2SMILE Project

Youmanity is proud to present 2SMILE - a community-based resource centre for school systems to address students' challenging behaviour.
 

Since 2008 all European Educational Systems appear to use a Learning Outcomes Approach. Adopting a Learning Outcomes Approach when developing curricula is seen by many European countries as an effective way to promote more active learning and inclusive teaching. However, so far only Vocational Educational Training (VET) and Higher Education (HE) have used the effectiveness of a Learning Outcome Approach.
 

FOR VET PROVIDERS AND EMPLOYERS outcome-oriented curricula can offer a valuable platform for bridging the worlds of education, training and work. It provides a common language between competences acquired in learning and those required by employers from the labour market.
 

FOR TEACHERS  a curriculum built on knowledge, skills and competences that learners can acquire through an interdisciplinary approach, is more rewarding than traditional approaches. This approach is also more flexible in designing learning programs tailored to the needs of learners and applying innovative pedagogy and assessment procedures.
 

FOR LEARNERS an outcome-based curriculum allows them to appreciate the purpose of learning. Such an approach provides more opportunities for active learning, progression in education and training or integration into the labour market.
 

WITH OUR 2SMILE INITIATIVE we aim to introduce an effective Learning Outcomes Approach into the world of compulsory education. It will target youths at high risk of abandoning education (or those who already have). 2SMILE also aims to engage juveniles known to the justice/social protection systems as well as children from migrant families. It is vulnerable young people who need to be in school the most. Their needs deserve to be closely considered by both teachers and policy makers. Above all, disadvantaged and at-risk youths need a positive educational experience much in the same way their peers do. This can be more easily achieved by focusing on “student-centred learning”. A first step would be to look at how compulsory education delivers in terms of “learning outcomes”.

OUR FINAL AIM IS TO START A EUROPEAN EXPLORATORY CONVERSATION with local communities, practitioners and policy makers on how “learning outcomes” and “student-centred learning” can be used in compulsory education as an alternative narrative for vulnerable youths.

2SMILE, AS A PIONEER INITIATIVE, AIMS TO:
 

· assist policy makers to design more sound strategies and approaches to deliver high quality education for youths at risk of radicalisation, violent behaviour and abandoning education. More high quality education that uses student-centred learning to turn vulnerable youths into important dialogue partners;

· allow teacher’s organisations and students to be active partners of any paradigm shift;

· provide a comprehensive insight into relevant past experience and Europe success stories as a fundamental basis for moving towards youth lifelong learning as opposed to community disengagement, violent behaviour and radicalisation;

· provide concrete policy input during and beyond its lifetime, to ongoing discussions as to the future of the EU Education & Training Programme and the next phase of the Paris Declaration.

OUR OVERALL OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE EUROPEAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

2SMILE will promote active learning and inclusive teaching by focusing on student-centred learning.
 

2SMILE WILL WORK DIRECTLY WITH DISADVANTAGED LEARNERS that are (or should be) in compulsory education in the UK, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Greece and Finland. Disadvantaged learners from each partner country may have a different profile, but have common needs. 2SMILE aims to engage specifically with youths from first, second or third generation migrant families, ethnic minorities, youths in poverty and those exposed to violent behaviour.


THE OUTPUTS:

O1 - "Learning Kit” Development;
O2 - Teachers training course development and implementation;
O3 - Pilot implementation in classrooms;
O4 - Build the "2SMILE Framework Implementation Guide" for dissemination.
 

THE MULTIPLIER EVENTS:

Multiplier events will take place in seven European countries (UK, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Greece and Finland.) for stakeholders, teachers and educators.

THE TRANSNATIONAL MEETINGS:

London, Dublin, Amadora, Cerignola, Athens, Helsinki, Timisoara.
 

The project, coordinated by Luis Guarita, will be implemented during 36 months between September of 2018 and August of 2021.