INVOLVE, CONNECT, AND TEACH FOR INCLUSION: EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY FACING CHILDHOOD CANCER

Based on these needs, the clear objective of this project was to ensure that the help and support provided to these boys and girls was of the highest quality possible, especially from the educatio...

Based on these needs, the clear objective of this project was to ensure that the help and support provided to these boys and girls was of the highest quality possible, especially from the educational community (teachers, classmates, and center staff), providing of high-quality tools and methods to achieve this. This project has not only managed to provide preschool and primary schools with tools to satisfactorily support the development and inclusion of these students, but also coincides with the objectives of the partnership partners: ‒ Attract and expand access to the Erasmus+ Program for new and small-scale organisations. ‒ Support the inclusion of groups with fewer opportunities. ‒ Improve networking and management of the entities involved, developing our capacity to work at a transnational and intersectoral level. ‒ Address common priorities and needs in the areas of education and youth. These objectives also coincide with the EU line to stop 21st century diseases such as cancer (“Strategy on the rights of people with disabilities for 2021-2030”, European Plan to Fight Cancer, and Action Plan Digital Education 2021-2027).

To achieve this objective we formed the association with: an entity for patients with retinoblastoma (NINETA DELS ULLS) and a school (SAPERE AUDE), which adapted the methods and resources created to the educational field, carrying out multiple activities between the two with students from 3 to 12 years who suffer from or have overcome cancer. As well as an expert entity in inclusive methodologies (REDTREE), which generated innovative inclusion methods. This transnational network has developed a well-structured project with a clear, complete, and effective work plan that we divided into three large groups of activities that we carried out satisfactorily: 1. Management activities and Transnational Meetings, which included: virtual meetings, training activities, the Transnational Meetings themselves, working committee meetings, and an in-person founding team meeting. 2. Implementation activities, including: meetings of families and experts, emotional education days, expert conferences, national meetings with a European dimension, and talks. 3. Sharing and promotion activities, with: news shared by RRSS, meetings with other entities, dissemination posts on RRSS, and dissemination events.

As a result of the activities we have carried out over the two years of the project, we have developed a series of important high-quality results: ‒ Significant learning results have been generated for the participants (both for the teachers involved and for students and members of the participating entities). ‒ We have developed an innovative and effective method that helps teachers to welcome boys and girls who have suffered or are suffering from childhood cancer (in our case the majority retinoblastoma) in their classes and educational centers on an equal basis, ensuring that they achieve educational development , social, and full personal. This result is specified in a Methodological Guide titled “Guide for the inclusion of boys and girls with cancer in the classroom.” ‒ We create materials and resources that support and facilitate the dissemination of this method. ‒ We have successfully created a sustainable network that allows us to support boys and girls living with cancer to live fully.