How a democratic branch in a school in Tallinn could pave the way for transforming public education in Europe. This is a short version of a 30 minute movie. Filmed early in December 2022 For more info: www.quest-eu.org http://suvemae.ee
Klaipedos Maria Montessori school – kindergarden and the Lithuanian Sea Museum host the second Learning Teaching Training activity for the BUSTA Erasmus+ project (Building Skills through Training Therapy Animals). With the BUSTA project students from partner countries – Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Belgium have the opportunity to have real life impact that goes beyond the boundaries of the school, on the lives of persons with disabilities: they will develop research and cooperative actions to integrate service animal training with horses, dolphins, and dogs. The 5 day trip was organised and hosted in Klaipeda, Lithuania. The aim was for visiting students from Belgium and Bulgaria to become familiar with the Dolphin Assisted Therapy Center of the Lithuanian Sea Museum and its fantastic practices, to be introduced to the holistic dolphins assisted therapy approach to the students who have already done some training there during their BUSTA activities. During the trip all students had the chance to learn more about disabilities through activities at the Maria Montessori school – kindergarden and also by attending the annual multiplier event organized by the Lithuanian Sea Museum and partners on disability awareness – festival ‘’I am different – what about You?’’ at the University of Klaipeda. ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
Dolphin Assisted Therapy Center BUSTA project: BUSTA Erasmus+ project, Klaipeda Activities preview video: This short video was filmed and edited by the Lithuanian Sea Museum and was first aired at the Multiplier Event: the 2022 Festival “I am different – How about you?” on the subject of disability awareness at the Klaipeda University on the 2nd of December 2022. ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.
“Klaipėdos M. Montessori mokykla-darželis BUSTA projekte”: BUSTA Erasmus+ project, Klaipeda Activities preview video: This short video was filmed and edited by the Klaipeda Maria Montessori school and was first aired at the 2022 Lithuanian Sea Museum Festival on the subject of disability awareness in Klaipeda, Lithuania on the 2nd of December 2022. ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
BUSTA Erasmus+ project, Belgium Activities preview video: This short video was filmed and edited by QUEST and was first aired at the 2022 Lithuanian Sea Museum Festival on the subject of disability awareness in Klaipeda, Lithuania on the 2nd of December 2022. ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
BUSTA Erasmus+ project, Bulgaria Activities preview video: This short video was filmed and edited by the students of Community for Democratic Education school in Sofia, and was aired at the 2022 Maritime Museum Festival on the subject of disability awareness in Klaipeda, Lithuania on the 2nd of December 2022. ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
Universidad de la Laguna hosted the midterm transnational meetings of the Democratic Education in Schools (DESC) Erasmus+ project in Tenerife in October 2022. ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
Playa Escuela hosted the midterm transnational meetings of the Democratic Education in Nature (DEN) Erasmus+ project in Tenerife in October 2022. ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
Community for Democratic Education, Sofia, and Paint and Quarter Horse Foundation Bulgaria host the first Learning Exchange for the BUSTA Erasmus+ project (Building Skills through Training Therapy Animals) With the BUSTA project students from partner countries – Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Belgium have the opportunity to have real life impact that goes beyond the boundaries of the school, on the lives of persons with disabilities: they will develop research and cooperative actions to integrate service animal training with horses, dolphins, and dogs. The 5 day trip is organised and hosted in Sofia, Bulgaria. The aim was for visiting students to become familiar with PQHF ranch and its fantastic practices, to be introduced to the horses and training modalities through the CDE students who have already done some training there during their BUSTA activities. The visiting students finally got to meet in person the CDE students that we have exchanged video messages with since the start of the project, and have them introduce the visitors to their school. All students also met the dolphin team members who arranged an activity within the school to give them a taste of the second Learning exchange trip later that year to Lithuania. ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
OUTSIDE Erasmus+ project Learning Exchange trip Zagreb September 2022. //. 4th Project Meeting And Workshop For Students And Teachers In Croatia In September 2022 project partners met in Zagreb for the IV Transnational project meeting and the training activities. A total number of 40 students, 6 teachers, and 5 representatives from partners countries participated in the mobility activities in Croatia. The main purpose of the training activities was to further develop the green business ideas developed by the students during the experimentation and promote young students’ cooperation and team work. To this end, the following activities were implemented during the 5-day training in Zagreb: Business consultation with partners expert in the field of outdoor and entrepreneurship (Trekkify, Ezratech, Inovatyvi Karta, Brussels Outdoor School) Green business ideas Exhibition OUTSIDE Challenge: development of a green business idea in international teams and pitch.
The project Youth in Equine-Assisted Therapy /YEAT/ aims to gather organisations from different sectors and embark upon together a journey to better the quality of the work, activities and practices of the entities in the field of YEAT across the partner countries – Bulgaria, France, Belgium, the European Union and internationally. The project will advance the capacity of the participating organisations, build bridges between different sectors, address common needs and priorities in YEAT, create and spread innovative approaches in YEAT, serve children and young people with disabilities. Paint and Quarter Horse Foundation Bulgaria hosted in May 2022 a Learning Exchange Activity in Chavdar, Bulgaria. The 5 day event gathered diverse participants (young and experienced professionals of equine-assisted therapy, youth workers, young people with special needs, and their kind accompanying persons) from Bulgaria, France, and Belgium in the beautiful village of Chavdar, Bulgaria. The first days were dedicated to getting to know each other, visiting cultural places, and working on topics of equine-assisted therapy from the point of view of each group of participants. It was followed by two days at the horse ranch where PQHF organisation provides equine-assisted therapy sessions. The on-field work gave a chance to everyone for close contact with the horses. The young people in the group received their first equine-assisted therapy sessions by the different professionals from Bulgaria, France, and Belgium. All activities gave a chance to reflect on different practices and apply some of them. The last day was dedicated to evaluate our experience and receive valuable feedbacks from each participants. The information collected during the event from that diverse group will be reflected in the Youth in Equine-Assisted Therapy Guidelines that will be available in 2023. ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
Derry Hannam gave a keynote speech at the DESC kick-off conference. Darry is an international consultant and expert in democratic education. DESC (Democratic Education in Schools) is a research project funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ KA2. Its goal is to bring the democratic education approach into state schools in Europe! On the 5th and 6th of May 2022, the kick-off meeting of the project DESC took place in the BOS Democratic school. Official number of the project: 2021-1-BE02-KA220-SCH-000032620 ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
Gabriel Groiss gave a keynote speech at the DESC kick-off conference. Gabriel is Vice Chair on the council of EUDEC and founder of Playa Escuela in Tenerife. DESC (Democratic Education in Schools) is a research project funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ KA2. Its goal is to bring the democratic education approach into state schools in Europe! On the 5th and 6th of May 2022, the kick-off meeting of the project DESC took place in the BOS Democratic school. Official number of the project: 2021-1-BE02-KA220-SCH-000032620 ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
Martina Paone presented the DESC project at the project kick-off. DESC (Democratic Education in Schools) is a research project funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ KA2. Its goal is to bring the democratic education approach into state schools in Europe! On the 5th and 6th of May 2022, the kick-off meeting of the project DESC took place in the BOS Democratic school. Official number of the project: 2021-1-BE02-KA220-SCH-000032620 ‘This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.’
In September 2020, after some years of forest school activities, and long pedagogical inquiries, BOS School shifted towards a full-time democratic school; the first one in Brussels. A place where children experiment with self-directed learning, collective management of the school, and connection with nature. Created by Mia Schmallenbach
