Address: 22, Tabidze street

Country: Georgia

 School website

Project: From here to future success

Working language during the project:

• Georgian
• English
   

Themes of the Council of Europe project “Free to Speak, Safe to Learn - Democratic Schools for All” covered:

• Making children’s and students’ voices heard
• Improving well-being at school
   

Competences from the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (CDC) addressed and where / how they were integrated:

• Knowledge and critical understanding of the self
  Session-Me and my assets helped participants identify and value personal strengths and assets are elements of a positive identity and assets in youth development. Youth who describe or display their personal assets are more likely to engage in positive behaviours and avoid negative, destructive behaviours.
• Conflict-resolution skills
  After responding to a series of short statements, participants practiced at least one constructive method to handle conflict in friendships without resorting to violence or combative behaviour, modelled at least one adaptive and flexible response to problems; including at least one strategy to deal with setbacks and feedback.
• Skills of listening and observing
  After generating ideas as a large group and working in pairs, participants identified at least three verbal and three nonverbal communication behaviours that demonstrate effective listening and are culturally appropriate. Using a series of real-life scenarios, participants demonstrated at least two active listening skills.
• Valuing human dignity and human rights
  After analysis of activities in their communities, participants identified at least two cultural values important in their communities and described how cultural values are acquired and how they affect their personal values. They shared the principles for how they want to live and who they want to be.
   

Target group age range:

• 11-15

   

Level of education:

• Lower secondary education

Short description of the project:

In a constantly changing environment, knowing the English language and having life skills is an essential part of being able to meet the challenges of everyday life. To cope with this, students need new life skills such as self-confidence, problem solving, leadership, critical thinking, collaboration, working well as part of a team and many more. However, students do not realise how important these skills are.

Studies show that students who are self-confident perform better academically and lead more fulfilling lives after finishing school. One specific study done for students in the United States and England shows a direct correlation between self-esteem and academic performance in maths. The same study discusses the correlation between gender and self-confidence. Female students in late adolescents, around the age of 15, were found to have a moderately lower self- esteem than male students. The target of this project is girls approaching this age. For this reason, we established the “Life Skills Club”. The focus of the club was to work with 12-15 female students in life skills to enhance their lives. The club also aimed to emphasise the value of technology, computer science, engineering, and other STEM-related topics during the trainings.

• First, to spread the word, we created an advertisement about the project and placed it on the notice board.
• After that, we organised the meeting for students introducing them the goals and objectives of the project, the life skill topics and students arranged them according to their priority.
• 10 training sessions and resources were developed and obtained for conducting the trainings.
• Participants attended the trainings twice a week, each session lasted for 1.5 hours.
• A trip was organized in Tbilisi Innovation Center, where the technological, educational and professional resources are housed. Participants were introduced to modern technologies. Innovation and Technology Agency
• At the end of the project we had a final conference where the participants shared their ideas and attitudes about the project.
• Participants were given certificates.
   

Aims/objectives

• The students would learn useful life skills and leadership topics related to all aspects of life, including: succeeding in the workplace, fostering healthy living, and engaging with communities.
• Emphasis would be given to not only skills but other competences of democratic culture such as knowledge and critical understanding, values and attitudes. These competences would help students to behave appropriately and effectively in democratic and intercultural situations.
• The students would improve their listening and speaking skills in English.
   

Expected results/outcomes

The potential impact of this project can expand throughout each student’s life. These skills, including self-confidence, leadership, goal setting, identifying a want vs. a need, budgeting, coding can be used in secondary school through to full-time employment and beyond.

The training presentations that we develop will be made available to teachers within our school and teachers in the area. Allowing others to see this information will assist with integrating this work on life skills into our teaching.
 

Changes

• The students that are involved will be our main focus for sustainability. The skills and ideas they learn from this training can be used throughout their lives. These students will also discuss the subjects with their families and friends after the club.
• Youth leaders will learn techniques for training and presenting.
• This training material will be offered to other teachers at our school, as well as to teachers in schools from other areas. Some of this training can be delivered by the club participants, youth leaders, or other teachers as part of different clubs or classroom activities.
   

Challenges you faced

As the working language of the trainings was English, it became a challenge for some students. The language challenge was anticipated while planning the project and for this reason we used youth resources -older students who knew English and who could facilitate the translation from Georgian into English whenever necessary.
 

Time-frame of the project:

Two months
 

Council of Europe materials on citizenship and human rights education used while preparing or implementing your practice:

• Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture
• All Different – All Equal
• Compasito
• Other: Life Skills and Leadership Manual -USAID, Peace Corps