2021
WON: Carob Syrup Producers
Submitted by PCPASE, Cyprus
This project is unique because it teaches about a very old, traditional profession in Cyprus, showing students how agriculture skills can help the sustainability and promotion of valuable local products and how important it is to respect nature. Thus, it raises awareness to local ecology – and to ecology in general, which is so necessary today, when the whole world is talking about climate change – that is worth a “shining green label.”
Social components are another essential aspect of this project. Co-operation in a common goal is a complement to typical competitive school achievements. The topic puts a focus on economic challenges in the traditional manual processing of food. The practical experience creates insight into traditional physical work.
Parents were the driving force of this project, raising funds, providing physical work together with their children, and even going one step further with creating a cookbook. Together with the teachers, they not only showed children how to cultivate carob syrup trees, but they also taught them about their history from the ancient years until today, especially demonstrating handicraft skills to the younger generation.
Such a project also has the potential for dissemination and applicability on the European level. It can be adapted to similar local products in other countries, and how these can support ecology, sustainability, and local economy, all crucial aspects of today’s citizens and consumers.
“CAROB SYRUP PRODUCERS” makes it exemplary that small organizations are capable of triggering an innovative and valuable project without involving huge networks and big financial resources.
2016
WON: Building stronger school communities through parent volunteering
Submitted by PTA UK
PTA UK worked with four schools in Northern Ireland and in partnership with the Northern Ireland government’s Department of Social Development. The aim was to pilot an approach to increasing parental engagement in education through introducing parent volunteering and parent teacher associations into school communities in Belfast and Carrickfergus where these activities are not the norm. Indeed, the schools were selected on the grounds that they served some of the most challenged communities in the province.
The project created substantial change and benefits for the schools, the pupils, the parents and teachers involved in a relatively short amount of time. With 91 new parent volunteers stepping forward, a number of targets surrounding the level of volunteering were exceeded.
Overall, the project demonstrated that there is an appetite and potential among parents to volunteer in school. It showed that, if sufficiently supported, parents can increase their confidence and capabilities creating a virtuous circle. The project ran from August 2015 to June 2016 and cost £47,696. £33,320 was secured from the Northern Ireland Department for Social Development’s Innovation Funding Grant.
2015
WON: Gathered Together
Submitted by STPC
Gathered Together (Cruinn Còmhla) is a project developed to address the issue of low levels of participation and inclusion in school communities of parents from different ethnic and cultural minorities in Scotland taking a twin track approach. The team works directly with parents and carers from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, finding out about their experiences of involvement with their children’s school and education, and barriers they experience. Gathered Together also offers training for Parent Councils and teachers wanting to engage with all parents, raising awareness of the barriers that ethnic minority parents can face to involvement, exploring equalities legislation, practice and practical steps to promote parental participation.
2014
WON: Xarxa Clau: Families for educational success
Submitted by FaPaC (Catalonia)
With this project it is intended to raise community’s awareness about the importance of family and community participation in the school activities. It also aims to point out the impact of school-family-community connection in the increasing educational success of students. Parents want to fight against school failure and exclusion.
Families need more than ever the transfer of scientific results and practical application. A social impact of the researches is needed therefore
– Diffusion of the Include-ED results to the entire school community, specifically to students’ and to families: successful educational activities and elements.
Family training:
-Creation of a sustainable volunteer work network by parents in territorial bases, for implementing and maintaining successful operations in schools.
– Establishing lifelong learning at the center of the parents’ associations’ activities.
“Xarxa Clau” project is realized together with CREA (University of Barcelona, Special Center in Inequalities Overcoming Theory and Practice, coordinator center of the INCLUD-ED project) and AEPA (Association of Adult Education, which provides the experience to ensure the democratic training and negotiation skills of the families).
VALUED HIGHLY BY THE JURY: “School open to parents- parental involvement in schools”
Submitted by Step by Step (Croatia)
The project is a training programme giving answers and help to the need for information and developing education skills of parents, especially those who are members of the Parents` Council in schools. Through the learning skills parents are empowered in their active role in the establishment of partnerships between schools and families. Parents become more effective in representing the interests and needs of children and families through active participation in the life of the school and the local community.
Activities include two workshops for members of parents councils and other interested parents with the topic of how to constructively participate in school life and to represent and advocate the interests of children and families in the school and the local community (Caring Communities & Empowerment for change).
2013
WON: “Rencontre Parents-Ecole” by APEL (France)
Producing and making available a communication kit for leaders of parents associations enabling them to lead an evening between teachers, principals and parents about educational issues: ex: authority, motivation, orientation, values, being a parent at school…
OTHER APPLICANTS:
“Non discrimination: say it with a drawing”
Submitted by AGE – Sarnico (Italy)
- Drawings from children to highlight the European Year of Citizens esp. Art.21 non-discrimination and Art23 equality between women and men are collected to choose the best to make a school calendar about children’s rights.
- Organisation of 5 workshops for parents about parental responsibilities.
- In May 2014 organisation of a big event bringing together students, parents, teachers and schools
“Coffe & rational”
Submitted by FAPACE – Los Olmos School (Spain)
Two times a month an expert presents and talks in schools about a current subject with pupils and parents .about education and parenting and other subjects concerning families. These conferences have a good rate of participation.
“Family Day”
Submitted by FAPEL Catalonia – AMPA Canigó (Spain)
A big event for families organised by parents and school to support social projects and a foundation to help families to enrol the children in school and to promote cultural activities. It’s a project about families and schools together in solidarity.
“Teacher Education-Working with parents to support their children’s learning”
Submitted by NPC-P (Ireland)
Aim: provide primary teachers with an opportunity for reflective practice in a 5 day course to gain knowledge and skills to assist them in working with parents. The content of this course: examples: parents as partners in education values and beliefs, the vision for parental involvement of NPC and the current research, improve literacy and numeracy among children, school self-evaluation and support parents in their involvement
“Parents in school community-Warsaw Forum of parents and parents councils”
Submitted by Parents in Education Association (Poland)
Aim: Increase /improve the competences of parents
How: enquiry on self –organisation of parents in schools, training of school leaders, conferences /(4-6 workshops) (2000 parents ,120 teachers), website for parents.
Information in workshops about the rights and duties of parents in schools, teach and educate, development & promotion of children’s talents, climate in school, parenting and difficulties, Quality of learning
“Parents promote Community –inclusion in the school”
Submitted by Skole og Foraeldre and Det Centrale Handicapråd (Denmark)
In 2015 96% of all the pupils will attend normal compulsory schools: the projects aim is to increase the knowledge of school boards about inclusion and developments of schools, to assist school boards in planning the strategy for this inclusion and increase the awareness about policies options, rights and duties
2012
WON: ”Plattform Elterngesundheit (PEG)” (Parents’ Health Platform)
Submitted by APA (Austria)
The platform dedicates to building awareness in politics and media for all matters of family and school health and addresses parents as educators and learners. It also involves other ministries and public institutions outside school.
Target group for all activities are parents of school-aged-children. (An extension of the programme is planned for parents of younger kids too, however there are no organized in parents associations available for this group in Austria yet) The most important focus group are parents` representatives being multipliers for the idea.
An annual nationwide health-conference for parents and an Internet platform (www.elterngesundheit.at) provide information and exchange of opinions
Two other projects were also honoured:
A network “The ACTIVE FAMILY – PARENTS CO-WORKERS”
Submitted by AGE
“School Active”four hours a week to work in laboratories agreed with the institutional representatives, during school hours and other four hours per week in activities help to study in school in order to recover lessons lost on the morning.
“School week of acceptance” Promotes sensibility for the inclusion of disability students in schools. “A book for the prison” with the objective of collecting books for young people in prison, “Waiting Saint Lucia” animating the day on 12 December with a series of musical offerings, dramatic, animation, art in the streets.
“Zivilcourage — Schau nicht weg“ (Civil Courage – don’t look away)
Submitted by APA (Austria)
To prevent violence and build-up civil courage parents organize a yearly day of activities for the whole school (30 classes, approx. 840 students) related to the topic (prevention of violence, drugs, alcohol, smoking, mobbing, bullying, sexual harassment, anorexia, obesity, etc) – workshops, round table discussions, presentations, excursions, films etc. inviting experts from different areas who participate in the project free of charge.
2011
No submitted project matched all criteria. Good ideas were applauded and the following projects were presented at the GA in Hamburg:
“Law of Selfconfidence”
Submitted by Skole og Forældre (Denmark)
“The win-Win Game” from Belgium
Developed by VCOV
“Parents building desegregated neighbourhood schools” from Netherland
Submitted by Stichting Kleurrijke Scholen
”Brug Folkesskolen” from Denmark
Submitted by Skole og Foraeldre
2010
WON: “Supporting Migrant Parental involvement in the Irish Primary Education System“
Submitted by NPC-p (Ireland)
EPA presented this project in the conference “Challenge Migration” co-organised with EUROCLIO in November 2011
HONOURED: “Face to Face Communication” (Finland) and “SurfSurr-we guide the kids on the net”, HoS (Sweden)
2009
WON: “Ohne Eltern geht es nicht und ohne Eltern tun wir’s nicht” (We can’t do without parents – and we won’t do without parents) – the Parents’ Office at Schulzentrum Am Stoppenberg, Hauptschule in Essen
Submitted by KED (Germany)
HONOURED:
“Empowerment of Pupils’ Participation” (SchülerInnenmitgestaltung)
Submitted by APA (Austria)
“Management for the Home” by FAPEL (Spain)
Parents` Office at the “Hauptschule am Stoppenberg” (KED, Germany)
2008
WON: Platform for Ethnic Minority Parents (OUDERS & COO, Netherlands)
2007
EPA highly appreciates the revival of the Alcuin Award. But the jury came to the conclusion that none of the candidates fulfils all five required criteria. Therefore there is no prize this year. Nevertheless they want to honour all of the projects, because they all are excellent examples of good practise of parental work. So each of them receives a medal, honouring each project for one special criterion:
“Reaching parents through media” (Malta) is honoured for originality.
“Ludotecas João de Deus – A contribution to prevention of social exclusion” (Portugal) is honoured for contribution to education.
“Raval project” (Spain) is honoured for the involvement of parents.
“Making parents aware of their rights and encouraging them to be active in school” (Poland) is honoured for the home-school relationship in education.
“Grand Prix des Jeunes Dessinateurs” (France) is honoured for the easy dissemination.
2003
WON: “LERN-WERK Hamburg” (Germany)
Thia is a ZEIT Foundation sponsorship project supporting “Produktionsschule Altona” and seven Hamburg five-(and-6-)form secondary modern schools located in difficult social environments. The aim is to help integrate the pupils at these schools into working life. The pupils take part in additional practical courses or work one or two days a week in the schools’ own workshops or in local firms. This concept serves to enforce self-esteem and engenders a greater willingness on the part of the pupils to perform, not only in project activities but also during normal lessons, a trend that has been verified by the half-year evaluations. The project also supports long-term contact with the parents, involving them in the choice of career and in job-application procedures. The parents help actively in the search for company es providing practical training opportunities.
2002
WON: “Compassion – socially aware learning and action at school and in society” (Germany)
This project was developed by the Secretariat of the German Bishops’ Conference and the Schools Foundation [Schulstiftung] of the Archidiocese of Freiburg, and presented by the KED parents’ association. This project allows youths to do an internship in different settings (rest home, hospital, home for the disabled, kindergartens, etc.) in the framework of their secondary schooling. In the following months the subject of “Social Awareness” is expressly addressed and cognitively reflected in every subject, where possible and in Pconjunction with the normal curriculum.
2001
WON: “The meeting takes off” or “From the others to us…in passing by the street” (Belgium)
Presented by the Minister of Education.
It is an initiative of the parents’ association of the Saint-Barthélemy middle school of Liège (member association of UFAPEC) who, to fight a climate of violence, has created strong links between four schools in a neighbourhood. Different types of schools: general, technical, vocational; public or private.
2000
WON: “The Ten Adventures of the Little Muck” (Germany)
Presented by the German parents association BER.
This project was developed in the William-Hauff Primary School, which is located in “crisis location number 1” in this district of Berlin. 67% of the pupils are foreign, about 20% of which can hardly speak German. The 100th anniversary of the school made parents and teachers think about improvements in their school. They developed multi-cultural projects, on which the “Ten Adventures of the Little Muck” are based. The school became the favourite meeting place of its community and co-operates successfully with child and youth organizations.
1999
WON: The Storysacks project (England)
Presented by the English Ministry of Education.
It was started by a group of parents at Westlea Primary School, Swindon, England. Working with the head teacher, they developed the sacks to encourage parents and children to enjoy reading books and discuss the stories.
1998
WON: “Analysis of images” workshop BY Mrs Anita Jans, (Belgium)
The aim is to teach children about the audiovisual content and all kinds of expression; to make them attentive, critical and open-minded; to discuss the influence of the television and to teach them how to use it.
1997
WON: Mrs Mulgannon, co-ordinator of the Home-school-community project in a primary school in Galway City (Ireland)
The project developed by the Department of Education in designated areas of disadvantage aims to promote partnership and collaboration between parents and teachers in the interests of children`s learning.
1996
WON: “Together to good life” an initiative of the Parents Council of the Primary School in Laauka (Finland)
Its aim is to intensify co-operation between different people and groups who influence a child’s life (preschool and day care, hobby clubs, sport clubs, local leisure, recreational services, shopkeepers,…) The motto is: “It takes a whole village to raise a child”.
1995
WON: “This is my family”, Italian association AGE
This project gives a voice to children, letting them speak about their family through the sincere expression of art and writing.
1994
WON: The Dutch anti discrimination project NPCS – Anne Frank Foundation
Because of the innovative way it stimulates schools, pupils and parents to be aware and active in combating xenophobia and discrimination.
1993
WON: Mrs Karin Rolsted (SOF, Denmark)
For her approach to new parent-teacher cooperation methods.
1992
WON: Le grand prix des jeunes lecteurs (PEEP, France)
For its initiative in favour of reading
1991
WON: Mrs Rita Schwark (Bundeselternrat, Germany)
For her efforts to help families and schools cope with dyslexia.