Counterbalance

Description

This project addresses gender-based inequality and discrimination in schools in the Opolski voivodeship. School teachers and head teachers are unaware of this problem and do not critically assess the school system in terms of gender equality. In fact,  prejudice and stereotypes are common among them as well. Firm convictions as to social roles affect teaching method and performance. As a result, a school undermines girls’ self-confidence and self-esteem, and also affects their subsequent career choices. Countries such as Iceland have taken institutional measures to ensure gender equality in schools.Under the project, the Project Promoter will select three schools with which it will work to implement equality standards. Firstly, it will diagnose the school environment in terms of gender equality, and then use a design thinking tool to organise participatory workshops in which a model will be produced for school discrimination prevention standards. When implementing the standards, schools will be able to make use of mentoring by the Project Promoter. A guide on introducing discrimination prevention standards in schools will be widely available. The findings of the school diagnosis will be presented at meetings with policy-makers, including people working in education departments, schools, and the municipality. The Project Promoter will also organise excursion workshops on developing models for discrimination prevention solutions for fifty people in the school community. The project will conclude with a conference on good discrimination prevention practices in schools.The measures are intended to benefit pupils, and their schools will become more sensitive to the problem of gender-based stereotypes and prejudice, and introduce gender equality standards.The project partner is the Iceland-based EVRIS Foundation, which shares good practices from Iceland and provides the Project Promoter with content-related support.

Summary of project results

The project responded to the problem of gender inequality and discrimination in schools in Opole Voivodeship. Teachers and school managements are not aware of this phenomenon, they do not undertake a critical evaluation of the school system in terms of gender equality, and prejudices and stereotypes are also widespread among themselves. Strong beliefs about social roles affect the way and quality of the teaching staff''s work with male and female students. As a result, school negatively affects girls'' confidence and self-esteem, as well as their later career choices. Meanwhile, there are countries such as Iceland, for example, where there are systemic efforts to promote gender equality in schools.

As part of the project, the Project Promoter supported schools in introducing anti-discrimination standards and implementing gender equality measures. The project involved three secondary schools from the Opole Voivodeship. A qualitative and quantitative study of student and school environments was carried out, based on which a report entitled "Gender discrimination as seen through the eyes of students in Opolskie Voivodeship" and an instruction manual on caring for equality in schools "Floors of equality" were produced. Conclusions from the diagnosis of schools were presented at meetings with decision-makers, including those working in education departments, schools, municipalities. Workshops and mentoring for young people were held, as well as workshops for male and female teachers. As part of the design thinking process, youth participated in inventing, planning, testing and consulting their own ideas for anti-discrimination activities in their school. 39 people participated in the prototyping workshop. Three open dialogue meetings were also held in schools in the form of anti-conferences. The final element of the project was a conference on good anti-discrimination practices in schools in the formula of the so-called world cafe. A partner in the project was EVRIS Foundation, an organization from Iceland, which shared good practices and espoused the Grantee substantively.

Thanks to the workshops and anti-conferences, young people expanded their awareness of the impact and consequences of reproducing gender stereotypes. Those who participated in the prototyping workshops raised their sense of empowerment, felt that they are important and their opinions matter. The project resulted in initiatives taken by young people, such as a channel on Instagram dedicated to countering prejudice. The knowledge of teachers, youth, and policymakers about good anti-discrimination practices and the benefits of implementing them has increased. Three local schools were sensitized to the problem of gender stereotypes and biases and introduced gender equality standards.

Summary of bilateral results

The cooperation with the partner was very successful. The partner kept in touch and kept us up to date with the next stages of the project, sharedour posts on Facebook. From the very beginning, the manager on the partner''s side made sure to involve the best possible expert in theon the subject; someone who deals with gender equality in Icelandic schools on a daily basis - she is employed by the Reyjkjavik Municipality.Activities carried out with support or by a partner:1. preparation and participation in a webinar to launch the project (February 2022)2. sharing of expertise: support for the preparation of materials for schools - ongoing contact via email and zoom3. preparation and implementation of a study visit of 2 people from the Laboratory of Change Foundation in Reyjkjavik (October 2022). During the visit, we hadthe opportunity to learn about systemic solutions used in Iceland to counteract gender discrimination, talk to staffstaff, members of NGOs, female and male students, learn about pilot projects and their evaluation. The trip was reported on oursocial media. The good practices learned are part of the materials prepared for the schools.4. participation of experts from Iceland at the project closing event (October 2023). Experts from Iceland shared their experienceswith the participants at the event and learned about the effects of the project. In addition, they met with the Equal Treatment Plenipotentiaryof the City of Opole and a staff member of the Centre for Civil Dialogue.In summary: cooperation with the partner enabled us to take a broader look at counteracting gender discrimination in the education systemeducation system. Thanks to the talks and the study visit, we were much better prepared to implement the project, and we gained a database of ideas, guidelines and methods for solving current problems. If there is an opportunity, we will certainly continue our cooperation.