Project Reference: 2021-1-ES01-KA220-SCH-000035898
Summary
Background
The project designed in order to fill the gap that our school community having. The research found that students active in sport aged 14- and 16-year-olds who exercised regularly are less likely to develop depression. The relationship between movement and brain health is so clear that the WHO recommends an hour a day of moderate exercise for students in primary and secondary scholars. Yet, across our schools and associations the PE is far away from the WHO suggestions. However, across our regions PE teachers are not familiar with teaching PE online which is the gap that must be filled. This project aims to pilot an initiative that fosters self-care and healthy mindset in digital era.
This project will equip Secondary School teachers with competences through online courses from one side, and will initiate peer-education between students from the other side. Designed as cross-sectoral strategic partnership this project will bring together representatives from the formal education(schools) representatives from the non-formal education (training centers) and representatives from the digital business world(IT company) to deliver innovative digital learning pathway in the field of School education.
The goals of the project are to point out the problems of unhealthy way of life that people are living nowadays. We want to involve young people and encourage them to take responsibility and try to live healthier. We want to encourage local way of production of quality food and develop healthy way of urban life. Our goal is also to connect youth that are coming from different cultures and connect them for long-term cooperation. Also, very important part of the project is to build up competences for healthy lifestyle for youth that are coming from rural areas or from economic weaker background.
Another important aim of our project is to provide an intercultural learning experience for young participants by sharing moments of inclusion and carrying out activities that follow non-formal education methods. The topics to discuss are: environmental sustainability, respect for nature, inclusive sport and healthy lifestyle.
During the project, activities will promote intercultural inclusion and learning, such as workshops, role plays, intercultural evenings and trust-building. In addition, through the aforementioned activities, participants will acquire new knowledge about environmental sustainability and carry out sports activities in the open area, through which will be promoted a healthy lifestyle and teamwork. The activities will be facilitated by staff, in charge of non-formal education activities on intercultural learning.
It’s no mystery that exercise boosts mental health and cognitive function in kids.:Many schools have cancelled in-person classes and announced a shift to online teaching: Partner schools and a number of research state that teaching
Language, Maths, Science, Art, Music and other subject are taught to students through the use of online tools in the lockdown and pandemic period. Yet, when it comes to PE it is not taught as online: Not to teach PE online is the gap not only in our associations but also across our regions and parts of EU. Partner schools teachers and their teaching community stated that ”majority of the students are not moving during the lock-down period”. They also stated that ”this is a serious treat of our kids for mental health and well-being” For fostering comprehension, regarding of subject of mental health and well-being PE is the must.
Objectives
It’s no mystery that exercise boosts mental health and cognitive function in kids. Many schools have cancelled in-person classes and announced a shift to online teaching: Partner schools and a number of research state that teaching language, maths, science, art, music and other subject are taught to students through the use of online tools in the lock-down and pandemic period.
Yet, when it comes to PE it is not taught as online: Not to teach PE online is the gap not only in our associations but also across our regions and parts of EU. Partner schools teachers and their teaching community stated that ”majority of the students are not moving during the lock-down period”. They also stated that ”this is a serious treat of our kids for mental health and well-being” For fostering comprehension, regarding of subject of mental health and well-being PE is the must.
Also, knowing teaching in PE as online is more than a need now and for the following future, we want to reach:
1. Increasing the level of competences of school teachers in the field of mental health through online PE (sport) and healthy life style will be ensured.
2. Piloting online courses (the use of meditation and sports as methodology for well-being) will be carried out with regards to digital tools and new technologies.
3. Directing and stimulating peer-learning and teaching process among students based on the methodology of well-being will be ensured through the trainings and online empowerment.
4. Enhancing mental-health education and enabling students to become more familiar with the mind-body connection will be ensured through the involvement of the LTTs and local activities.
FIVE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES of our project are:
(i) AWARENESS
Raising awareness in youth about important issues, as is a PE and incorporate healthy habits in society.
(ii) VISIBILIZATION
Visibility of the health risks caused by poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle, and try to try to eliminate them by disseminating good practices.
(iii) VALUES
Promote and strengthen European values of solidarity, intercultural awareness and personal well-being.
(iv) CITIZENSHIP
Promote dialogue and debate, trying to increase the sense of European citizenship. Therefore, it is intended to promote active citizenship among youth.
(v) NETWORKING
The exchange of experiences, generating networking among young people and organizations. Increasing the visibility of the project and mobility programs Erasmus+.
MAIN OBJECTIVES are:
[1] To exchange realities and customs on sports & physical education and food & cooking in our communities / countries.
[2] To explore connection between healthy lifestyle and physical and mental personal development and health.
[3] To explore and share/exchange different examples of good practice of sport and outdoor health enhancing physical activities and games from our local communities.
[4] To explore alternative and different ways of outdoor physical activity: joggling, treasure hunt, photo safari, tracking.
[5] To create common compilation of advices for healthy lifestyle for youth (including nutrition and PE) with set of specific examples of recipes and sport activities/games.
[6] To explore influence of media and commercials on physical activity and eating habits in different countries.
[7] To come up with the campaign how to raise awareness about importance of healthy lifestyle among participants’ peers in our communities/countries.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
(a) offer to the participants the opportunity of a multi-sector learning experience that encourages them to delve into the subject of youth health, PE, inclusive sports and environmental sustainability;
(b) provide an experience of meeting and exchange, outside of the daily context;
(c) offer an opportunity of mobility to those who have less economic, social and geographical opportunities.
(d) give the chance to all participants to get in touch with people from very different backgrounds and cultures.
Activities
Also, knowing teaching in PE as online is more than a need now and for the following future. We want to reach:
1. Increasing the level of competences of school teachers in the field of mental health through online PE (sport) and healthy life style will be ensured.
2. Piloting online courses (the use of meditation and sports as methodology for well-being) will be carried out with regards to digital tools and new technologies.
3. Directing and stimulating peerlearning and teaching process among students based on the methodology of well-being will be ensured through the trainings and online empowerment.
4. Enhancing mental-health education and enabling students to become more familiar with the mind-body connection will be ensured through the involvement of the LTTs and local activities. The overall objective of this project will be reached trough the specific objectives of this project:
O1 -To increase the level of competences of school teachers in the field of mental health;
O2 -To pilot online courses that will use meditation and sports as methodology for well-being;
O3 -To direct and stimulate peer-learning and teaching process among students based on the methodology of well-being;
O4 -To enhance mental-health education and enable students to become more familiar with the mind-body connection;
O5 -To promote healthy eating and exercise teating and exercise through music and dance;
The project objectives will be reached through methods and techniques of non-formal education. The participants will take part in outdoor and sport activities, interactive lectures, simulations, debates and discussions. They will work individually and in the teams. They will take photos, make videos and promote the goals of the youth exchange in their communities and in media. The will have significant impact on directly involved participants but also on participating organizations and the communities. The key impact we see in raising awareness on the importance of PE, healthy and active lifestyle and activating underprivileged youth.
Also e will have C1 C2 C3 activity. The staffs of the partner organisations and students aged 12-17 will be trained in PE through online tools for having better mental health and well-being extensively.
This LTTAs will include the whole education package:
1. Increasing the level of competences of school teachers in the field of mental health through online PE (sport) and healthy life style will be ensured.
2. Piloting online courses (the use of meditation and sports as methodology for well-being) will be carried out with regards to digital tools and new technologies.
3. Directing and stimulating peer-learning and teaching process among students based on the methodology of well-being will be ensured through the trainings and online empowerment.
4. Enhancing mental-health education and enabling students to become more familiar with the mind-body connection will be ensured through the involvement of the LTTs and local activities.
5.Promoting healthy eating and exercise through music and dance through the use of ICT will be ensured with these LTTs. In the long term the added value of the LTTs
Impact
The project aims at addressing the challenges identified above by means of providing secondary school pupils and teachers in possession of self-PE motivation with the attitudes and skills needed. HEALTHY BODY will deliver on this aim through the following:
1-Research and development of adequate programmes based on the training needs of primary and secondary school teacher and pupils.
2- Production of a manual for secondary school teachers integrating methodologies of self-learning supporting them in giving shape to and strengthening their profiles on teaching PE online.
3-Training Toolkit for Trainers: The Toolkit will integrate guidelines and methods of NFE tailored to the needs of teachers willing to implement educational programmes to empower their teaching profile.
4- E-learning modules and Web Platform. Partners will produce a specific Web Platform with integrated e-learning modules in multiple languages targeted at an audience of pupils and teachers in the EU.
SYSTEMIC RESULT
(a) To organize a grassroots educational campaign to create local narratives around PE, health problems and solutions, while mobilizing citizen engagement and action.
(b) To identify and execute opportunities to incorporate pro-health content into PE, non-formal learning, instructional technologies, devices and software products, including apps, video games and educational simulations such as SimCity.
(c) To create a variety of academic and non-academic competitions centered on pro-health initiatives, or harness existing competitions by introducing health problems as a topic.
(d) Following the trend toward niche channels and narrowcasting, create a TV show or YouTube channel dedicated to educational and engaging coverage of all dimensions of pro-health discussions, ranging from optimal nutrition to policy developments in the EU and abroad.
EXISTENTIAL LEARNING RESULT
Engagement of the project participants with the real life learning situations involves all aspects of learning: cognitive, affective, and practical domains, allowing our young learners to see themselves as agents of change in their local environments. This will develop participants’ competency in dealing with uncertainty, together with a competency of participatory engagement with the real life issues, opened mindedness, cooperation, and reflection. These competencies are particularly essential in developing pro-health literacy.
The project will broaden their views on global challenges, including COVID-19, popular health education, information about common diseases related to nutrition, other issues affecting wellbeing of young people. Our project will raise health consciousness of participants and hopefully will modify their habits and behaviors towards PE, healthy way of life, sustainable consumption and eco-lifestyles, desired by the project organizers.
TRANSVERSAL RESULT
(a) Promoting individual and collective responsibility;
(b) Working with different and controversial perspectives;
(c) Welcoming transdisciplinary discourse;
(d) Seeing the interconnectedness of all sustainability aspects.
EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL RESULT
[1] Developing critical thinking;
[2] Promoting a sense of belonging to the natural and social environment;
[3] Participate meaningfully in decision making processes;
[4] Exercising the right and the responsibility as citizens within a democratic society.
SCIENCE EDUCATION RESULT
(i) Exploring phenomena scientifically by providing scientific explanations;
(ii) Identifying causes of health risks;
(iii) Analyzing the impact of human habits on the one’s life;
(iv) Analyzing controversial theories.
RESULT ON ATTITUDES
One of the most desired post-project impact is a behavioral change. The use of innovative pedagogies in our project will foster competence — ability to cope actively with the complex situations, acting upon and making decisions.