Communication Is the Key

"""Communication Is the Key"" started from the need to improve communication skills, interaction, behavior, tolerance and civic responsibility for 3500 students from 7 partner schools. We noticed frequent manifestations of aggressive behavior among students within the schools area. We had a questionnaire applied in the 7 partner schools, about violence and aggressive behavior among students. The questionnaire confirmed: students need to improve their behavior. This created the necessity for a project dedicated to developing students personality in a positive way. Objectives of the project: improving communication and foreign language skills, interaction skills, self control, mind development, emotional awareness, self awareness, self esteem and positive attitude, social integration, mentality, responsibility, civic behavior, tolerance, management of conflicts, multi-cultural dialogue, ICT, reducing aggressive behavior and early school leaving. Participants: direct beneficiaries 3500 students from 7 partner schools in East European and Latin countries; and estimated 9000 indirect beneficiaries (parents, siblings, teachers, local authorities, mass media representatives, members of community from 7 countries, also online national and international audience from 44 countries reached online). People involved in project implementation: school teachers with psychological and pedagogic knowledge, school psychologists and counselors, managers and other staff. There was cooperation with other local institutions: orphanages, homes for elderly people, special schools for disabled students (in Romania, Poland, Spain), and local authorities. Activities focused on improving positive communication and personality development, social skills, solidarity, tolerance, acceptance of diversity, improving civic responsibility, team work and group integration. Activities in 2 years: group activities encouraged tolerance, integration and cooperation; games developed team spirit, solidarity and a sense of belonging to a group; workshops focused on specific areas of communication and interaction; individual study on history of communication and types of communication around the world; power point presentations and essays on specific subjects related to project objectives; short plays and simulations of personal and social interaction; group discussions on the topics of mind development and management of emotions, reactions and self control; ICT activities, online communication; social interaction in real situations; pro-ecological activities increased environmental responsibility; creative activities (drawings, paintings, making objects from recycled materials); visits to orphanages and meetings with disabled children for improving tolerance and empathy; community voluntary actions encouraging solidarity; discussions and questionnaires about ethic principles, human rights, civic behavior, laws, making decisions, the importance of education for progress, social inclusion and success, the importance of action-consequence and the negative consequences of aggressive behavior. Methods: non-formal methods, games, outdoor team activities, brainstorming, discussions, workshops, creative activities, counseling sessions, questionnaires. Results: 1. tangible (printed or electronic) Project Magazine (4 issues); Guide for Communication (a manual guide for counseling classes improving behavior); videos of group activities on improving empathy and cooperation; European civic passport for students - a little brochure; a brochure about human rights and responsibilities in social interaction and for the environment; articles about non-verbal communication; a collection of manners and customs around the world regarding human interaction; a brochure about tolerance; essays, power point presentations, drawings, posters, project website, project facebook page, students blog. 2. qualitative abstract results: improved communication skills; improved behavior and positive interaction; improved management of emotions and self control; improved social integration; increased empathy, cooperation, tolerance; evolved mentality; increased interest for education and personal progress; reduced aggressive behavior; improved responsibility about others and the environment. Impact on target group: 3500 students from the 7 partner schools benefited from improved communication skills and foreign language skills, better ICT knowledge, better interaction and social skills, improved civic responsibility, tolerance, empathy, cooperation, multi-cultural knowledge, interest for learning, self control, positive attitude, politeness, reduced aggressive behavior.Impact on indirect beneficiaries: the social media page of the project reached 3850 people from 44 countries, speaking 25 languages. Long term benefits: better communication and social / civic skills with more chances of social integration, personal progress, better citizens, a better society and life."