SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND VOLUNTEERING

The project as a whole stayed within the remit of the original project. The students learnt much about their partners through the project as demonstrated through a questionnaire at the start and end of the project. Activities such as the “Dance with me” project in Lithuania ensured that the participating students learnt about the cultural capital of our partner countries. We were all also able to share traditional songs from our countries with the residents of a local care home. Enabling the students and staff to work with each other directly and indirectly has developed communication skills and language skills. This was particularly demonstrated during a Bulgarian Spelling Bee conducted in English. Students being able to participate in lessons at host schools, and spend time with host families also built these relationships and was a key benefit not originally highlighted in the project outline. Voluntary work has been an important focus for our project. During our visits to host schools we have planted trees and visited elderly care homes in Lithuania and have undertook beach cleaning ventures in Italy. Each school has also performed additional voluntary work such as charitable donations and sponsored events for local organisations, supporting vulnerable groups in the local community by collecting for food banks. In the UK the older students raised money in a variety of ways in order to fund a climbing frame and exercise area for the younger students. This supports the government remit of supporting children’s health. There have been a variety of ways in which we have supported the development of entrepreneurial skills with our students. This has been both to support charities and to develop and nurture a growing work ethic. Our students have taken part in competitions by planning, designing and making products to sell and ensuring a profit margin. This awareness of how to manage money is a key life skill. Our project has involved the wider community throughout. We have had the opportunity to visit local tourist attractions to see how they contribute to the local economy. Our students have spent time in classrooms to experience schooling in other cultures as well as spending time with host families. We have visited local government offices, elderly care homes and sporting venues to experience and develop an understanding of how a society is structured.