The project ADULATION (acronym which also means admiration or praise) aims in the promotion of civic engagement of adults and seniors through adult education. The direct target group is adult and community educators. The end beneficiaries are adult and senior learners with fewer opportunities.

• PROJECT SUMMARY

Context

The European Commission perceives as a vital challenge the fact that the European citizens are disengaged and often apathetic and alienated from the traditional forms of politics (especially voting) or organisational membership. For the partners, civic engagement goes beyond traditional politics. We believe that Adult and Community Educators can be better prepared to support the civic engagement of adults and seniors. Thus, we propose an innovative learning environment for the promotion of civic engagement of adults and seniors.

Objectives

The project ADULATION (acronym which also means admiration or praise) aims in the promotion of civic engagement of adults and seniors through adult education. The direct target group is adult and community educators. The end beneficiaries are adult and senior learners with fewer opportunities.

Participants

12 Adult Education professionals will attend a transnational Joint- staff Training Event. Based on the methods they will learn they will provide online pilot training to 10 adult educators in their countries (40 people) who are expected to engage 5 adult and senior learners each (200). More than 120 people representing the project target groups and stakeholders will attend the Dissemination Workshops. 45 people with fewer opportunities will be involved in the project activities.

Activities & Methology

One joint-staff training with the use of blended learning; face-to-face non-formal education and online self-directed learning.

Each partner will implement at least 4 meetings (total, 16) with local stakeholders.

The partners will run 4 campaigns on the social media on topics of interest of adult and senior learners.

One project website will be created and sustained for 5 years.

The project will have its own branding concept and digital presence in all major social platforms.

The partners will disseminate the progress of the project, the intellectual outputs (Research Study, Handbook, Training Toolkit, Toolkit for Successful Online Campaigns and Petitions), the activities and events and the impact on the target groups. They will use classic media and face-to-face events but they will also follow a social media strategy and planning.

The visibility efforts will focus on Erasmus+ and the opportunities it represents for European citizens.

The communication with the players involved in Adult Education will be facilitated following a Stakeholder Dialogue Model.

The innovative methodologies of the project go beyond the educational aspect and they cover project management (Kanban method and the PM² Methodology of the European Commission for risk and quality management based on the deming cycle Plan, Do, Check and Act), risk assessment (Traffic Lights method), and collaboration and communication with online tools.

• RESULTS

A. INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS

1. Research Study with the method of questionnaire surveys Research: "The political dimension of the work of adult educators in Cyprus, Belgium, Hungary, and Italy" (based on the European Training Strategy and the Trainer Competence Model).

2. Handbook "Managing active citizenship initiatives with adult and senior coordinators and volunteers".

3. "ADULATION Training toolkit to enhance citizenship of adult and senior learners". Methods and topics:

a) Photovoice to promote Human Rights and Climate Change;

b) Educational Animation (Video) to promote the right of the EU Citizens to Data protection and online privacy;

c) Storytelling to ignite the dialogue on migration and tolerance to difference;

d) Kahoot! Quizzes to challenge Euroscepticism.

4. "ADULATION Toolkit for Successful Online Campaigns and Petitions".

B. OTHER RESULTS

Management plan, Quality Assurance Plan, 4 Risk assessment exercises, 4 Event Reports from TPM and 4 from pilot testing training, Interim and a final evaluation report, Dissemination Plan, Dissemination documentation, Exploitation plan, attendance lists from all TPM, training and multiplier events, logo and branding concept, 4 newsletters in 4 languages (16), Promotional Video, Guidelines on Stakeholder Dialogue Model, Database of associated partners and stakeholders, etc.

IMPACT

The project will provide Adult Educators with an opportunity for professional development and practical educational tools to use in their work with Adult and Senior Learners.

Competence Development will result in greater civic engagement for the learners; mainly those with fewer opportunities.

LONGER TERM IMPACT

Adult education professionals will obtain educational tools to ensure that adult and senior learners with fewer opportunities become active citizens and volunteers. Greater civic engagement is the foundation for social change and can impact countries and regions throughout Europe.

With our research we expect more organisations at international level to be motivated to conduct further research resulting in further improvements in adult education.

• PRIORITIES

HORIZONTAL: Common values, civic engagement and participation. 

ADULT EDUCATION: Extending and developing the competences of educators and other personnel who support adult learners.

• TOPICS

EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Access for disadvantaged

• AIMS

With our project we wish to address the need of adult educators for continuous professional development with a focus on competences to support the active participation of the adult learners in society. Furthermore, we wish to address the fact that traditional education methods are not attractive to all the adult learners; especially those with fewer opportunities (like people with disadvantaged backgrounds) who are often feeling uncomfortable in formal settings.

The overall aim of the project is the promotion of active citizenship through adult education. To achieve this aim, the partners will first work on the competence development of adult educators and they will introduce them to innovative educational methods and techniques.

PARTNERS

COORDINATOR: SEAL CYPRUS-CYPRUS

ALPHABET FORMATION-BELGIUM

HEFTA (RESEARCH INSTITUTE)-HUNGARY

TRAINING 2000-ITALY

 Disadvantaged People

 Citizenship

 Education and Training

 Human Rights