Onside for unity in diversity

By choosing the “inclusion and diversity in all fields of education, training, youth and sport” priority, our objectives were: - to develop values of mutual respect, cooperation, camaraderie as w...

By choosing the “inclusion and diversity in all fields of education, training, youth and sport” priority, our objectives were: - to develop values of mutual respect, cooperation, camaraderie as well as challenging stereotypes by embedding inclusion of all student profiles at the heart of the project. - to enable students from different backgrounds to learn from each other by sharing common experiences as well as respecting and celebrating differences. - to enable the French and German students to learn from each other’s local academic and economic opportunities (aerospace and car manufacturing industries) within the EU free movement framework. One of our more academic priorities was to develop certain key skills: - strengthening horizontal skills: searching for information, communicating, committing to a project, and contributing to a group. - strengthening of modern foreign language and physical education skills.

1. Preparatory visits (French staff to Germany and German staff to France). 2. Weekly workshops for students to keep up to date with the admin requirements, plan and carry out the project as well as communicate with their German correspondents. 3. Oberschule Westercelle’s school trip to Toulouse. A. Activities with the French students: mixed gender sports activities, school classes and welcoming party at Stendhal School. Hiking in the Pyrenees. US Colomiers rugby union match. B. Activities without the French students: visiting Toulouse (town center, Airbus/Aeroscopia, Cité de l’espace space museum) and Carcassonne. 4. Stendhal School trip to Germany. A. Activities with the German students: school classes, mixed gender sports activities and welcoming party at the Oberschule in Celle. IT museum visit and mixed gender sports activities in Paderborn. Volkswagen, Phaeno museum and football stadium visits in Wolfsburg. B. Activities carried out without the German students: tour of Hamburg. Tour of Hanover and Hanover 96 football match. 5. Environmental awareness day trip. 6. Photography exhibition and vernissage.

- Increased sense of belonging with many bonds formed or strengthened between students from the different target groups (students with special educational needs, members of the football team and nonmembers, mainstream students, students of different nationalities). (Cf. student survey in the appendix) - Stereotypes surrounding different target groups were challenged thanks to mixed gender sports activities and extracurricular activities requiring forms of intelligence not always valued within the classroom. - Increased knowledge about German and French cultures as well as about the cultures of many students of many different heritages. This cultural diversity was particularly celebrated during the welcoming parties. - Long lasting bonds between students from both countries. - Enhanced language skills as well as more self-confidence to use them. - Broader horizons regarding academic and work opportunities. - Enhanced organization skills and more awareness about administrative formalities necessary for traveling abroad. - Enhanced awareness of environmental issues raised with air travel. - Enhanced physical education skills especially with regards to new activities.