NO EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING BY SPORTS, MUSICAL, THEATRICAL and ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES.

CONTEXT/BACKGROUND: Today's world map shows us an increasing intermingling of various cultures that have to or want to live together. It is why we believe that the sooner we act, the better chance we will stand to prevent such conflicts from breaking out. The reason why we chose to make this a priority of our project is the fact that this entire phenomenon is also visible from early stages of life, at ages when children should try to see the beauty of life, should learn acceptance and tolerance and should be free from prejudices. All the school involved have immigrant students and are vocational school facing with the unimployement problems wich afflicts each of the areas of the project partners.OBJECTIVES: The overall purpose of the project is to prevent early school leavingobjectives we have established are meant as steps that need to be undertaken in order to attain the purpose:1. to improve our student's talents, qualification, educational achievement and basic skills level.2. to prevent students from school dropout and inequality 3. to improve students' sport and social skills4. to encourage the learning of different languages and cultures from the European cultural backgrounds and develop their social and communication skills5. to encourage the learning of different languages and cultures from the Europeanspace.6. to encourage individual talents.7. to support students'school and life success.NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT: 400 students in the 5 schools with ages ranging from 13-17 will benefit indirectly. Out of these, 87 students have participated in the short-term exchanges. 30 of them are at risk of social exclusion, facing economic difficulties or have behaviour problems. The selection happened before each meeting (8 students/partner/meeting) according to a previously established methodology. One criterion in the selection of the team has been to have a wide variety of cultures and minorities.200 teachers involved directly and indirectly. The project team in each school comprised at least 1 English teacher, 1 Arts teacher, 1 Music teacher and 1 PE teacher. Their work was to coordinate and was supervised by the contact person and the legal representative of each institution. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGY TO BE USED- Project management (ongoing): Design andimplementation of methodologies to be applied - selection of participants, communication, reporting; Financial management and acquisitions; Risk management and control; Evaluation of activities and results.- Transnational Meetings: M1-IT The role of teachers in combating school leaving. - Developing a programme M2-IT Presentation of data referring to school leaving issues at local levels by each school. Current local measures to combat and prevent dropout.- LTTAs: C1 GR - Music activities, C2 PT- Art activities, C3 HU - sport activities, C4 IT - theatre activities- Dissemination of project results and activities (ongoing): Creation of website and updates; Creation of e-twinning space;Design of materials - brochures, CDs, DVDs, flyers, posters; Dissemination meetings; Elaboration of sustainability plan.RESULTS AND IMPACTaware of the phenomenon and implications -the cases of school dropout are reduced- the schools becamepart of a network and can assist each student in dealing with conscious choices and such choices are promoted among participants and indirect beneficiaries.LONG-TERM BENEFITS: the participation to European projects was particularly appreciated by students who more easily chose our school and ask to be involved in.