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Step Up - Cross Border City in Action (Step Up - Cross Bord..)
Step Up - Cross Border City in Action
Start date: May 20, 2011,
End date: May 19, 2014
PROJECT
FINISHED
The overall objective of the project is to unit the existing institutions and organizations in the 4 fields (sport, youth policy, education and culture) to build a stable background for future cooperation. Specific objectives: To improve long established cooperation of the territories by using each others experiences and by building network, consolidating new links between local communities by, - setting up a common youth Parliament (CYP), that can be a distinguished actor on European stage and can act as an integrated body for developing and implementing youth policy, - forming Cultural Events promotion network in order to strengthen territorial attractiveness, - building school network in order to create direct links for better understanding and sharing know-how in educational issues. To build a tolerant society among the partners and participants of the project activities, where each partys history, culture, traditions and heritage are respected and treated in a friendly way, that can be obtained during the project actions and activities, and later be transferred to everyday life of the citizens of the target territory. To put the cross border cooperation on new level by using common ICT resources, improving language skills, thus bringing the cooperation to a systematic everyday action. To increase professional and administrative knowledge by mutual learning, transfer of experience, sharing best practices in 4 spheres, by arranging common seminars, trainings, workshops and master classes. Achievements: This project was realized by the cities of Lappeenranta, Imatra, Svetogorsk and Vyborg as well as the Municipality of the Admiralteiskiy district of St. Petersburg. From the field of educational and sport institutions the Finnish-Russian school of Eastern Finland and Humak University of applied sciences (Suomen Humanistinen Ammattikorkeakoulu OY) and Finnish Sport Association of South Karelia all took part in the project. The final results of the implemented activities have been: 1) in the Action Group on Sport: Altogether 75 sport events were conducted in 3 languages among them e.g. the Baltic Youth Games that were held in Vyborg in 2013, Knowledge on healthy way of life were upgraded and used practically and shared and disseminated among citizens, Sport competition timetable were exchanged annually, Know-how about sports and physical education among local sport actors were shared and used.2) in the Action Group on Culture: the level of management, visibility and performance were improved through 8 seminars and matchmaking events, Additional multicultural and multinational events were planned and implemented among them e.g. choir festival in Vyborg, circus festival in Imatra, Santa Claus event, Common marketing strategy were worked out and agreed by partners, e-calendar were updated and information how to operate the resource was presented to all partners at the Projects final Conference in Lappeenranta on 01.04.2014.3) in the Action Group on Youth Policy: Assembly of Youth Organization was suggested instead of Common Youth parliament as a multifaceted action and agreed by partners, Youth were actively involved into preparation, implementation and organization processes of all events of the Action Group, thus practically experiencing tolerant and respect approach to various business, social and democratic cultures of two countries (in the framework of this a Tolerance rock event was staged in Svetogorsk on 20.10.2012), Cooperation of all issues related to youth policy institutions were increased. Municipal specialists, youth clubs, school parliaments, students unions, youth foundations and associations have built a good networking system for future actions4) in the Action Group on education: The participating schools and kindergartens have formed a durable networking system, Different master classes, visiting teachers, common cultural performances have been created as well, New knowledge on modern pedagogical methods and culture was received during 3 seminars, The distance learning system was tested and improved, Language skills of students, teachers and administrative staff have progressed.