and STEAM education in order to increase awareness on these pressing topics.

PLANNING SEEDS: Solidarity Economy Districts for Social, Economic, and Environmental Sustainability

Written by Hanna Yerega on 02/02/2024. Posted in Projects & Initiatives. No Comments on PLANNING SEEDS: Solidarity Economy Districts for Social, Economic, and Environmental Sustainability

On December 9, 2021, the European Commission, introduced the Social Economy Action Plan, aiming to unlock the full potential of the social economy sector by creating the right conditions for social economy growth, fostering skill development in the sector, and enhancing recognition of its potential. In line with this goal, the Planning Seeds project aims to create a shared European methodological framework and a Handbook for the creation and management of Solidarity Economy Districts, involving young adults (18 – 30) with fewer opportunities and the elderly population (65+) in their development and promotion.

The project intends to scale up the roadmap for the creation of Local Green Deals (LGDs) developed as part of the European Commission’s Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC) at the community level by activating the bottom-up innovation within the social economy – Solidarity Economy Districts (SEEDs) initiative. SEEDs and their associated purchasing groups, known as ‘short food supply chains’ (SFSCs) promote circular economy principles, local consumption, and have a significant social impact. Aligning with the European Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy, SFSCs play a crucial role in improving local food systems, reducing dependence on long-distance transport, and contributing to both the green transition and social inclusion objectives.

PROChef: Development of a tailormade comprehensive training concept on implementing the protein shift in an institutional kitchen

Written by Hanna Yerega on 02/02/2024. Posted in Projects & Initiatives. No Comments on PROChef: Development of a tailormade comprehensive training concept on implementing the protein shift in an institutional kitchen

Institutional kitchens, such as those in restaurants, schools, and healthcare facilities, play a crucial role in shaping our eating habits and preferences. With this in mind, the PROchef project explores the importance of revamping gastronomic education to promote a protein shift, the process whereby the animal protein is replaced with alternative sources to effectively contribute to long-term sustainability and maximise health benefits.

By highlighting the importance of alternative protein in culinary education, chefs and kitchen staff will be better prepared to implement a protein shift in these settings, offering more plant-based options and reducing the environmental footprint associated with traditional meat-heavy menus.

LEADING 2030: Boost post-pandemic business practices for sustainable development for 2030

Written by Hanna Yerega on 02/02/2024. Posted in Projects & Initiatives. No Comments on LEADING 2030: Boost post-pandemic business practices for sustainable development for 2030

Although it is recognised that some progress has been made in the last 5 years towards the achievement of the 17 SDGs, businesses need to do much more to accelerate corporate sustainability and responsible business practice.

The LEADING 2030 project aims to:

accelerate a culture of sustainability and ownership of the SDGs, creating a holistic and practical background and driving action
upskill business consultants/CVET professionals and leaders with competences to mainstream sustainability across sectors
develop a set of innovative and cutting-edge didactic resources, available in digital and open media, to empower any interested professional and equip VET and business with a bespoke hands-on portfolio and
enhance local/regional/national and European cooperation through the participation of associated partners, experts and key-stakeholders

DigiFolk: Digitizing the Folktales of a City – Sharing the Wisdom of the Other

Written by Hanna Yerega on 02/02/2024. Posted in Projects & Initiatives. No Comments on DigiFolk: Digitizing the Folktales of a City – Sharing the Wisdom of the Other

The ultimate goal of the DigiFolk is to showcase through a diverse set of folktales our common humanity and collective EU cultural identity. By collecting, curating, digitizing and sharing the cultural products, DigiFolk aims to give voice to communities, which hold a minority status in European societies.As such, the project addresses the Erasmus + general goal of “raising awareness on and understanding the European Union context, notably as regards the common EU values, the principles of unity and diversity, as well as their cultural identity, cultural awareness and their social and historical heritage”.

By allowing diverse stories to be heard, the project hopes to address the problem of long-standing prejudices in European societies, that are partially produced due to exposure to only single narratives favouring the dominant cultures and demoting those cultures that are willingly or unwillingly othered.

MOVE: Promoting an Organised Youth Movement to Showcase the Diverse and Multicultural Identity of a Plural Europe

Written by Hanna Yerega on 02/02/2024. Posted in Projects & Initiatives. No Comments on MOVE: Promoting an Organised Youth Movement to Showcase the Diverse and Multicultural Identity of a Plural Europe

The main objective of the MOVE project is to promote European youth awareness on migration while fostering inclusion and social cohesion of a diverse European identity.

More specifically the project aims to:

Strengthen youth technicians’ abilities, granting them with innovative skills to transnationally work on fostering social inclusion in a European framework.
Promote the joint generation of material, content and tools to raise awareness in 80 youth from 4 European countries through their active participation and using communication as a social awareness tool on Europe’s migrant reality.
Foster citizen and European youth’s social awareness towards a more tolerant society, and a European identity that respects cultural diversity, by means of an audiovisual campaign and an interactive map of migrations.

Coding4Kids

Written by Hanna Yerega on 02/02/2024. Posted in Projects & Initiatives. No Comments on Coding4Kids

The Coding4Kids project addresses the critical need to introduce coding and programming skills in primary and secondary education. With a focus on making coding accessible to all teachers, regardless of their technical background, the project aims to empower educators to impart essential programming knowledge to their pupils.

The key outputs include 12 learning modules on programming, consisting of 36 lesson plans for educators to apply in their learning. In addition, a training package for teachers will be developed to compile all the theoretical content to enhance teachers’ competence in coding and foster skills such as logical thinking and problem-solving in students.

Importantly, this project responds to the evolving demand for digital skills in the workforce, aligning with European priorities to bridge the gap in ICT education and contribute to students’ transversal skills. The expected impact creates a foundation for future generations to effectively understand and engage with the digital world.

BUPA: Be upskilling additive! How to make the upskilling process additive with game design concepts

Written by Hanna Yerega on 02/02/2024. Posted in Projects & Initiatives. No Comments on BUPA: Be upskilling additive! How to make the upskilling process additive with game design concepts

The project aims to find new and innovative tools and approaches to include coding and game design concepts in school education by upskilling students and teachers in development games for thematic learning. At the same time, the project aims to develop students’ digital skills in what game design framework is concerned and, at the same time, enhance their problem-solving skills.

The project activities are developed with reference to all levels of compulsory education and propose the creation of a global education model that includes coding, game design and problem-solving skills in school programmes through practical learning units, tools and approaches which allow the accreditation and evaluation in educational context.

The overall mission of the project is to introduce an innovative way of changing education by exploiting the strong educational potential of game design (with a specific support framework reated within this project) while supporting its integration and mainstreaming in school curricula.

PR.I.M.E.: PRomoting Inclusive Mobility Experiences

Written by Hanna Yerega on 02/02/2024. Posted in Projects & Initiatives. No Comments on PR.I.M.E.: PRomoting Inclusive Mobility Experiences

At its core, PR.I.M.E. emerges from a shared desire to make Erasmus+ programs more accessible and inclusive. The project’s overarching goal is to foster innovation and internationalization within partner organizations by enhancing the skill sets of their staff members.

By creating specific and innovative tools and resources, PR.I.M.E. aims to equip these professionals with the expertise needed to effectively manage high-quality mobility projects.

Notably, these projects will involve participants with intellectual disabilities (PWID) in various sectors, including Vocational Education and Training (VET), Adult Education (ADU), and the Youth sector.

TUA: The Unexpected Artepreneur

Written by Hanna Yerega on 02/02/2024. Posted in Projects & Initiatives. No Comments on TUA: The Unexpected Artepreneur

TUA aims to create a more inclusive society for marginalised young people around Europe with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down’s Syndrome by facilitating their self-expression through creative means and capacity. The purpose is to effect change regarding the social issues that affect them as individuals and the communities they represent.

The project aims to incorporate the power of visual art into creative environments that foster equity and equality for the inclusion of marginalised young people in education.

More specifically, the project aims to:

Promote social inclusion and improve outreach of marginalised youth.
Develop inclusive learning environments and curricula that foster equity, equality and respect.
Increase the quality, innovation and recognition of work produced by young people with DS/ASD.
Promote active citizenship among young people with mental disabilities and strengthen their sense of initiative in the regions they inhabit and broader contexts.