MY STORY, YOUR STORY - QUEST THE TRUTH

KEY QUESTIONS FOR THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION PART II OF THE APPLICATION FORM

PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1. Project Title: MY STORY, YOUR STORY – QUEST THE TRUTH !

2. Project Description (The project description should be no longer than 1 page in total and should deal with the questions below. Activities and time schedule of the project will be outlined in section 3: Project Implementation) 2a. What is your project idea?

• What is the overall aim?

• How does it relate to the overall theme of the current aces cycle?

• What is your chosen specific focus?

• How does it relate to the contexts where pupils live and their interests?

The overall aim of the project is to raise awareness about Media products which do not only inform and entertain us, but they also play an important role in how we view the reality around us. Mass media – and especially digital media – offer broader access to information and new ways of participation but also carry the risk of manipulation. Media literacy is a crucial factor for active citizenship in today’s society and enables students to access, analyze, evaluate and create media products, allowing them to become responsible consumers and creative producers.

In Bulgaria students are going to create several media products as the project website, powerpoint presentations, school radio, promotional leaflets, whereas in Macedonia they will focus on interesting workshops facilitated by documentary film directors, web environments, music videos and advertisements and school book/ student papers. This will contribute to the diversity and quality of their knowledge, as they will be creative producers with different social and age groups. Throughout the project, they will have to opportunity to share and compare their media experiences and to realize that media issues are complex and often contradictory and controversial, also students have to know that it is more important to have the right questions, not only right answers. It helps us to facilitate the process of inquiry and dialogue.

The students will be trained by expert media workers (journalists and directors) and teachers trough non-formal workshops organized in schools, in order to develop media skills and awareness as well as team spirit among them. They will have the chance to exercise different communication and organization skills and they will be taught about main aspects of team working and overall values of group work. Project will support students’ creative initiatives and help them organize actions and events relevant to their media 1

activities, in order to motivate them for active civic participation and intercultural learning. They will promote their work to general public and thus raise interest on subject of media influence in local community.

2b. Which results and outcomes do you expect to have with your project?

• Which concrete products will your project produce?

• What are the expected achievements (for the students, teachers, your school, the school partnership, other)?

- At least 60 students per each school educated about main aspects of project activities and empowered to use, evaluate and create media products.

- At least 60 hours spent with these groups in different activities.

- 2 intercultural exchanges – one in Bulgaria and one in Macedonia.

The first exchange will be primarily planned as motivational and educational where students will participate together in different workshops were they will learn more about media influence and skills needed for their future work. The second one will focus on promoting and evaluating the project work. Together, students will organize a project festival with different performances to show their achievements.

- Each school will establish their own ACES centre whose goal will be to develop the spirit of students’ media and organize different activities in the local community. It will continue its work after the project and is seen as its long-lasting outcome.

- Each student will be taught to make her/his CV and will have his own aces book, too keep track of new skills, experiences and his ACES impressions.

- Mutual students’ blog of the project.

- “Then & now” album with photos and stories before and after ACES experience; - 2 street ACES actions; - Performances, recordings, project presentations, press clippings, exhibitions and various promotional materials; - At least 600 indirect beneficiaries per each school (teachers, parents, school employees and other students) and members of the local community, who will improve their understanding of students’ media view.

3. Project Implementation (Your answers to this section should provide an overview of how partners intend to organise and implement the project. Feasibility of the activities outlined for each of the partners is an important factor in the assessment of applications. Remember: All project activities have to be carried out between 2

September 2011 and March mid-2012!!!)

3a. How will the partners implement the project?

• How will the partnership between the schools be developed?

• Which creative & innovative approaches will be used?

• Which methods will be used?

• Which work settings are foreseen?

• Which division of responsibilities between the partners is foreseen?

One of the first project activities will be to do a joint survey in both schools, in order to establish the level of knowledge on topic of the influence of media, their fears and expectations, advantages and disadvantages of media, as well as their vision of future media activities and their role in the project. Their responses will be analysed and taken into consideration when planning project activities. Student parliaments/counsils will have the task to promote the project at schools. If the interest among students is too big, they might be selected by the joint criteria, established together by both partner schools. At the very start, both schools will organize a presentation of ACES programme and planned project activities, together with some general information about the title of the project.The project is meant to be fun and creative, based on non-formal, interactive methods of public presentation.

• One of the first tasks of participating students will be to set up and design their ACES corner at school, where they will promote their products and inform other students and teachers about project activities. Teacher implementation teams of both schools will commit to regular feedback and online consultations with partners. They will mutually organise the first exchange which has the goal to connect students and grow friendship among them, as well as to empower them for future cooperative work. During the exchange, students will attend intercultural workshops where they will learn important organizational and communicational skills and develop empathy towards others through creative methods of non-formal learning (storytelling, roleplaying, acting, wall papering, debates, poster making, ranking, etc.).

Most of the workshops will be organized by their senior peers with help of some teachers and experienced students.

• Some of the topics planned are: What kind of media do you use regularly and why? Can you imagine the world without modern ICT? What information should we not share via social websites and why?

How long do you spend in the internet?

Students will also have the chance to meet and talk with experienced journalists who will share their stories. During the exchange the students will also have activities that are supposed to teach them about each others´ customs and cultural backgrounds.

After going through the interactive training, students will start creating their media products with their marginalised groups. They will have a start meeting where they will define their timetable, teams and activities, which they will present to their partner students through online Skype conference. Teachers 3

and senior students/ these students have an ACES experience from last year/ will be available for help and potential consultations. In both schools ACES centres for students will be established, that would be a long term project goal which will, foremost, work on implementation of ACES project activities and ACES products, and also on strengthening the spirit of co-operation in school and community in the future.

The Bulgaria students group will focus on education and empowerment of promoting responsible and ethical use of computer and network resources.

They can significantly expand their knowledge by accessing and using information resources, and by analyzing, collaborating , and publishing information. It will help them to learn that the use of technology is a privilege, not a right and access will be provided to those who agree to act in a considerate and responsible manner. In order to enhance the inclusion and positive atmosphere, the project will support interactive knowledge exchange, when students will have the chance to teach students with special needs in our school.

In Macedonia, students will focus on media influence when it comes to healthy way of living and changing people’s habits through advertising.

Interviews and conducting proper questioning on the path to the truth will be one of the issues in the very beginning of the project. Also the school is involved in other projects that refer to producing organic food, thus this project will be an investigation about changed habits and awareness that people can get through the media. Students, in Macedonia after the workshop with documentary film scriptwriters and directors, will create themselves a school play/video with a script that will come up in the process on a creative workshop where well known fairy tales will be retold, but this time looked through the eyes of the other party.

In both schools students will be encouraged to promote their ACES products at school and in some local institutions. They will also have a day action in their local community, in order to promote the project and raise awareness about media values.

The second exchange will also be planned by both partners. Its goal will be to finalize the project by organizing ACES Festival in one of the local communities, during which achievements and products of the project will be promoted. All students will have the task to plan their festival activities and performances during the exchange and through online consultations and they will get help from their teachers, parents and local community officials for it.

Final activities of the project will be several evaluations between school partners, students and teachers. Additional partners and community institutions will also be asked for feedback.

3b. Describe the project implementation plan and schedule using the following table:

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When?

September 2011 (also before September)

What & How? •

•

• • • October 2011

•

• •

•

• •

November 2011

• • • • • • • •

December 2011

• • • •

January 2011

• •

• • February 2011

• • •

Survey among students about their overall knowledge of influence of media and their fears and expectations concerning the project.

Selection of students for the project according to their motivation for participating, pre-project engagement and interests.

Presentation of ACES and the project in schools; establishing ACES corner in each school.

Contacting local community officials, presentation of the project; planning further activities and cooperation Planning the first student exchange – online consultations First meeting and getting acquainted with the agenda of the project, ice breakersAdvertisements that influenced people’s life Student exchange in Macedonia Workshop: Documentary films projection, a discussion about the process of their making with a famous documentary director Joint workshops and analyses of media products based on non-formal education techniques led by peers, teachers and experts Fun, creative, intercultural and teambuilding activities Teachers help students plan their work on their investigations; students decide on their activities with them.

Establishment of ACES corners.

Presentation of the plans.

Setting a timetable of creating of media products Working on interview techniques Creating a website Creating a joint online blog.

Planning school and ACES ACTIONS. Online contact and cooperation with partners (email, Skype, Facebook) Possible problems and results.

ACES DAY Working on a script writing for a video/play Winter holiday celebration, creating greeting cards using art to convey a message Online contact and cooperation with partners (email, Skype, etc.) and discussion of possible problems and results Organic food/GMO foodmedia investigation Online contact and cooperation with partners (email, Skype, etc.) and discussion of possible problems and results Planning the second exchange Planning the Festival.

Final activities Student exchange in Macedonia Contacting local community about the Festival of Media influence awareness

Where?

Bulgaria Macedonia

Bulgaria Macedonia

Bulgaria Macedonia

Bulgaria Macedonia

Bulgaria Macedonia

Bulgaria Macedonia

Who participates? students, teachers, parents schools´ principles, community officials,

Who leads implementation?

Teachers, Student parliament/ Counsil laders, Schools’ principles

students, teachers, parents, schools´ principles, social workers, children with disabilities, elderly people, media,

Teachers, Student parliament leaders, schools' principles,

students, teachers, parents schools´ principles, marginalised groups,

Students, teachers, Student parliament leaders, social workers, schools' principles, N

students, teachers, parents schools´ principles, marginalised groups, community officials

Students, teachers, Student parliament leaders, social workers, schools' principles, NGO partners

students, teachers, parents schools´ principles, marginalised groups, community officials students, teachers, parents schools´

Students, teachers, Student parliament leaders, social workers, schools' principles, 5 Students, teachers, Student parliament

March 2011

• • •

Evaluation of the project in schools and partner institutions.

Evaluation of the project among partners.

Farewell activity (ex: picnic, party, etc.) with marginalised groups.

4. Participants 4a. How many teachers and students will be DIRECTLY involved in the project?

Partners

teachers / Total Female Male Students number

Coordinating School

Teachers

6

3

3

Partner 1

Students Teachers Students

60 3 60

30 3 30

30 0 30

6 60

3 60

Partner 2 Total Total

all teachers 9 all students 120

4b. What is the age range of the participating students in your project?

The cooperation of students of the same age group (not more than 2 years difference) is advised!

Students are: from 10 to 14years of age 4c. How many INDIRECT participants do you expect to reach with the activities in your project (for example, teachers and students not directly involved, parents, members of the wider school community) & how will you involve them in the project?

Approximate number of indirect participants: 1500 Except closely considered target groups, the project will indirectly reach out to several other groups of participants, thus raising their awareness about the importance of media in our lives as well as of critical approach towards the news and information in their everyday lives. Foremost, the project will motivate students that are not directly part of the planned work to learn more about this subject and it will encourage their interest for different activities through project presentation and promotion, actions and events. Also, the teachers who are not in the project implementation team will be given a chance to participate in some project activities and give their creative input.

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Parents will be informed about all project activities and asked for possible help and suggestions.

By empowering students with the ways of investigation, analysing and creating media products that promote human values and quest for the truth, project will have a positive impact on local communities, as the citizens will have the opportunity to participate in interactive project promotions and public performances organised by students and teachers. Moreover, they will follow the achievements of the project through media and school campaigns.

In the project it is planned to actively cooperate with community officials and NGOs that will be contacted for professional, organisational and financial help, in order to raise the quality of project implementation.

5. Involvement of additional groups/institutions Is the involvement of additional groups/institutions foreseen in the project (for example, parents, companies, school community, media, NGOs)?

If yes, then which groups/institutions will be involved and in which roles? (if no, type “no”) Give: Name, Type of organisation, Role in the project • “Pure Hearts” – students can cooperate with the ACES participants and they can share their experience in creating media products and the local Smolyan TV and local newspaper “Otzvuk” - Bulgaria.

• Documentary films directors Biljana Garvanlieva and Marija Dzidzeva two prominent film and TV directors in Macedonia as workshop facilitators - Macedonia • Marija Taushanska- a journalist in Nova Makedonija Daily newspaperconsultant and workshop facilitator • A cinema house “Kinoteka na Makedonija” where the films can be projected • The editor’s office at The Nova Makedonija • local centres, expertise help and experience exchange • NGO “Open Club” in Bulgaria (specialized for youth projects and their active involvement in society) will provide organizational help and advice throughout the project.

• Town institutions where the project will be presented, project promotions and exhibitions for broader public will be held (“European corner”, etc).

• Media (press, TV, internet news, radio shows, etc) that will follow the progress of the project and promote its activities.

• Local community officials who will provide technical and financial support.

• Firms with headquarters that will sponsor some activities.

• Bistro- “Zdravo-Zivo” 6. Integration of the project into the school curriculum and extracurricular activities

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6a. which school subjects are your project associated with?

Psychology, Sociology, IT, Civil education, foreign languages (English, German and French), native languages (Bulgaria and Macedonia) 6b. Does your project foresee any extracurricular activities?

The implementation of the project will be supported by the help of schools´ parliaments that promote most of extracurricular activities and extracurricular school groups for art, literature, mediation, ecology and IT whose role will be to contribute to creative activities. Also, schools´ bends will be performing at some project events.

7. Please briefly describe the background of EACH of the partner schools and of the students who attend them (max. 800 characters per school) Coordinating School: Secondary School “ St. st. Cyril and Methodius”, founded in 1855, is located in a small town of about 25 000 inhabitants in the south of Bulgaria. Our region is mainly agricultural and opulent in tourist attractions, such as virgin forests and rivers - sheltering unique species of flora and fauna. There are also many historical and interesting buildings, churches and museums. Another distinctive feature of the region is cultural diversity, resulted from borderland location. The winter resort of Pamporovo is near Smolyan where people from different countries come here for skiing in winter.

Our school is the biggest one in the region. We work with approximately 800 students from 7 to 18 years old. They learn three foreign languages: English, Russian and German. The other leading subjects are: Bulgarian language and Literature, Geography, History, Social studies, Biology, Maths, Science, ICT, Art and Physical education. They also participate in various extracurricular activities, such as: dance, theatre, sport clubs, and charity organizations. Our students have many sport activities; playing football, volleyball, tennis, going swimming and skiing. They take part in some national and international competitions and different technical projects.

In our school there are some students with special education needs and students with different religions as well as ethnic and national backgrounds but it is no problem to work together because they integrate successfully in school life.

The students and teachers are open to work together with students from Europe in order to exchange their experience and to practise different languages. The European educational projects are a great way to broaden students and teacher’s mind.

Partner school 1: Primary School “ St.Kliment Ohridski”, founded as a primary school in Macedonian language in 1945,( the old building is from 1924), is located in a small village of Drachevo, near Skopje the capital, in the north of Macedonia, and it has about 40 000 inhabitants.

Gravitating next to the capital, this previously agricultural village transformed through the years into a suburb, especially after the earthquake in 1963 when

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it was developed as an urban settlement.

Our school is the oldest one in the region. It is greatly known as one of the most beautiful and well organized school, with numerous 1st prizes in Former Yugoslavia, since it promoted school agriculture community, such as a school farm, a zoo and an orchard, where students themselves took care about them. Nowadays much of this glorious history repeats in our modern projects, too. Our students take part in many national and international competitions and different projects of applied knowledge and they have many prizes on these competitions and contests.

We work with approximately 600 students from 6 to 14 years old. They learn two foreign languages: English and German. The other leading subjects are: Macedonian language and Literature, Geography, History, Civics, Biology, Maths, Science, Chemistry, Physics, ICT, Art and Physical education. They also participate in various project activities, such as: folk dance, choirs, orchestras, sport clubs, and red-cross organizations. Our students have many sport activities: playing football, handball and basketball.

In our school there is an inclusion project for students with special education needs. There are students with different religions as well as ethnic and national backgrounds but it is no problem to work together because they integrate successfully in school life.

The students and teachers are enthusiastic to work together with schools all over Europe in order to exchange their experience and to practise the foreign languages. These kind of educational projects are a great way to share knowledge, positive energy, have fun and make friends.

Bistro “Zdravo Zivo”, bistro for raw food that organizes workshops for prepearing raw food.

8. Intercultural Dialogue; Educational Innovation; Cooperation; Participation & Equal Opportunities 8a. The general aims of the aces programme are intercultural dialogue & educational innovation • How does your project encourage intercultural dialogue among the participants?

• How does it promote educational innovation?

Intercultural dialogue among the participants will be encouraged constantly during the project through various joint activities that deal with tolerance, team-building and experience exchange. Participants will foremost have the opportunity to learn more about each others culture and social background, country tradition during the two exchanges, but also through different internet related project activities and online consultations about their investigations about media and sharing their media products.

Educational innovation will be promoted by different non-formal methods (workshops, extracurricular events, voluntary work, etc.), as one of the main aims and vision of the project is to empower participants for analyzing the quality of the information and raising their awareness of media influence on people’s lives, as well as using their valuable new skills of creating media 9

products based on truthful and trusted information.

8b. aces encourages the active participation and ownership of the project by the school students themselves • How does your project ensure the active involvement of the students in planning, decision making about and implementation of the project?

Students will be a part of project writing and project implementation team, as well as workshop and exchange facilitation and organization. This is seen as a good chance for them to get some experience in project management. Also, they will present their diary and manage the student ACES centre at schools.

8c. aces encourages active international cooperation of the students from the participating schools • How does your project ensure the continuous communication and joint work of the partner schools?

Both partner schools will have regular Skype meetings and students will have an assignment to regularly update their joint blog, as well as to consult each other about the activities about their media analyses and products and compare their progress. Teachers will also be informing each other continuously about the development of the project in their schools.

8d. aces encourages equal opportunities in all of its projects • How does your project ensure that students who need more support to participate have the opportunity to?

At least 5% of the participants will be students with special needs or less ability. To work with marginalised groups, their involvement in the project will be of a great value. These students will be specially encouraged by their teachers and peers to join the project and will be assigned tasks in accordance with their possibilities.

9. Working Language/s English, German, Bulgarian and Macedonian, / Neighbour language/ 10. Evaluation How do you intend to evaluate the progress of the project and its final results?

Evaluation of the project’s progress will be carried out through different evaluating methods both during and at the end of the project. Estimating and recognizing participants’ advancement, as well as analysing the achievements of project activities are all necessary elements for the success of this project.

Intern evaluation between partners is intended through constant feedback, Skype evaluating meetings and good communication, as well as evaluation 1

questionnaires. Also, all activities of the project (workshops, exchange, ACES work groups, street actions, organized events…) will be valued by surveys and other methods of written, formal evaluation, but also by some of them various non-formal methods of evaluation applied. Participants (students and marginalised groups) will be encouraged to keep track of their selfdevelopment and evaluate their own contribution to the progress of the project and quality of their project assignment. Video monitoring of activities and performances, media and NGO involvement, as well as blogs and ACES centres’ activities will also be used to indicate the project’s success.

Evaluation reports will be available for everyone, in order to help the transparency of the project.

11. Project Finance 11a. Have you made any other application to finance this project?

If yes, then to which funding body and when did you submit it? (If no, type “no”) NO 11b. Will you seek additional funding for the project from other sources (beyond the aces award)?

If yes, then who are your potential sponsors? (If no, type “none”) Municipality “Kisela Voda”- Section of education 12. Further information (max. 6 lines) Please use this space to add any further points you would like to make about your project and / or partnership that you think are important for your application

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