Description
In recent years, economic and social crisis exacerbated the risks associated with social vulnerability, which now threaten an increased share of the Portuguese population. This has been strongly felt in the municipalities of Loures and Odivelas, in the outskirts of Lisbon, where this project will now develop social and emotional skills in children in primary education through an instrument – a game – that fosters autonomy and accountability. It is a fun and participated approach to various themes connected to citizenship and civic participation. The project provides, for example, the chance of exploring themes such as governance at the municipal level, sustainable development and gender equality. The playing materials currently include more than 120 gaming scenarios, and the project will create at least 20 new situations, involving different tasks and challenges related to tolerance and intercultural understanding, racism and xenophobia, homophobia, sexual harassment and gender violence.
Summary of project results
The high and growing unemployment rates in the municipalities of Loures (10.4%) and Odivelas (12.1%) are one of the main risk factors for social exclusion (Sociodemographic Characterization of the Municipality of Odivelas - Census 2011). The immigrant population and ethnic minorities, due to the difficulties of social insertion they experience, are particularly vulnerable groups. In the municipality of Odivelas, the legal immigrant population reached 11.3% while in the municipality of Loures it amounted to 8.1%. The dropout rate is another important indicator, being close to 11% in some cases. The promoter submitted an application that aimed to increase the levels of social inclusion in children in the 1st and 2nd cycle of basic education in these two municipalities, and to develop their socio-emotional competences (interpersonal relationship, emotion management, decision making), fostering the pro-community attitudes that reinforce the sense of belonging and citizenship. The project included a number of training and community-involvement activities: training of 96 staff members and 33 volunteers, who in turn engaged 937 children from 20 schools into the project; training of 4 staff members of the municipalities; creation of a game addressing citizenship and social inclusion problems and situations; design and implementation of 40 game situations; development of a computer application for the adaptation of the material to digital format; and the organisation of 14 project dissemination sessions for staff members and volunteers. The project roughly met its main ambition: 937 children were involved in a process of developing their socio-emotional skills: 420 sessions of application of the "Adventure in the City" (194 in Loures and 226 in Odivelas) were held. Concerning training it has surpassed the initial targets. According to the initial assessment of external evaluators there has been some improvement of the socio-emotional skills of the involved children, mostly from highly vulnerable socio-economic contexts.
Summary of bilateral results