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Count Me In: Using arts and culture for special needs groups
Start date: Jun 1, 2015, End date: May 31, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The strategic partnership 'Count Me In' has been coordinated by the 1st Special Needs Technical/Vocational School of Nea Ionia Magnesia, which was established in 2002 for students with special educational needs, aged 12-30 and the participant organisation Elderberry Gryd Limited, which offers a range of courses for teachers across Europe with focus on learning outside the classroom in a culture and heritage setting, while it provides alternative pedagogical methods based upon experiential learning and have a special competence in Mobile Elearning. The applying participants, Koulosousa Frideriki, a Greek teacher with MSc in Special Education and ten year professional experience in Special Education, and Theologidou Panagiota, social worker with MSc in Drama Education and ten year experience in Special Education, have organised since 2014 a Drama Play and Creative Writing Workshop attended by school’s students, aiming in teaching social skills through drama play to students with special needs. By exploring different practices and methodologies to be found throughout Europe and by highlighting the pedagogical framework from GAIA Museum in Denmark, the objective of the "Count Me In" training course has been to train the participants in an interdisciplinary resource on how to use the arts and cultural sector for working with special needs groups. The course was centred on the training programme at GAIA Museum and focused eLearning material. It consisted of formal lectures, workshops, study trips and time for personal reflection. The participants in the course have become multipliers and have formed a group whose target is to plan a long-term school policy, and organise new KA1 and KA2 partnerships according to the objectives of the conducted KA1 program. Furthermore, the project’s results and impact involved: understanding European policy on a rights based approach, putting the curriculum under perspective, developing a personal training framework for people with disabilities, using appropriate terminology and Glossary of terms, experience in programme management, changing attitudes on special need education, teaching with focus on art and cultural sector, ICT aids for disability. All results have been disseminated to stakeholders (Students, Teaching staff, Parents' Councils, Special Needs Schools, Directorates of Secondary Education- Regional Directorates of Education, Departments of Special Education in Universities, Departments of Special Education in the Ministries of Education, eu/ partners, European society) through two seminars. On Thursday 9th June, at 11:00 morning, a seminar- presentation of the program was held in the Conference Room of Cultural Center in Nea Ionia Volos. The topic was: Vocational education and training for SEN people- Sustainable Enterprises: The Danish Model, as part of Erasmus+ KA1 Action Learning Mobility of Individuals: School education staff mobility titled: Count me in: Using arts and culture for special needs groups. The seminar was attended by vice-mayor of Educaiton and Culture Department Mrs Tokali, Educational Advisor of SEN education in Thessali, Mrs Tsiopa, School Action Coordinator, Mrs Daniilidou, members of parent and School Council. During the seminar questions and issues concerning SEN inclusion in the labor market where put under perspective and leaflets of the program where distributed. The program results were also presented on 17th June in the Public Gallery of Larisa - Katsigra Museum, as part of the seminar organised by the Educational Advisor of SEN education in Thessali, Mrs Tsiopa, titled: Promotion and Dissemination of Action and Educational Intervention Outcomes for the school year 2015-2016. All the material concerning the program, activities, educational outcomes, research outcomes, interviews conducted, have been posted on the School blogs (http://1eidteemag.blogspot.gr/), our e-twinning account ( https://live.etwinning.net/profile), our program webpage (http://teemou.blogspot.gr/) as well as social media (https://www.facebook.com/akirre.akifrr?pnref=story). The dissemination activities have been published in local newspapers: MAGNESIA (28/06/2016) and TACHYDROMOS (4/06/2016). Continuity and sustainability of the program results will be achieved through a forum for all participants and stakeholders and the research conducted by the school via online questionnaires.
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