<< Background >>In order to adapt educational processes to the challenges of the 21st century, schools need to rely on innovative and practical methods, involving students in challenging activities and combining new educational needs with existing educational curricula aimed at creating active, inclusive and responsible citizens. In order to put this approach forward, transversal skills need to be fostered in the school ecosystem to allow a more transdisciplinary, learner-centred and challenge-based approach. Therefore, teachers and school personnel need to reinforce the development of key competence. Also, clear guidelines need to be traced in order to allow more and more schools to use innovative education approaches to prepare students to participate fully in society and enter successfully in the labour market.Given these premises, through the BUSTA project, student’s actions have real life impact that reaches beyond the boundaries of the school, on the lives of people with disabilities. It’s general objective is to promote innovative framework possibilities for students, with real world impact through the integration of service animal training.They also get the opportunity to contrast and exchange their research and actions with partnering countries, to foster a stronger European citizenship by developing cross-curricular projects that enhance learners’ global competence. With the close guidance from the partnering therapy animal associations, we will set up 3 parallel collaborations: - BOS democratic school in Brussels (Belgium) with a therapy dog association (Dyadis),- The Maria Montessori school in Klaipeda (Lithuania) with a dolphin therapy association (Lithuanian Sea Museum)- And Community for Democratic Education school in Sofia (Bulgaria) with a therapy horse foundation (PQHF).<< Objectives >>General Objective (GO): to promote innovative framework possibilities for students, with real-world impact through the integration of therapy animal training.Specific Objectives (SOs):SO1: Empowering teachers to promote students’ talents through innovative pedagogy.SO2: Empowering teachers to promote students’ active real-world participation and inclusivity through awareness building and action and psycho-affective connection.SO3: Empowering students' capacity to develop curiosity, welcome challenges, and co-design creative solutions.SO4: Empowering students' capacity to use digital tools and content to exchange practices with partner schools, and to create valuable content online for the public.<< Implementation >>In a European project, it is important to generate and share new knowledge collaboratively; this is why we have created a partnership with different stakeholders that under normal circumstances would not exchange their knowledge : schools and therapy animal associations, from 3 different countries with different schools systems, whose experience will be contextually different but that will have many similarities. This will be done by awareness building activities for kids and staff in order to understand the context and the purpose of each animal training requirement, understanding the different disabilities that are targeted by each type of animal therapy, identifying the training needs for each partnership, having virtual student methodology exchanges, and trips to transfer the knowledge and experience acquired from each partnership, along with the methods of co-creating new animal training protocols ( professional trainers, students and teachers). As this is research experience based, the students will also co-create the documenting process through video, with the project result being a full documentary about the research process.<< Results >>Students will improve their confidence when approaching animals, their leadership and communication skills, and their feeling of being part of a larger European identity. The predicted skills acquired would be transforming awareness about disabilities, their rapport with animals, and their power of action. Through a challenge-based project, they become actors by designing practical training solutions with professionals that will have a real-life benefit for people with disabilities. They will develop skills in the documentation and communication of their research process for the general public. For students, the development of a set of lifelong skills to be transmitted to youths such as active citizenship, critical thinking, self-regulation, flexibility, empathy, communication, growth mindset, creativity, problem-solving, inclusivity, personal responsibility.All key competences will be triggered: cultural awareness and expression competence, entrepreneurship competence, citizenship competence, personal, social and learning to learn competence, digital competence, scientific reasoning through their process of investigation through context-specific methodologies, literacy competence through critical and constructive dialogue, and an interest in interaction amongst students from the different schools. Through the zoom meetings and having to navigate the language barrier with the tools at their disposal, they will also develop the awareness of the impact of language on others and the need to overcome the gap by using language in a clear, positive, and socially responsible manner.

<< Background >>The project starts from the consideration that traditional educational models are scarcely adapted to equip students with 21st century skills. EU reports indicate the necessity of “innovative pedagogical experiences with transversal and subject-based approaches to be envisaged, so that we understand better how to teach LifeComp competences” (JRC, 2020). At the same time, statistics show that schools are generally not suited to help students to be satisfied in their life (OECD, 2017) to be satisfied in their job (Gallup 2013;2017) and to develop a strong sense of belonging in their school community (PISA and the EU report, 2018).In the preparation phase of the project, these considerations have been shared by public schools’ staff interviewed, who expressed the following needs:Having a teaching training in innovative, learner-centred approachesEnhancing motivation in learnersIncrease students’ sense of belonging and responsibility in the school and towards the local communityTo address these needs, DESC aims at promoting the integration of democratic education methodology into the European education systems as a way of fostering life competences and citizenship competences in schools. To do so, DESC proposes a methodology, inspired by democratic education, based on 3 evolutive axes, matching 3 levels of student’s life:1.Learner level: promotion of student-centered learning2.School level: students’ participation in school management 3.Community level: school as an open systemDemocratic education implies that students become active actors in all these three different levels. On a personal level, by participating in the choice of their curriculum and in the individualization of their talents. On a school level, by participating in the management of the school, stressing the centrality of students’ voices as described in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the importance of fostering citizenship competences (Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018). On a community level, putting learners in contact with different territorial actors and real-life challenges as exhorted by the European Commission Report, Science Education For Responsible Citizenship (2015).DESC brings forward a comprehensive and systemic approach (Whole School Approach) aimed at creating active and responsible citizens able to take up their responsibilities and social commitments, and to fulfil their talents.Democratic schools’ experiences have existed since a century in Europe, and dozens of new democratic schools are blossoming every year in the EU. Most of these schools often host students facing barriers in accessing mainstream school systems. However, the phenomenon relies mostly on private and small-scale organizations. More and more, public schools are starting to be interested in this methodology, though until now there has not been a systematic exposure of public schools to this approach. The partnership wants to connect these two realities: democratic schools as the primary source of know- how and public schools that will transfer democratic school methodology into the mainstream education system. This will be done with the support of a partner university and an Advisory Board of academics and world-renowned experts in democratic education.<< Objectives >>DESC's general objective (GO) is to promote the integration of democratic education methodology into the European education systems as a way of fostering life competences and citizenship competences in schools.DESC general objective is supported by the following specific objectives (SOs):SO1: Promotion of the professionalization of teachers in the field of democratic education, by an innovative cross-country Research Report that will divulge democratic school methodology in EuropeSO2: Empowerment of teachers in promoting students’ talents, motivation to learn, Life comp & citizenship competencies through the participation in a Teacher Training on democratic education, and the use of the DESC OER Platform in which they can find resources in a Knowledge Center, and exchange competences in an Agora forum.SO3: Open up the school to local communities through cooperation with external stakeholders that will be identified through a Community Mapping tool, invited to use the OER Platform and connected to the school through a National Transferability Action Plan.S04: Foster changes in education policy development, through Policy Recommendations that will generate awareness, scale up and disseminate the use of democratic education methodology at European and National level.<< Implementation >>The activities are grouped into four major Project Results (PR), combined with project meetings, learning, teaching and training activity and multiplier events. PR1: Research ReportDESC will develop an innovative cross-country research on democratic education in Europe. Partners will analyse the main drivers and barriers for implementation of this approach in respective national contexts and map local stakeholders interested in developing cross-sectoral collaboration. The research will also identify the training needs for teachers in the field of democratic education. An online Multiplier Event will be organised to share the main research findings..PR2: TEACHER TRAININGBased on the Research Report elaborated in PR1, all partners will contribute to develop DESC Teacher Training and an impact assessment framework to evaluate training effectiveness on participating schools. The teacher training will be tested and validated during C1.PR3: DESC OER PlatformDESC OER Platform will be created, to host:- The validated and translated teacher training- A Knowledge Center with educational resources uploaded by partners- An Agora where educational practitioners and external stakeholder can communicate- A DESC interactive map that will identify all the schools and practitioner's following the DESC methodologyAt least 5 teachers from each school will follow the online training course and will practice what they learned in their respective school environment. This pilot phase will be evaluated against the impact assessment framework produced in PR2. Finally, the OER Platform will be opened to external actors. 3 National Multiplier Events will be organised to present and disseminate the Platform. PR4. TRANSFERABILITY AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS:DESC will produce transferability guidelines to support project partners in scaling up the democratic education approach by engaging all relevant stakeholders.Partners will develop national transferability action plans with concrete actions to adapt the transferability guidelines into their context.Policy recommendations will be produced to raise awareness on democratic education at local, regional, national and European contexts. The final ME will be organised in Brussels to share project results at European level.<< Results >>DESC classifies the project results in intangible outcomes, tangible deliverables and process results.In line with project’s Specific Objectives, the expected INTANGIBLE OUTCOMES will be:- Promotion of professionalization of teachers in the field of democratic education - Promotion of students’ motivation and talent- Promotion of students’ active citizenship- Establishment of cooperation between schools, local community, parents, and local authorities- Establishment of an online community of stakeholders interested in democratic education- Production of changes in education policy development TANGIBLE DELIVERABLES or outputs, are mainly represented by Project Results (PR):PR1. Research Report on Democratic Education in Europe PR2. Teacher Training on democratic educationPR3. DESC OER Platform PR4 Transferability Guidelines And Policy Recommendations DESC will also achieve a series of PROCESS RESULTS, fundamental for the full accomplishment of the expected objectives:. Creation of links at European level at all educational levels. Strengthening the relationship among democratic schools in Europe. Better inclusion levels in schools. Promoting the spirit of initiative among students. Decreased isolation of Remote Rural Areas involved· Greater internationalization of partners organisations. Increasing teaching staff mobility· Better understanding of each project partners’ cultures. Improvement in communication in English