Storytelling to Develop Civic Competences in Young People

BACKGROUNDDespite EU and national policy efforts and initiatives to foster social inclusion and education for young with fewer opportunities, disadvantaged groups continue performing worse, participating less & benefiting less from education opportunities than other learners. Those starting life with fewer opportunities ((NEEts, migrants..) tend to accumulate disadvantages. For this reason there is a urgent need, at European level, to develop new methodologies of education and non formal education to foster young social and democratic participation.Educators, learning providers, should acquire new methodologies, tools and guidance in order to engage young people with fewer opportunities and, as European Commission recommends, include new technologies in the training approach to stimulate them. OBJECTIVESCreating paths of civic and social education addressed at young people, through autobiographical methodologies and digital storytelling. In particolar the project is aimed at:•developing creativity skills and ability to use ICT tools, develop competences regarding historical and humanistic field, with a focus on civic and social competences;•developing a series of transversal skills, such as the ability to relate, to listen, to empathize, related to the practice of collecting a life story, as well as a greater self-awarenessThe StoryDeC project is addressed at Youth trainers / Youth training associations/ social promotion associations / at national and European level / Policy makers in the educational field.ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGYThe innovation of the project is based on the methodology of autobiographical narration and digital storytelling raise awareness about social change and the importance to promote an active social and political participation.The project will create a series of innovative outputs:O1 - StoryDeC Good Practices - A collection of existing good practices that use autobiographical writing and life stories of social change as a tool for civic and social educationO2 - StoryDeC Educational paths - The definition of some non-formal education paths through autobiographical writing and Digital Storytelling, for the development of civic and social skills of young people and the development of young active participation.O3 - StoryDeC Game - A game, in digital and board version, for the development of civic and social skills in young people, through the stories of social change.O4 - StoryDeC Training Module A short training module for trainers, to assure the correct application of the educational paths created by StoryDeC project.O5 - StoryDeC Digital Archive - Creation of a digital archive of stories of social commitment and participation, collected by young participants. To achieve these results and assure their wide dissemination, the project the realization of:•5 Transnational Meetings: at least 14 people involved (education / trainer experts of partner organizations)•1 Joint Staff Training: 14 people involved (partner organizations staff)•6 Multiplier Events: at least 175 people (young learning providers/trainers; policy makers, decision makers, education expert, institutions) involvedRESULTS & IMPACTThe expected results are:- acquisition of new methodologies for the development of civic and social skills in young people, through autobiographical and Digital Storytelling methodologies;- acquisition of a Training Module concerning the new methodologies and educational paths created by the project;- the increase of knowledge on the issue of youth participation at European level;-the improvement of cooperation skills at European level.The StoryDec outputs at aimed at providing young learning educators/trainers with the tools to promote in young people: - a more active participation in social and civic life (national and/or European level);- a greater awareness about the social change theme;- the increase of knowledge on the History and Culture of Europe;- Development of technological skills and use of ICT tools;- Development of civic and social skills, thanks to the creation of StoryDeC Game about social change;- Development of creativity and storytelling skill;- Development of empathy but also self-esteem.The impact, described above, should be maintained and potentially strengthened post-project, through the adoption of the StoryDeC common assessment framework, assessment methodology (educational path using storytelling and DST) and StoryDeC Training Module (04) by the trainers of the partner countries. The results of the project will be disseminated and promoted through the created European network, existing networks and social media.The project produces concrete and transferable results, which can be exploited even after the project conclusion, both by the partners and by other stakeholders.