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Economy is more and more present in daily lives, politics and global developments.The context of work, health care, pension insurance, education and other spheres are progressively shaped by supply and demand, competition and efficiency. However, there is a lack of knowledge of how a market function. If markets fail like during the financial crisis 2008, questions raise but often too simple answers are given. Moreover, the European countries face economic instabilities but the problems of for example the euro project are not understood by many citizens. Economic issues such as inflation, deflation, the role of a central bank in a currency area, consumers' debts, etc. are often regarded as being too complex and complicated. This meets a widely spread feeling of uncertainty. As people normally refer to interpretations in public discourse, there is a threat that they may get attracted by nationalist perspectives on economic, social and political phenomenons. Democracy needs education. At least a basic economic education is indispensable that citizens learn overcoming uncertainty, finding orientation, developing their own point of view, and practicing tolerance, humanity and respect. In its practical dimension economic education enables to cope with challenges by strengthening initiative, social entrepreneurship, active citizenship, employability and individual management. The project “mind-opening to economy” aimed to provide methods and information to bridge the lack of knowledge. Its activities were addressed to trainers to enhance their basic skills in economic education and to encourage them implementing economic issues in their trainings. It was also addressed to the indirect target groups of learners – mostly disadvantaged who do not have the capacity of getting basic economic skills individually – who would benefit from more educational offers in this field. The project brought 4 NGOs from East, West and Central Europe together which act in the field of adult education and exchange good practises in socio-economic learning by combining a) creative approaches of civic education (free theatre, film making, role-playing games, outdoor activities), b) economic issues such as labour market and employability, money, management skills for life and environmental economics and c) a European perspective on recent socio-economic developments. It also aimed to create networks of organisations dealing with socio-economic issues in Europe. In order to allow democratic learning, partners sought to reflect economic questions in a multi-perspective way taking different economic “schools” into consideration. Partners came together during three transnational project meetings and two teaching/learning activities of 5 days in which they shared and applied methods, knowledge, and experiences in the field of socio-economic education. Moreover, the last transnational project meeting in Berlin was combined with a local dissemination event. The exchange resulted in a) a concept of teaching material which shall be developed and produced during an additional project; b) one example-chapter of such material ob „Future 4.0. The Digitalisation of Economy and Society. Challenges for Work and Education“ to be implemented in teaching practice and c) at least a small network of socio-economic education in Europe as well as systematic information on existing cooperations. The activities were filmed and documented at the project's website www.ecolit.weltgewandt-ev.de. The project had a tremendous impact on trainers' didactical skills and knowledge of socio-economic issues. The exchange of good practices enhanced the personal and professional development of all participants. We experienced a lively debating culture on various economic issues and balanced our different approaches through respect, good communication, and more and more mutual understanding. An open discussion culture is crucial in socio-economic education as it is sometimes necessary to bridge the very different interpretations of economy. The indirect target groups could benefit from an enhanced expertise of teachers/trainers, they were attracted and encouraged to open their minds to (socio-)economic issues. The staff of each organisation was informed on the project's progress regularly and got more and more interested in raising an understanding of several socio-economic topics. Stakeholders from the local and European networks of each partner's organisation were informed on activities referring to economic education for adults and our project. Each organisation could gain a higher reputation within the national networks. The collaboration allowed strengthening a European dimension beyond Euroscepticism.
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