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Description
“Ubuntu Schools” is a project that involves 800 students from 20 TEIP (Priority Intervention Education Territories) school clusters, where the Ubuntu methodology will be implemented. This methodology works on leadership skills at the service of communities, based on role models such as Nelson Mandela and Malala Yousafzai. The project includes the training of 60 educators enabling them to put this new methodology into practice in their citizenship classes, fostering civic participation and ensuring the sustainability of the project. 4 days of action will be implemented at each school involved per school year.
Summary of project results
The Ubuntu Schools project was based on the African concept of Ubuntu, which emphasized interdependence and relationships with others, encapsulated in the phrase "I am because you are." The project aimed to train educators and students from vulnerable contexts in steward leadership, promoting citizenship, dialogue, peace, and social justice. It also focused on empowering young people to become agents of change within their communities by developing their socio-emotional skills. The project addressed the challenges faced by education and educators in a volatile, uncertain, and complex world.
Throughout the project''s implementation, 21 schools and 1 Educational Center were involved. Each school went through the three phases of the project: Educator Training, Ubuntu Week, and the Club. Overall, the number of institutions impacted exceeded the target of 20 schools, reaching a total of 22.
The initiatives carried out by these institutions during the project or the activities they participated in are organized as follows:
Educator Training: A total of 15 training sessions were conducted throughout the project. At the beginning of each school year, all schools were invited to select a group of 5-6 educators (including both teaching and non-teaching staff) to participate in a training class with educators from other schools. On average, each school benefited from 3 cycles of Educator Training, one per school year.
Ubuntu Weeks: A total of 52 Ubuntu Weeks were held during the project. Every school implemented at least one Ubuntu Week during their involvement. Several schools, after adopting the methodology, managed to replicate more than one Ubuntu Week.
Ubuntu Clubs: Following their respective Ubuntu Week, each school initiated a Club involving both educators and students. Each Club developed its own activity plan based on the manual provided by IPAV. Throughout the project, 147 Club activities were recorded, including celebrations of important dates for the Ubuntu community, volunteer actions, awareness campaigns, replication of Ubuntu dynamics with other youth, creation of social media pages, etc. Some Clubs were less active compared to others, mainly due to restrictive measures schools had to take because of the pandemic. Despite this, the overall actions of the Clubs exceeded the project''s established goals.
Awareness Campaigns: Four campaign actions were carried out as planned. One activity involved promoting the project to all TEIP schools in the Lisbon metropolitan area. The remaining three actions were initiatives by Ubuntu Clubs that mobilized school and community members around themes such as Human Rights, bridge-building, and empathy.
Citizenship Education Training: Through Educator Training, 263 educators, including both teaching and non-teaching staff, were trained. Ubuntu Weeks trained 996 students. These numbers exceeded the project''s initial targets for both educators and students.
National Meetings: Three national Ubuntu Schools meetings were held—two in digital format and one in person, involving students, educators, and school management teams. The in-person meeting had over 1200 participants.
Project Management: Each school received support and guidance from the IPAV team throughout all phases of the project. This team was also responsible for producing educational content for Ubuntu Weeks and Clubs.
In quantitative terms, the following was achieved:
- 4 awareness raising campaigns carried out;
- 218 civic initiatives led by supported NGOs;
- 1.259 people educated in civic rights;
- 23 partnerships between NGOs and schools promoting civic education;
- 81% share of target group showing civic concerns.
In terms of capacity building, the promoter carried out a needs assessment and prepared an action plan.
All proposed targets were met and exceeded.