More information
Description
The project resulted from the considerable number of instances of violations of the right to education and non-discrimination of children and students from ethnic minorities. Despite the efforts for inclusive education, the students have lost their motivation for the education process. This is due to such factors as the lack of knowledge and skills of teachers for work in a multicultural environment, parental illiteracy and lack of will, instigation of intolerance by Bulgarian parents, lack of knowledge and respect for human rights by students, etc. The COVID-19 crisis further exacerbated the negative situation where a lot of students from ethnic minorities have not had the resources and opportunities for full-bodied inclusion in the education process. That is why the project goal is to support the right to education and non-discrimination of students from ethnic minorities in the districts of Sofia, Lovech and Razgrad by creating innovative educational tools and activities for empowerment and prevention of hate speech. To achieve the goal, we plan to use improvisational theatre as a means of efficient and safe communication where “mistakes” serve as educational resources. Training teachers will create a mechanism for partnership with parents and prevention of discrimination. The teaching sessions with the students will illustrate the essence of human rights and empower them to hold them. The project will benefit teachers from Roma and mixed schools from the three districts, the students from different ethnic background and their families.
Summary of project results
The project was initiated in response to the significant number of violations of the right to education and non-discrimination affecting children and students from ethnic minorities. Despite efforts toward inclusive education, many students remain demotivated to engage in the learning process.
This is due to several factors, including:
- Lack of knowledge and skills among teachers for working in a multicultural environment;
- Low literacy levels and lack of commitment from parents;
- Intolerance promoted by non-minority parents;
- Limited awareness and respect for human rights among students.
The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated this negative trend, leaving many ethnic minority students without the resources or opportunities to fully participate in the educational process.
Through the project, an innovative concept was developed for working with children and students from ethnic minorities in the Sofia, Lovech, and Razgrad regions. Additionally, a training toolkit was created for conducting field activities aimed at empowerment and the prevention of hate speech.
The main methods implemented included:
- Training teachers to enhance their capacity to illustrate human rights and motivate Roma students to engage in learning.
- Fieldwork activities designed to reinforce the knowledge gained through training.
- The project also utilized improvisational theater as both a training tool and a means of self-discovery, awareness-building, and motivation for personal development. The improvisational theater techniques acquired by teachers will continue to support their teaching methods and communication with students in the future.
The target groups were directly involved in the project, both in the training sessions and during school activities. Teachers benefited from the project’s outcomes by receiving educational kits and attending demonstrations on how to apply them effectively.
All developed materials are available online and can be shared with other interested stakeholders. The educational kit includes:
- Role-play cards with thought-provoking questions and symbols
- An Improvisation Handbook
- A Student Workbook
- A Training Concept for Teachers
The tools are designed to help students:
- Increase their engagement in the learning process
- Understand and internalize their rights
- Develop the ability to defend their rights as fundamental values
The role-play cards contain engaging and thought-provoking discussion questions, the Improvisation Handbook is an innovative collection of fun and interactive exercises, and the Student Workbook serves as a personal reflection journal to encourage self-exploration and unlock potential.
All materials are suitable for use in regular classroom settings as well as in informal learning environments.