John Paul II Primary School in Bełżyce, Bełżyce, Poland
Józef Piłsudski Primary School in Jastków, Jastków, Poland
Jan Twardowski Primary School in Zemborzyce Tereszyńskie, Zemborzyce Tereszyńskie, Poland
Our research and other analyses conducted in Konopnica (in the Lubelskie province) and in two neighbouring communes revealed low level of civic activity among school youths, who also often experience difficulties with learning and with getting socially engaged.
To address these problems, we engaged pupils, their families and community members as well as the authorities of four schools from three communes. We organised workshops devoted to social and civic engagement, cooperation, communication, coping with problems, and pursuing one’s own initiative within local community. We trained twelve volunteers to work with youths, to teach and inspire young people. Every class was to come up with its own initiative and implement it. As a result, twelve youth initiatives engaging school community were realized.
Our partners included four primary schools from three neighbouring communes, located near Lublin. These were facilities from both rural and urban areas, both public and non-public institutions. Such a choice of partners enabled us to we engage youths with different viewpoints.
Evaluation surveys conducted after the completion of the project indicate that pupils increased their knowledge on the implementation of social initiatives, and they wish to implement it in practice. The project also managed to attract school staff’s attention to youths’ needs. We could see that joint participation of a class and its tutor in the project very often opened adults’ eyes to what youths actually needed and what they found important in their immediate environment.
