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Author: cardet-wpadmin

The FMID Project: Celebrating a Journey of Creation and Inclusion

Written by cardet-wpadmin on . Posted in Project News.

We are excited to share that the final screening of the Film Making for Inclusion and Development (FMID) project recently took place in Parchim, Germany, marking the completion of a remarkable journey that married together the concepts of creativity and empowerment. Led  by the Jugendförderverein Parchim/Lübz e. V. (JFV) organization, the project brought together aspiring filmmakers from Germany, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Cyprus, with the goal of fostering social inclusion through the art of filmmaking. 

The two-year journey of the consortium culminated with a final event – a gathering that brought together the project team, aspiring filmmakers and guests at the international leisure and educational center “lütt pütt” of the Jugendförderverein. The event served as a unique opportunity for all to become fully immersed in the impressive creations participants developed, as part of the project, using nothing but their smartphones and free software. Harnessing the tools available online and their creativity, they crafted inspiring films that touched upon themes of social inclusion and personal stories to celebrate their remarkable progress throughout the last couple of years.

The filmmaking information booths were also set up at the event for attendees to familiarize themselves with different areas of film-making, including film shooting and editing, sound recording, storytelling, reels and online self-expression. Attendees had the opportunity to explore these areas of expertise and learn more about how they can become narrators of their visual story from the industry professionals and project participants.

About FMID Project

The FMID project, supported by CARDET, was initiated in November 2021, and throughout its course it aimed to equip young people with the tools and resources needed to express themselves through filmmaking. Under the premise that digital storytelling is a crucial element to inclusion and diversity on and off screen, the project held a number of training sessions led by youth workers and educators to foster digital and media skills, created an e-learning portal, further supporting the participants’ growth and facilitating their creative journey, as well as organized a number of local film festivals and a masterclass in Madrid.

As the project draws to a close, the video-making resources developed during FMID will remain freely available here, ensuring that young people have the tools and means to express themselves creatively and continue to contribute to a more inclusive society.

GreenYOU Project Successfully Kicks-off

Written by cardet-wpadmin on . Posted in Project News.

GreenYOU project successfully held its inaugural meeting in the vibrant city of Nicosia, Cyprus. The meeting brought together esteemed project partners from Lithuania, Ireland, Cyprus, France, Greece and Poland to discuss key aspects of the project and lay the foundation for an impactful project ahead.

The event, held on 20-21 of June, served as a platform for extensive deliberations on crucial project components. Participants engaged in dynamic discussions centered around project management, quality assessment, comprehensive work packages review, and the strategic dissemination of project outcomes.

The project management session fostered a collaborative atmosphere where partners synergized their efforts to establish a clear roadmap for success. Aligning project goals, timelines, and resource allocation formed the basis for efficient project execution and seamless coordination among team members.

The meeting dedicated substantial time to the rigorous review of project quality. The emphasis on quality reaffirmed the commitment to delivering impactful results. Also, review of work packages was a pivotal aspect of the meeting as the next steps to follow.

In recognition of the importance of sharing project outcomes, a strategic dissemination strategy was meticulously crafted. Partners explored diverse avenues, including social media campaigns, participation in conferences, and publication opportunities, to maximize the project’s visibility and make a lasting impact within the field.

About GreenYOU Project:

The GreenYOU project aims to support the green transition and combat climate change by developing green skills and digital competences among young people. It focuses on building the capacity of youth workers to use Mobile Augmented Reality (AR) technology to teach young people about climate change and youth unemployment. Through the development of innovative resources, such as a MOOC for climate action, a GreenYOU Curriculum, Digital Escape Rooms, and animation videos, the project aims to increase awareness, enhance skills, and promote sustainable behaviours among young people. By directly involving youth workers and young people with fewer opportunities, the project strives to empower them to become agents of change in the green economy and contribute to a sustainable and climate-neutral society.

Intercultural Integration in Cyprus: Understanding Employment Rights for Better Inclusion

Written by cardet-wpadmin on . Posted in Blog.

Evidently, the rising number of arrivals poses a hard to resolve puzzle for Cypriot authorities and stakeholders.

This riddle requires a structured approach: to ensure that the rights of refugees and asylum seekers are safeguarded (on both humanitarian grounds and per the Republic of Cyprus’ legal obligations), while they can effectively integrate and contribute to the society. But if all pieces fit in their place, it offers not just doors for facilitating refugee integration – Cyprus also has many benefits to reap. This entails though, a multifaceted approach that supports refugee inclusion in education, the labour market and society at large, that will enable them to become contributing members of our communities.

This belief comes at the core of Building Structures Integration in Cyprus project, implemented by the Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities Programme and the European Commission’s Directorate General for Structural Reform Support, in partnership with the Civil Registry and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Cyprus. The project has been working in close collaboration with local administrations and community actors across Cyprus to play an integral role in fostering inclusion. To that end, the programme had also delved into the labour market to help both employers and refugees-asylum seekers navigate through the legal framework and particularities of employment.

Teaching how to ‘Catch a Fish’

For more long-term integration, it’s essential to address how the legal and employment frameworks offer opportunities for growth, education and development for the asylum seekers in their new host countries. As the good old proverb goes – “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” For that to happen, migrants and asylum seekers, as well as employers need to know their rights and duties.

To contribute, as part of the Intercultural integration in Cyprus project, CARDET and partners have created a set of handbooks that include important information as to the fields of work refugees are allowed to work in, as well as important guidelines on contracts, working hours, wages, various forms of leave, social welfare benefits, healthcare, and labour relations. The guide and handbooks thus serve as invaluable resources for employers and employees to grasp a full picture of the Republic of Cyprus’ legal framework in regards to refugees’ entrance to the labour market.

Building Structures for Intercultural Integration in Cyprus Project aims to highlight the importance of employment rights as one of the facets for a sustainable path towards a healthy intercultural society. Investment in human capital can help not only boost the economy and help employers address labour shortages but more importantly, help refugees become part of a wider community that’s not defined by the ‘asylum seeker’ status.

The opportunities that lie before us

Intercultural integration in Cyprus presents both challenges and tremendous opportunities. By recognizing the potential benefits of embracing diversity and working together to overcome obstacles, Cyprus can create a society that thrives on the contributions of all its members. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, instead it’s a mere invitation to develop a 360° approach including – language courses, education and vocational training for children and adults, support with cultural and social orientation, support with personal relationships and networking in the new community are some of the main steps that need to be followed for building trust, fostering cohesion and managing diversity. Every facet plays a role.

Learn more about the “Intercultural integration in Cyprus” project partners, activities and objectives here.

Check out the guides:

Making grassroots football a space of inclusion

Written by cardet-wpadmin on . Posted in Project News.

Embracing a three-year journey, supported by the EU Erasmus+ programme, the UEFA Foundation for Children warmly welcomed the TACKLE conference at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon. The event aimed to champion inclusivity and tackle racism in non-professional football. By specifically focusing on coaches and managers in grassroots football clubs, the project effectively raises awareness, fosters competence, and develops strategies to eradicate racism from the beautiful game. With a comprehensive approach at its core, this inspiring initiative aspires to create a lasting impact on players, grassroots football, and the wider sporting community.

The conference was headlined by Clarence Seedorf, a legend of football, who emphasised the importance of communicating the right messages in and through football by putting inclusion in the spotlight all the time. He stressed that “If we want to make change happen, we need to be a part of that change and we need to be seating on those seats where we can have a voice and where we can share the thoughts of the people, because many times the most important solutions will come exactly from the grassroots…We need to start acting with the solutions and we will make mistakes. Things might work out might not work out, but it’s better to move in a certain direction that we know is far away from where we are today and in the right direction as well.”

He also highlighted the pivotal role coaches play in football and its bid to tackle racism, noting that they “need to make the youth players aware of the values of sports. Sports is the best tool to really guide youth and to develop their brain and to develop their character so if we do all of that properly we will indirectly be tackling the issue. So, if we talk so much about racism, let’s talk about how to be more human, what is friendship, what is teamwork, this is what I learnt when I was younger. These were the things that they were putting on us every single time.”

Following, CARDET’s Executive Director, Dr Charalambos Vrasidas joined the stage to present the rationale and objectives of the work done through the TACKLE Project in its bid to empower football coaches to become active agents in promoting inclusion in football. He noted that the project, implemented in 6 European countries, responded to the increasing calls for action to address the rising numbers of discriminatory incidents in grassroots football.

Furthermore, he elaborated on its focus on coaches noting that “Building capacity of coaches, football managers, youth workers working with youth and at youth clubs is so important as youth and players are heavily impacted and tend to emulate their behaviour and approach.” He also presented the free resources and tools developed by the project, to help coaches and managers of grassroots football clubs to elevate their knowledge and skills in the field. Said tools are available here.

Moreover, the conference featured presentations from Olivier Doglia, UEFA’s Senior Officer in Elite Youth player Development, and Emilio Hernandez, coach of a local youth football club – FC Prangins. In his presentation, Mr Doglia reiterated the important role coaches play in player development and most importantly in promoting and instilling the values of the football to young players and foster inclusion. From his part, he showcased his experiences and the approaches promoted via his club to ensure an open space that encourage and promote the participation of young children in football. The conference concluded with a panel discussion, during which all the speakers took questions and exchanged views on tackling racism in football.

The Conference was organized as part of the workings of the TACKLE Project that is financed by the Erasmus+ programme. Led by CARDET, the project brought together a consortium of 7 organizations from 6 European countries – KMOP (Greece), Spectrum Research Centre (Ireland), the FARE network (Netherlands), the University of Pitesti (Romania), Institute of Development (Cyprus), and the UEFA Foundation for Children. This project put forward a multidisciplinary and holistic approach in addressing racism, discrimination, and intolerance in grassroots football, engaging football professionals and organizations across the continent to develop resources and tools to empower those at the forefront to operate as active agents in making football a welcoming space for all.

Mindfulness as a path to youth empowerment and wellbeing

Written by cardet-wpadmin on . Posted in Project News.

But first of all, what on earth is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is not about avoiding problems and obstacles. Instead, it’s a daily practice that can help strengthen and develop our day-to-day resilience, in the same way as we tone our muscles at the gym. If properly used, it helps us become more attentive and reconnect with our body, spirit and mind to welcome the present moment just as it is.

Mindfulness: Start here, Start now

We all have our own way of practising mindfulness and it doesn’t necessarily have to be the same. Meditation, some kind of exercise, even savouring a meal slowly, or just paying attention to another’s words during a conversation – it’s all part of being “present” and “aware”, just expressed in different ways.

Starting our own mindfulness ritual can be beneficial for anyone and at any age. The sooner we get to regularly practise it, the more resilient we become, especially when facing stressful and challenging situations. It paves way for better concentration, attention span, and lower stress levels. It can also help with your academic and work performance, but most importantly – it teaches to treat yourself and others with better care, kindness and compassion.

BENEFIT with Mindfulness

Not sure where to start? Ride along with CARDET and IoD’s BENEFIT project, which kicked off its work in Prague this June, focused on empowering youth workers and young individuals to build their mindfulness practice. The project brings together organisations from five European countries – Cyprus, Germany, Ireland, Czech Republic and Portugal – who join forces to develop a full set of innovative and applicable tools to educate and guide youth through their mindfulness journey.

You will thus be provided with an interactive and engaging platform that will give them access to resources and training material to help you identify and overcome mental strains, as well as offer mental-health informed support.

Ready to BENEFIT from mindfulness? Find out more about the BENEFIT project and how to engage here.

ECO-CENT third newsletter

Keeping up with ECO-CENT – Fresh Newsletter in Your Inbox

Written by cardet-wpadmin on . Posted in Project News.

Businesses and professional trainers and educators play a crucial role for the transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon, resource-efficient, and circular European economy.

This is exactly why during the last few months we have been investing all our efforts into reaching some of the main outputs within the ECO-CENT project, which helps bridge the gaps between VET providers and enterprises and facilitates both parties’ contribution to the green transition of Europe. Check out the latest updates in the newsletter below!

LEADER AI – LEAarning analytics and AI for personaliseD lEaRning

Written by cardet-wpadmin on . Posted in Projects & Initiatives.

LEADER AI aims to address the need for effective Higher Education (HE) digital learning that responds to students’ needs, strengths, and skills, through the proper exploitation of advanced technologies. The main results include a Toolkit with practical guidelines, scenario-based training and an interactive eLearning platform with digital resources on how Higher Education Institutions can use AI-based and data-driven tools and approaches for personalised instruction.

MYComm – Migrant and Refugee Youth COMMunication and advocacy for equity and inclusion

Written by cardet-wpadmin on . Posted in Projects & Initiatives.

MYComm aims to contribute to a more inclusive society in Europe by strengthening the capacity and the role of youth organisations that target migrant and refugees, through communications and audio-visual skills training, social networking and mutual learning that connects such organisations at European level and promotes collective advocacy.

Specifically, it will strengthen the institutionalism and visibility of youth organisations targeting migrant and refugees when it comes to their role in enhancing intercultural dialogue for tolerance, mutual understanding and integration; it will provide youth organisations targeting migrant and refugees with training opportunities for communications and audio-visual competencies and for public policy advocacy; sensitize civil society on youth migrant and refugee struggles and successes, through audio-visual production, narrative techniques and awareness raising for migrant social inclusion; and reinforce a sustainable EU network of youth organisations committed to migrants and refugees which can serve as a motor for public advocacy at local, nation and EU level.

RoboAquaria – Robots in aquatic environments to promote STEM and environmental awareness

Written by cardet-wpadmin on . Posted in Projects & Initiatives.

With the ocean pollution rapidly increasing and affecting marine life, a strong need emerges: to raise awareness about environmental and climate change challenges and develop sustainability and green skills from a very young age. This is the main aim of the RoboAquaria project, which focuses on the protection of marine environments by integrating Educational Robotics into the classroom and building teachers’ competences to use them. The project will develop a Methodological Framework for the Pilots, Guidelines for the Teachers, and validation, a RoboAquaria Toolkits and Lesson Topics and an E-Learning Toolkit and (OERs) Lesson Plans.

Empowering Teachers: Preparing for diverse classrooms

Written by cardet-wpadmin on . Posted in Project News.

DD@S strives to move beyond mere acknowledgement of diversity and focuses on how the classrooms can operate harmoniously and challenge the notion of ‘otherness’ from within the educational structure. It ultimately offers practical tools and educational material to ensure that children have equal opportunities not only for education, but to foster friendships, a sense of belonging in their communities, as well as reshape our future society.

This month’s training focused on bringing teachers from Belgium, Greece, Italy and Cyprus to an open transnational dialogue on how to best combat prejudice and inequality in their classrooms. With the support of the partners, EhB – Erasmushogeschool Brussel, Centro per lo sviluppo creativo Danilo Dolci, CARDET, IISS Einaudi Pareto Palermo, University of Nicosia, the Interorthodox Centre of the Greek Church and Symplexis, the 2-day training was held on the 9th and 10th of May, in Athens. It hosted over 50 teachers who shared their real-life experiences, perspectives, approaches and examples of good practices in a process that enabled them to not only learn from the presenters, but from each other too.

The keynote speeches covered the importance of teaching and discussing controversial issues at school, as well as delved into ways of enhancing a democratic dialogue in the classroom. Separate modules were presented to address sensitive and controversial issues such as politics, religion, gender and vulnerable groups. On this occasion, the secondary school teachers also participated in the training workshops to get hands-on experience with each separate module. Their professional feedback on the proposed practices and tools proved invaluable in further enhancing the project’s toolkit and creating a new teachers’ training course.

DD@S is part of the ongoing and diverse work CARDET is doing to empower teachers and make a tangible contribution to the educational system to the benefit of students. The 2-day training consolidated the efforts to provide an efficient inclusive education framework, which without a doubt, will have a positive long-term effect on challenging discrimination in school communities. For more information about the project, to access its resources and stay in the loop for upcoming events and actions, please visit DD@S website.