<< Objectives >>- Revise the current course content of the Level 5 10 ECTS accredited programme, Award in NGO management, developed through previous EU small projects funding to improve the effectiveness of the case study elements and the relevant content material for NGOs in Albania- Recruit candidates for both intakes within each of two member countries and Albania with Friends of Korces in support of SOS Malta- Implementation of the two 15-week pilot intakes - Publish and disseminate the project results<< Implementation >>1)Project management plan – identifying the project objectives, project deliverables, project timeframes, project budget and project results2)Revise the current case study elements and include relevant Albania specific content 3)Development of project promotional material4)Implementation of 2 intakes with students being given full scholarships5)Publishing of the project results and students’ feedback<< Results >>-Availability of an online updated accredited programme targeting NGO Management at EQF Level 5 with 10 ECTS credits-Successful promotional strategy to recruit at least 60 students -Successful implementation and completion of the two intakes improving the level of knowledge and competence of NGO staff in the field-Publish and disseminate the findings and the students’ feedback to be used as part of the sustainability plan-Contacting with local and national bodies for continued implementation

<< Objectives >>The project seeks to achieve the following objectives:-1)Revise the current non-accredited programme to determine which modules need to be updated and develop new content material for the proposed programme2)Programme accreditation at EQF Level 5 with 10 ECTS credits3)Marketing of the new online and accredited Effective Management of an NGO programme to recruit candidates for both intakes 4)Implementation of the two 15-week pilot intakes 5)Publish and disseminate the students’ feedback<< Implementation >>The following are the Activities to be implemented:1)Project management plan – identifying the project objectives, project deliverables, project timeframes, project budget, and project results2)Revise the current programme modules and sessions. 3)Application for programme accreditation at EQF Level 7 with 10 ECTS credits4)Development of project promotional material5)Implementation of 2 pilot intakes 6)Publishing of the project results and students’ feedback<< Results >>The Project results expected to be achieved are as follows:1.Availability of an online accredited programme targeting NGO Management at EQF Level 5 with 10 ECTS credits.2.Successful promotional strategy to recruit at least 60 students 3.Successful implementation and completion of the two pilot intakes 4.Publish and disseminate the findings and the students’ feedback to be used as part of the sustainability plan5.Contacting local and national bodies for continued implementation.

"BACKGROUND Better Advocacy for Better Inclusion (BABI) is a strategic partnership that deals with the spread of xenophobic and racist discrimination in European society and the gaps in public social inclusion policies, also determined by the insufficient participation of CSOs and associations of migrants, refugees and foreign citizens in the definition and implementation of social inclusion policies. BABI intends to foster such participation by creating original training methodologies and tools that can help to qualify the professional knowledge and skills of CSOs' social workers, activists and trainers and strengthen Policy Advocacy (PA) actions against discrimination and for social inclusion.SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES- Strengthen the capacity of CSOs and migrant and refugee associations to document the discrimination and social needs of people with a migration background and to collect their requests/recommendations to public institutions;- Improve the professional skills and competences in Policy Advocacy of CSOs and organisations representing people with a migration background (migrants, refugees, citizens of foreign origin) by developing innovative educational methodologies and tools;- Encourage the development of a permanent and structured dialogue between CSOs, migrant and refugee associations and institutions and stimulate their cooperation to ensure the principles of equality and non-discrimination of people with a migration background in European society.PARTICIPANTS1.Social workers, educators and activists of CSOs and associations of migrants, refugees and citizens of foreign origin: 185 direct beneficiaries, about 750 indirect beneficiaries2.Public decision-makers: 120 direct beneficiaries, about 250 indirect beneficiariesACTIVITIESA.1 Transnational project meeting to ensure effective and efficient coordination of activities. A.2 National field research to carry out a mapping of Advocacy actions tested at local and national level by CSOs; selection of a minimum of 16 best practices and 4 national reports.A.3 I.O.1 Manual. It will illustrate the priority social needs identified in A.2. and describe at least 16 different exemplary Advocacy actions promoted at local level by CSOs, migrant associations, asylum seekers and refugees.A.4 International research on social inclusion indicators based on international literature.A.5 Design of a training module on PA aimed at professionals, social workers and activists of CSOs and migrant and refugee associations.A.6 A 5-day training course for staff. The training course will be addressed to 25 participants, responsible for Advocacy in CSOs and migrant and refugee associations. A. 7 I.O.2 Tool-kit. It will present the training module and offer educators, professionals and activists of CSOs, migrants and refugees a ""tool-kit"" useful to set up a Policy Advocacy campaign.A.8 4 Public events. 4 national public events will disseminate the outputs produced during the project to at least 40 participants, including representatives of civil society, migrant and refugee associations and public decision makers, in each partner country.A.9 Transnational project meeting to carry out a project evaluation and define a common Follow-up strategy in the medium and long term. A.10 Follow-upMETHODOLOGYBABI proposes a multidimensional working methodology that combines qualitative field research activities and participatory non-formal education methodologies to develop an original PA training module specifically designed for CSOs and associations of migrants, refugees and people of foreign origin.EXPECTED RESULTS- A1: Increasing the knowledge and skills of professionals and activists from civil society organisations, migrants and refugees who are needed to monitor, document and report discrimination, including institutional discrimination, and the social needs of people with a migration background;- R2: Documentation, analysis, sharing and dissemination of Advocacy initiatives successfully promoted by civil society at local and national level aimed to improve public policies for the social inclusion of people with a migration background;- R3: Development, testing and dissemination of innovative training methodologies and contents addressed to professionals and activists engaged in Advocacy activities with institutions;- R4: Strengthening the capacity to network among CSOs, migrants and refugees engaged in Advocacy activities with institutions.IMPACT The outputs of the project will be available in 5 languages and disseminated through a structured communication strategy that will ensure a strong impact at European level."

Context and background:Violence and bullying at schools are increasingly prevalent phenomena in Europe. Although there have been numerous fruitful initiatives, the problem has not been significantly reduced for various reasons: lack of adequate training for teachers, busy parents, wrong role models, the legitimating effect of the media, an unhealthy political climate, etc. New approaches are needed to make aggression unacceptable, help children deal with their emotions, create a culture of nonviolence and empower schools and societies by providing them new conflict management methods. Objectives:Professional partners from three European countries joined forces to design a pilot project with the aim of developing and testing a secondary school model programme contributing to systemic crime prevention and reduction in schools based on alternative conflict resolution methods. Project activities primarily focused on creating a safe and caring school environment teaching alternative conflict resolution methods to students and their teachers as direct target groups. Also, the project addresses the broader context of schools. Local resource mobilisation (including parents, civil associations, youth and social workers, local or governmental services supporting teachers’ work, the police, public administration, employers) guarantees that the indirect target groups also acquire good practices and cooperation frames that increase their everyday work efficiency when dealing with the issues in question. The partnership developed the national reports, the research reports and the policy recommendations to channel the project outcome to relevant policy-makers (e.g. ministries concerned with education, school maintainers, school professionals, principals) so that awareness is raised about the importance of school aggression and up-to date professional material is complied and disseminated among them so the tested model programme will be available to and taken up by as many schools as possible. The long-term goal of the project was to achieve cultural change in schools through the dissemination of nonviolent communication, the introduction of alternative conflict resolution processes, the prevention of school conflicts and the minimisation of aggressive and other behaviours that count as risk factors for becoming an offender. We achieved breakthroughs and successes in this field, although systemic change requires more time. In Hungary, the use of mediation and restorative practices and classroom sessions were integrated into the school document (House rules, Pedagogical Program, School Policy) to guarantees that will help to keep the program in the future. In Malta, the lesson plans were integrated in the national curriculum and in Bulgaria, more than 90% of school staff participated and this is a very strong basis to sustain changes.Activities and methodology: Building the modell program to test and adapt it in the schools of the partner countriesBuilding institutional capacities for conflict resolution and prevention through training and mentoringBuilding and strengthening systemic inter-institutional cooperation with the local municipality in the case of Hungary, the Ministry of Education in the case of Malta and with European stakeholders Developing policy recommendations on national and EU-levelsDisseminating the project online and at live eventsExpected results and impact: Our project offers viable solutions for the direct target group in conflict treatment, channelling aggression and other destructive behaviours. The other direct target groups (locally available youth institutions, social workers, youth protection professionals, etc.) will be able to cooperate and divide workload more effectively. In Hungary, we managed to build an effective signal system within and outside the schools. Student mediators held classroom sessions for their peers promoting alternative conflict resolution methods. The school workgroup includes the child protection representatives, the school lawyer, the school policeman and a representative from the Szolnok municipality (Family and Health Division). The principals are also in favour of restorative methods and make it possible for teachers to grant time for these sessions.In Malta, the schools were reached through the Anti-Bullying Services professionals of the Ministry of Education developing strong inter-professional relations and also involving Kellimni support service. One of the biggest successes achieved throughout the implementation in Malta, was bringing together different professionals working with the same student community who all contributed the implementation of the model program.

As a result of wars and the refugee crisis, a significant percentage of refugee children currently residing in EU Member States have been out of the school environment for several years, and many have never attended school, although they are of school age. All EU MSs, and especially Mediterranean countries such as Malta, Greece, Italy, and Cyprus which have been experiencing an influx of refugees, in parallel with a severe economic crisis, face the challenge of successfully integrating refugee children in their education systems. However, education policies have been very slow in targeting the needs of migrant pupils. EU statistical data show that children with migrant background tend to have lower educational performance and are more likely to leave school earlier than native children, across the EU. Given the fact that refugee children do not speak the host country language(s) (and/or English) and that most of them have been out of school for a period of time (spanning from some months to several years), teachers need to have specialized knowledge and skills in teaching such vulnerable students. However, according to MIPEX, most countries lack preparation and diversity in the teaching force. Inadequate training or lack of training means that the educational support provided to refugee children does not meet the needs of the target population. The timely and full training of teachers – in particular those in secondary education, where students needs are greater – is more than crucial for the improvement of the school performance of refugee children. In order to contribute to enhancing the performance of secondary school age refugee children lagging behind in literacy, numeracy and digital competences, due to having remained outside the school system for an extended period of time, thus reducing early school leaving in Malta, Greece, Italy, and Cyprus, the project aims at:•Extending and enhancing secondary school teachers’ skills and competences in the teaching of literacy, numeracy and/or digital skills to refugee and/or migrant children with learning gaps due to interrupted education and with minimal native (or English) language skills through online training;•Providing a diagnostic tool for the effective assessment of literacy, numeracy and digital competences, gaps and needs of refugee pupils;•Promoting innovative practices, digital and non-digital, in teaching literacy, numeracy and digital competences to refugee (and/or migrant children) with interrupted education.The above will be achieved through the implementation of the following activities:1 - Capacity building curriculum for teachers1.1 Analysis of teaching challenges and practices 1.2 Development of curriculum for strengthening the capacities of teachers 1.3 Implementation of the curriculum and evaluation2 - Diagnostic tool for the assessment of literacy, numeracy and digital competences, gaps and needs of refugee pupils2.1 Development of the diagnostic tool 2.2 Pilot testing of the tool 3 - Online platform for the training of teachers 3.1 Development of online platform3.2 Pilot implementationBy aiming to enhance the school performance of refugee (and migrant) children through teacher training, the project addresses the objectives set by ET2020 and the new priority areas for further work up to 2020 (Inclusive education, equality, equity, non-discrimination), since it focuses on combatting educational disadvantage by promoting inclusive education. The project also contributes to the objective of improving the quality & efficiency of education and training, especially ensuring high quality teaching. Moreover, the project addresses one of the key targets of Europe 2020 strategy concerning education, i.e. reducing early school leaving rates below 10%; as well as reducing the share of low-achieving 15 year-olds in reading, mathematics and science to less than 15%, and contributes to the further implementation of the EU Action Plan on the integration of 3rd country nationals.