“The great challenges that humanity is currently facing require that individuals own global competences, and that they contribute with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to fostering a more sustainable and inclusive world” (quote from Global Schools Project website).

As the LADDER Project, several other European projects are working in the framework of DEAR (Development Education and Awareness Raising) and they all aim at fostering the growth of global citizens and at building together the path towards a better world. Having the same mission in mind, several ways to contribute at the achievement of the same goals are taken into consideration. In particular, while the LADDER Project operates in the informal education sector, the following article will give you the opportunity to get to know two DEAR projects working in the formal education sector.

  1. The Global Schools project

The Global Schools project started in 2015 and lasts for three years. It is implemented in 10 EU countries by 17 partners, led by Autonomous Province of Trento (PAT). The project aims at embedding Global Citizenship Education as a cross-cutting theme, and approach, to all existing subjects of primary school programmes in the partner countries. In the long run, it strives for a cultural change in schools and in the society at large, aimed at raising a new generation of world citizens motivated by values of solidarity, equality, justice, inclusion, sustainability and cooperation.

Global Schools supports the mainstreaming of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) both through a revision of educational policies and through the promotion of innovative teaching practices and it works at three levels: 1) policy level; 2)technical level – supporting teachers and CSOs working in schools); and 3) social level – encouraging parents and the wider community to help children grow into aware world citizens.

Among the several actions developed by the projects, it appears relevant to highlight the research developed in the 10 countries of the consortium & the creation of a database which collect teaching resources in 8 different languages. The research focused on the state-of-play of educational policies that favour the introduction of GCE in primary school curriculum and the teaching materials proposed activities on GCE for everyday didactic practice.  

  1. SAME World Project

SAME World is a DEAR project implemented by 13 organizations in 10 different EU Countries, with the support of 12 additional associations in European and non-European Countries. The project is led by CIES and it lasts 3 years (January 2015-January 2018). The project aims to connect and take actions regarding topics which are often presented in isolation such as Climate Change, Environmental Justice, Rights of Nature, Refugee and Migrant Rights.

As mentioned, the project works in the formal education sector thus its general objective is to raise students and teachers’ awareness on the interdependence between Europe and Development Countries, with a focus on Environmental Justice and on the mobilization in favour of a sustainable way of living for a decent life for all. More specifically, the project encourages critical understanding and active citizenship practices relating to specific Global learning issues: climate changes and migrations.

The SAME world project offers engaging activities and tools for children and adults. One of these is the Educational Platform which includes an educational kit and online classes.

 

Discover more about the DEAR approach in the formal education sector visiting the two projects websites and trying out their materials!

Useful Links:

Global School Project
“Is GCE integrated in primary education in Europe?” article
The research developed about Education policies and GCE in Europe
Database with didactic materials

SAME World Project
Educational Platform which includes the Edu-Kit