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Author: cardet-wpadmin

Supporting un-accompanied children with Family-based care and Enhanced protection

Name/Title: Conference – Keep them Safe: Supporting unaccompanied children with family-based care and enhanced protection

Executive Summary – Overview

SAFE Youth’s ‘Keep them Safe’ Conference capped off the excellent work carried out by the project bringing to the fore present realities and structured responses to effectively support unaccompanied minors and children. The Conference featured influential speakers offering diverse perspectives on this important topic and served as a unique opportunity to illustrate the work and products of the project in its bid to support and empower frontline professionals, foster carers and caretakers. 

Background – General

Recognising the moral imperative to offer holistic support to unaccompanied migrant minors and to ensure that they are protected and aided to navigate the challenges they come across in their host country, SAFE sought to make a tangible contribution in enhancing family-based care. Through a comprehensive and structured action plan, the project developed learning materials and offered training opportunities to support frontline practitioners and professionals as well as carers to attain essential knowledge and skills to provide quality family-based care. Additionally, SAFE worked towards raising awareness and advocating for the introduction of structured national support systems and policies to safeguard the rights and further the provision of holistic sustenance to unaccompanied minors and refugee children.   

Solution – CARDET Focused

Joining forces with Hope for Children – CRC Policy Center, CARDET organised a full-day Conference to present and examine present realities and challenges, as well as proposed policies and steps to effectively support unaccompanied minor migrants. Featuring presentations and panel discussions, the Conference provided experts and practitioners a unique opportunity to acquaint themselves with the work and tools produced by the project, as well as engage with different perspectives on the realities and necessary steps in the field. 

Specifically, through the workings of the Conference, the team of CARDET presented the key findings and showcased the outcomes and achievements of the SAFE project in Cyprus and in all the implementing countries. They also facilitate two panel discussions with the participation of key stakeholders and practitioners from government institutions, international entities and children rights organisations: 

  • Panel Discussion 1: ‘Supporting unaccompanied minors: Realities and Needs’ 
  • Panel Discussion 2: ‘The realities and challenges of supporting the inclusion of unaccompanied minors in Cyprus’ 

Through the workings of the conference, participants also had the chance to raise questions, voice their views and engage in enriching discussions.   

Results – Impact

SAFE’s final conference hosted key stakeholders, experts and practitioners in the fields of children rights, migrant inclusion, education and social work as well as members of the general public. Specifically, to address this important matter in a well-rounded manner and spread the message further,  the conference concluded the project with:

  • Speeches, presentations and discussions with representatives of the Office of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights, the Republic of Cyprus’ Asylum Service, UNHCR Cyprus, Hope for Children CRC Policy Centre, Social Welfare Services and Cyprus’ Pedagogical Institute of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth. 
  • Eighty attendees including front-line workers, carers, practitioners, researchers, educators and stakeholders.  
  • A screening of the SAFE Documentary and two panel discussions offering a thorough exploration of the issues at hand
  • Significant media coverage both prior and after the conference

Cyprus Education Summit

Executive Summary – Overview 

The Cyprus Education Summit is an annual high-level conference, organised by CARDET, that provides an in-depth exploration of key themes, trends and prospects in all aspects of education and training. The Conference offers the space for Education practitioners and policy makers, teachers and stakeholders to discuss and exchange views, experiences, as well as suggestions to pave the way for the introduction of structured policies and actions in the field. 

Background – General

The field of education and by extension the Educational system of Cyprus are undergoing profound transitions, spurred by technological advancements, evolving societal needs, and a changing global landscape. A multi-level transformation prompts new realities and bears the need to re-evaluate existing approaches and policies, as well as opportunities to ensure that students and educators alike are provided with the support and guidance needed to navigate and thrive in the new environment. This dictates the need to assess and explore ways to bridge theory with practice, foster collaboration and facilitate the formulation of comprehensive and catered propositions that put forward actionable steps towards a progressive, inclusive and future-ready education system. 

Solution – CARDET Focused

The Cyprus Education Summit brings together key stakeholders and policymakers with renowned academics, experts and practitioners serving as a forum for the examination of key themes, developments and aspects of education.  Each year, the summit focuses on a topic of pivotal importance within the Cyprus educational system, in particular: 

  • 2021: Digital Transformation and Digital Skills – Trends and Strategies for Lifelong Learning and Adult Education
  • 2022: The professional learning of educators – Challenges and Prospects 
  • 2023: The evaluation of students as an essential component of the educational process  

The team of CARDET, in collaboration with its associates, develops a robust program inviting high-level speakers from Cyprus and abroad, with longstanding expertise and experience in the field,  to share their insights and experiences along with case studies in the field.  Through their presentations, they link theoretical concepts with pedagogical applications to bring to the fore empirically supported practices that align with the needs and can be effectively adopted in Cyprus’ educational system. An essential component of the Cyprus Education Summit, is to give the opportunity to the education professionals to voice their views and propositions on the field as well as raise questions to the experts and government officials participating in the processes of the summit. 

Results – Impact

Since its launch in 2021, the Cyprus Education Summit has established itself as the leading conference in the field of education in Cyprus. Each year, the Summit has had the pleasure of hosting, as speakers and attendees, key government officials, esteemed academics, notable education practitioners and representatives of leading educational institutions and organisations. 

Specifically, over the years, the Summit successfully resulted in:

  • Hosting 30+ renowned speakers – government officials, policymakers, academics, researchers, educators and practitioners
  • Attracting more than 400+ participants from the whole spectrum of the educational system 
  • Producing structured reports with propositions for actionable steps and measures that can further improve the Cyprus Educational system.

Tackling Racism in Grassroots Football

Name/Title: TACKLE Racism in Grassroots Football

Executive Summary 

TACKLE’s final conference, hosted at UEFA’s Headquarters in Nyon and streamed online, was the culmination of the work and efforts of the project to generate awareness and put forward tangible interventions to make grassroots football a  welcoming space for all. Featuring speeches from legends of the game and high-level stakeholders from the field of Football and Education, the conference put to the fore the realities and challenges on the ground as well as the findings and results of the project in its bid to root racism out of football. 

Background

Implemented by a consortium of seven leading organisations from six European countries, TACKLE responded to the increasing calls for action to address the rising incidents of discrimination and intolerance in grassroots football. Placing grassroots football coaches and professionals at the epicentre of its response, the project sought to equip them with the knowledge and skills to serve as active agents in the fight against racism in football and society. Through the learning material developed, the training opportunities offered and its awareness activities TACKLE emphasised the universality of the sport that needs to be cherished and protected by tackling any form of intolerance. Work and actions that enabled partners to have multifaceted contributions in the field as well as draw invaluable insights and lessons that were presented in a Conference, held at UEFA’s Headquarters, crowing the completion of the project.  

Solution 

In close cooperation with the UEFA Foundation for Children, CARDET organised a hybrid conference at UEFA’s Headquarters in Nyon, to mark off the completion of TACKLE and showcase its work and successes. Headlined by the international football legend Clarence Seedorf, the Conference featured high-profile speakers who presented their experiences and views on the necessary actions to pave the way for football to become a catalyst in promoting inclusion, respect and acceptance in society. As part of the  Conference, CARDET’s Executive Director Charalambos Vrasidas, presented the work, key achievements and lessons learned through the work and actions of the TACKLE project. 

Results – Impact

TACKLE’s final Conference brought together football personalities, key experts and grassroots professionals, attracting considerable participation, both at the venue and online, as well as coverage from the media. Specifically, the Conference featured: 

  • 50 football professionals, coaches and practitioners as well as representatives of organisations and institutions working in the field of inclusion and human rights attending the event at the venue
  • The online broadcast and video of the Conference was streamed by over 15,000 users 
  • The promotion and dissemination activities of the Final Conference – media articles, social media posts, online videos –  had an approximate reach of 150,000+ individuals

Digital, Responsible Citizenship in a Connected World

Name/Title: DRC – Digital, Responsible Citizenship in a Connected World”

Executive Summary – Overview 

Basing the scope of its work and approach on the DiGComp Framework, the ‘Digital, Responsible Citizenship in a Connected World – DRC’ project worked towards infusing innovative pedagogical practices to facilitate the integration and promotion of digital citizenship skills in school and teacher education. The project produced a comprehensive package of educational material and tools, complemented by structured guides and training offerings, to educate students and teachers alike on digital citizenship skills and facilitate the promotion and integration of digital literacy and citizenship in school curricula. 

Background – General

In today’s increasingly interconnected and digital world, the integration of digital literacy and citizenship in school education is imperative. These concepts ensure that students not only acquire the skills necessary to responsibly navigate the digital realm, but also promote ethical behavior online, encouraging respectful engagement and counteracting cyberbullying. When woven into education, digital literacy and citizenship also prepare students for future professional landscapes, as well as empower them to be responsible digital citizens capable of leveraging technology for positive change in society. In addition, these principals help pave the way for the educational systems to address and tackle disparities in skills, that often are the underlying factors that foster inequalities.  

Solution – CARDET Focused

Led by CARDET and implemented in four EU countries by a consortium of five organisations, DRC took a multifaceted approach to educate and enhance teachers’ and students’ digital citizenship skills.

Specifically, having examined and documented the existing needs and realities in the field, the consortium designed a pedagogical framework and e-Toolkit for Digital Citizenship education. Furthermore, it produced a Curriculum and Guide to build up the knowledge and skills of educators in designing, implementing and evaluating learning activities to elevate their students’ digital skills. The educational resources of the project were complemented by a Digital Citizenship App, in the form of an interactive gamified learning environment, through which primary schools can explore fundamental aspects of digital citizenship, covering the five digital competence areas of DigComp framework.  

Most importantly, the initiative focused on engaging and collaborating with key educational stakeholders and schools in the implementing countries to set the foundations for the structured introduction of digital citizenship programs in school curricula that are aligned with the DigComp framework. Over the course of the project, CARDET collaborated closely with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth  and the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute to facilitate the transfer of the work and resources of the DRC in schools and to effectively engage education policymakers, teachers, parents and students. The Centre also played an instrumental role in the development and delivery of its Digital Literacy and Citizenship Guide for teachers in both online and face-to-face format and the development of the Digital Gamified Mini Games. 

Results – Impact

Operating on the basis of a structured and comprehensive work plan that entailed the implementation of all its actions in overlapping phases incorporating research and analysis, design and development the project team successfully completed DRC’s objectives. With the support and guidance of CARDET’s project management team and experts, with the completion of the project team, the implementing consortium has expertly completed all its tasks that enabled the: 

  • Engagement of 15,000 educators, community members, policymakers, training providers and stakeholders
  • Compilation of a Transnational State of the Art report on ‘Digital Citizenship Profile/identity in schools’
  • Design of a Pedagogical Framework and the development of an e-Toolkit on Digital Citizenship
  • Creation of the Digital Literacy and Citizenship Guide for Teachers
  • Development and Evaluation of the Digital Citizenship Programme and Curricula on digital literacy
  • Development of a Digital Citizenship App – gamified learning environment
  • Delivery of workshops to students (ages 6-12) in the implementing countries
  • Offering of a certified training to teachers

Empowering girls in STEAM through robotics and coding

Name/Title: RoboGirls “Empowering Girls in STEAM through robotics and coding”

Executive Summary – Overview

The RoboGirls project developed a full-suite of innovative pedagogical tools aimed at building the capacity of educators to organise and implement experiential STEAM activities, using robotics and coding, to to actively engage girls in digital technologies and close the gender gap in the field. It focused on producing dynamic resources and gamified tools that were  implemented in a series of blended learning trainings for teachers and students to get comfortable with using digital technologies.

Background  – General

The women underrepresentation in STEAM has been a significant area of concern to educators and researchers over the past years. Even though the sector is rapidly growing, driving innovation and progress, a significant gender gap in all levels of its disciplines still persists. Robogirls has set out to embrace gender equity to help foster diversity in this field using innovative solutions to address skill gaps and promote future economic growth. 

Following the elaborate research conducted by the consortium across Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, Spain and Ireland, the Robogirls team proposed a multifaceted approach to tackle the issue at its core through education. The project focused on developing innovative pedagogical material, dynamic resources, gamified tools, and a series of blended learning trainings to boost educators’ confidence and skills in introducing robotics in the classroom, as well as heightening girls’ interest in approaching STEAM subjects as a whole. 

Solution – CARDET Focused

Robogirls developed an interactive MOOC platform offering educators seamless access to an integrated set of resources, tools and training materials to enable them to organise and implement innovative, experiential STEAM activities with the use of robotics and coding. Through the Robogirls’ platform, they can access and utilise a Comprehensive Guide for Educators comprised of learning materials, training resources and thematic activities they can apply to introduce robotics and coding in their lessons. 

Furthermore, the Robogirls team created a Career Simulator containing 5 scenarios where the user assumes the role of a young female aspiring STEAM professional. Through storytelling, the persona engages in problem-solving activities, ultimately starting in the fields of Computing, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Web Design and Development. The scenario-based approach and dynamic experience of the game offered users the opportunity for users to immerse themselves in the fields and get acquainted with the endless possibilities the digital era has to provide. 

Results – Impact

The huge success of the RoboGirls project is largely defined by its accessible digital tools and innovative approach to challenging gender inequality within the field of robotics. Since it’s completion, the initiative has been recognised by the European Innovative Teaching Award 2023 for its outstanding results in providing accessible digital tools and innovative approach to empowering girls in STEM through robotics and coding, including

  • Enhancing over 1300 girls with confidence and self-esteem towards STEAM, motivating them to consider a relevant career in the future.
  • Building the capacity of over 60 teachers on STEAM Education using robotics and gender equality approaches.
  • Developing innovative quality learning material and OERs for teachers to promote girls’ empowerment and engagement in digital technologies.
  • Helping to develop complex ways of thinking, making the introduction of robotics in the classroom fun and kinaesthetic – despite previous experience expressed through focus groups.

EntrInnO

Name/Title: EntrInnO – Online Game for Entrepreneurship and Innovation”

Executive Summary – Overview

In response to the rise in youth unemployment, via the research conducted by the consortium of the project, EntrInno developed and put forward an interactive learning tool that utilises a gamified approach to cultivate entrepreneurial competencies, drive innovation and guide youth  οn their path to success.

Background

Against the backdrop of heightened challenges across European economies and high-levels of youth unemployment, the EntrInnO project was initiated to help empower and encourage young people to become entrepreneurs. In particular, the initiative sought to leverage the interactivity and engagement of digital games, traditionally associated with entertainment, and channel those benefits towards educational and self-development purposes instead. In doing so, the initiative put forward an innovative gaming platform  to equip young people with essential business skills that would enable them to formulate their own enterprises and mitigate high youth unemployment. 

Solution – CARDET Focused

Following the invaluable insights and research conducted by the Consortium, the EntrInno initiative incorporated a simulation game hosted on Moodle LMS for a fully customised gaming and educational experience. By moving through the game, the users are put before the life-like business scenarios and learn from simulated game design to enhance their critical entrepreneurial skills. 

This challenges the traditional Learning Management System design, and gives a glimpse into otherwise unattainable scenarios of designing, developing and running an enterprise. To further expand their entrepreneurial repertoire, the game also features multiple opportunities for social interaction, serving as a platform for discussion, idea generation and networking. Moreover, the gaming hub allows players to track their progress through character upgrades, as well as a scoreboard for an additional element of competition. 

Results – Impact

EntrInnO’s platform employed innovative ICT-based educational approaches and gaming to elevate the tool from a Learning Management System to an engaging and accessible simulation experience to foster innovation and entrepreneurship skills. Through the work of the project, the innovative online gaming platform has:

  • Validated gaming as a novel form of non-formal learning practice to help engage and motivate young adults to commit to active and experiential learning
  • Re-emphasised the need for novel IT-backed learning tools to adhere to numerous learning styles with a strong focus on experiential learning of entrepreneurship
  • Reached over 300 young entrepreneurs and offered educational material to further strengthen their entrepreneurial ambitions
  • Brought to light the transversal skills such as entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as basic skills such as digital literacy, communication and networking skills. 
  • Strengthened cooperation and exchange of information and good practices between European countries.

SWPBS Recognised by the European Commission and in Academia

CARDET is delighted to celebrate the remarkable impact and commendation of its SWPBS project, aimed to promote inclusive, non-discriminatory social culture and necessary socio-emotional behaviour support for children, even over a year after its successful completion.

The Centre is proud to announce that the “Building School-Wide Inclusive, Positive and Equitable Learning Environments Through A Systems-Change Approach” (SWPBS) initiative has received a prestigious acknowledgement as a good practice in the European Toolkit for Schools. The work and approaches put forward by the project are now placed among a comprehensive list of tested and effective ideas and interventions for improving collaboration within, between, and beyond schools across the European Union.

With SWPBS showcased as a good practice, the legacy of the project will continue to support and inspire school leaders, teachers, parents, and policymakers in enhancing the quality of early childhood and school education, as well as support exchange of experience among school practitioners and policy makers. The project’s dedicated page in the European Toolkit for Schools can be found here, featuring a short description in 29 languages and a detailed description in English.

In addition to this exceptional recognition, CARDET is proud to highlight two recent publications, in renowned academic journals, that analyse and showcase the lasting impact of the SWPBS project in the field of education. The findings and lessons drawn from the three-year ERASMUS+ Key Action 3 Policy Experimentation program, spanning across Cyprus, Finland, Greece, and Romania served as the basis for the ‘Contextual Adaptations to Implement SWPBS With Fidelity: The Case of Cyprus’ and ‘Effects of the Universal Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on Collective Teacher Efficacy’ research publications.

Both of the studies provide invaluable insights into the aftermath of successful systematic implementation of SWPBS approach in schools around Cyprus and Greece revealing positive outcomes on teachers’ collective belief in providing quality teaching opportunities and managing unexpected behaviors as a team. The academic publications are readily available to all here:

On this note, CARDET would like to extend its gratitude to all project participants, collaborators, and stakeholders for their invaluable contributions to the success of the SWPBS initiative. The organisation remains committed to advancing inclusive and positive learning environments and looks forward to continued collaboration in shaping the future of education.

Stars4SD Project Successfully Concludes, Empowering Young Entrepreneurs Across Europe

Following the Final ‘Empowering Tomorrow’s Youth Entrepreneurs’ Conference at the University of Cyprus last week, the Stars4SD project has reached its successful conclusion, leaving a lasting impact on the landscape of youth entrepreneurship and sustainable development.

Joined by over 40 students, mentors, and speakers, the conference served as a pivotal milestone of this ambitious Erasmus+ initiative that focuses on the popularisation and implementation of SDG practices across new businesses. The attendees had the unique opportunity to delve into success stories and explore the materials developed throughout the project, gaining insights into the numerous opportunities presented by SDG practices and their adoption.

Over the course of the past two years, the project has continuously drawn inspiration from experts in the field, focused on creating a wider network of SDG entrepreneurs in Europe, as well as provided materials for young entrepreneurs to smoothly integrate sustainability practices. CARDET, who’s been the active driver of the project in Cyprus, is happy to announce that now these innovative tools and materials are also freely available online for everyone, to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs. These include:

  • Youth Entrepreneurs’ Coaching and Training on SDGs: A comprehensive program designed to educate and empower young entrepreneurs to integrate sustainable practices into their business models.
  • Train the Trainer Guide: A resourceful guide created to enable trainers to effectively convey the principles of SDGs to young entrepreneurs to further multiply the project’s impact.
  • Stars4SD Methodology: A groundbreaking framework for business administration that introduced an award system, encouraging and rewarding young entrepreneurs who took tangible steps towards achieving the specified SDGs.
  • Stars4SD Network: A dynamic network of youth volunteers spanning across EU countries, promoting entrepreneurship and advocating for sustainable development goals.
  • Stars4SD Good Practice Guide: A guide aimed at raising awareness among young entrepreneurs and policy makers regarding innovative, sustainability-oriented, and holistic approaches to youth entrepreneurship.

Without a doubt, the Stars4SD project has left an indelible mark on the landscape of youth entrepreneurship and sustainable development, creating a legacy that will continue to inspire and drive positive change. As we celebrate the successful conclusion of the Stars4SD project, we look forward to witnessing the lasting impact of empowered young entrepreneurs who are committed to building a more sustainable and equitable future.

Excelling Entrepreneurship at the “International Dimension of Centres of Vocational Excellence” Conference in Turin

CARDET is proud to have been given the opportunity to participate in the European Training Foundation’s “International dimension of Centres of Vocational Excellence” Conference in Turin.

The Conference, taking place between 8th and 10th of November, provided an exceptional opportunity to celebrate the successful completion of the Entrepreneurial Centres of Vocational Excellence (Entrepreneurial CoVEs) initiative. Most importantly, it served as a forum to share and explore the invaluable insights and excellent work of the project in promoting international cooperation and vocational excellence amongst distinguished international stakeholders and partners.

Since 2020, CARDET has had the honour of being involved in the project supporting the ETF in the establishment and facilitation of CoVEs, while placing entrepreneurship excellence as the key competence for lifelong learning. Through its longstanding expertise in the field, as the leading research and training institution in Cyprus, CARDET has since helped ETF build up an international platform for distinguished educational institutions and organisations who embrace innovation and quality in their operations, services, and responsiveness to the labor market’s skill demands.

Over the course of this collaboration, CARDET has worked relentlessly to further the ETF’s mission and bring together CoVEs and experts from across the region, putting forward a joint vision and conceptual framework for entrepreneurial vocational training centres. To further assist the initiative, CARDET has been involved in introducing the Tunisian approach to entrepreneurial learning, developing a reflection tool to assess the entrepreneurial methods among CoVEs, carrying out coaching sessions, webinars, as well as spotlighting and sharing valuable practices across the EU.

The conference in Turin has served as an important milestone in bringing together the lessons learned throughout this time. By improving organisational practices, the entrepreneurial ecosystem, teaching and training and material, as well as products and services – the project has successfully helped champion entrepreneurship and revamp local and international CoVEs as the true innovation hubs with strong ties to industry and business and its legacy will, without a doubt, live on.

Developing capacities together: European CSO-university networks for global learning on migration, security and sustainable development in an interdependent world

Name/Title:
InterCap – “Developing capacities together: European CSO-university networks for global learning on migration, security and sustainable development in an interdependent world”

Executive Summary – Overview
InterCap put forward a multifaceted intervention to elevate the understanding of EU citizens in the increasingly important issues of migration and sustainable development. By bringing together a pan-European network of Civil Society Organisations and Universities, the project developed a comprehensive set of resources and innovative methodologies to build up educators’ capacity to promote global education and interconnectedness in their classrooms and beyond.

Background – General
In light of the growing insecurity and concerns on migration and sustainable development, InterCap invested its efforts in engaging educators and foster their capacity to act as agents of positive change and action in collectively addressing the challenges of an interdependent world. Operating on the basis of a structured action plan, that entailed a multifaceted intervention in the field, the project sought to enhance the critical understanding of education actors on the issues of migration and sustainable development. 

InterCap carried out a comprehensive analysis of the way Education for Sustainable Development is being approached and delivered across the EU. Most importantly, it produced a structured Training Package, suitable for both f2f and online delivery, to elevate the knowledge and skills of teachers and trainers on topics related to migration and sustainable development. Its training package put forward a theoretical presentation of the issues at hand and provided learners with structured guidance on how to integrate innovative and engaging methodologies in their teaching to promote a participatory and interactive learning experience. The training programme afforded learners a comprehensive walkthrough on the implementation of innovative teaching methodologies such as Participatory Theater – Theater for Living, Interactive Learning Communities and Communities of Philosophical Enquiry. 

As the Project Coordinator of the project, CARDET was tasked with the general oversight and quality assurance of InterCap, supporting and coordinating the Consortium in expertly delivering all its tasks and actions. The Centre also played an instrumental role in compilation of the Research and Policy papers of the project as well as in the development and delivery of its Training Package in both online and face to face format.

Results – Impact
The project and its implementing partners were successful in initiating a European Community of Practice that facilitated the collaboration and the pursuit of joint actions with the involvement of Universities, CSOs and European Networks in the field of Development and Global Education. With the support of the aforementioned parties, InterCap compiled and published a series of National and Transnational Reports as well as Policy Papers to contribute to a greater conception of the present realities on the ground and facilitate the promotion of Global Education. 

Additionally, more than twenty thousand professionals and practitioners accessed and benefited from the project’s Training package either by accessing it online or by participating in the workshops organized and delivered by the implementing partners.  The project was also overwhelmingly successful in engaging the general public to raise awareness about the importance of quality development education having been able to reach, through its dissemination and digital promotion actions, more than 2 million individuals across Europe.