About the project
Don't Ignore Me! (DIM!) worked to change negative social attitudes toward people with disabilities by creating shared spaces where disabled and non-disabled young people could take part in activities together. The project was coordinated by Educademy Prague and ran for 24 months (1 March 2022 – 1 March 2024) with a €60,000 lump-sum grant, in partnership with a special-education school in Istanbul and a gymnasium in Kaunas, Lithuania.
Objectives
- Create environments where disabled and non-disabled individuals can interact positively
- Educate the community about disabilities to foster a more inclusive society
- Develop resources and tools that assist in the integration of disabled individuals into society
Partnership
CzechiaEducademy Prague, s.r.o. (coordinator)
TürkiyeNefus Nakipoğlu Özel Eğitim Uygulama Okulu
LithuaniaKaunas A. Pushkin Gymnasium (Kaunas International Gymnasium)
Expected outcomes:
- Improve societal attitudes towards people with disabilities
- Increase the participation of disabled individuals in society
- Enhance the capabilities of educational institutions to support inclusive education
Activities
Activity 1See Me
21–25 November 2022 · Prague, Czechia (host: Educademy Prague)
The kick-off meeting and training seminar that set the project in motion. Partner duties and responsibilities were clarified, and a seminar examined society's perspectives on people with disabilities. Participants reviewed the project's web page and social media content, agreed the task distribution for the project's forthcoming book, and planned the next activity, "Pink Pencils". The meeting also produced satisfaction surveys and evaluation tools used throughout the project, and strengthened participants' EU citizenship awareness, language skills and professional networks.
Pink Pencils
29 May – 2 June 2023 · Istanbul, Türkiye
An art- and drama-based activity bringing disabled and non-disabled students together. It opened with a drama session for primary, secondary and high-school students, followed by initial-attitude questionnaires, inclusive workshops pairing disabled and non-disabled students, and post-interaction reflection forms to measure any shift in attitudes. The activity reached the hosting school's students and families, with additional awareness training tailored to the areas the evaluation identified as needing it most.
Play with Me
26 November – 1 December 2023 · Kaunas, Lithuania
Structured play and inclusive games designed to build social interaction and empathy between children with and without disabilities, combined with educational workshops on supporting inclusion and feedback/discussion rounds for participants to share their experiences.
Outputs
- "A Good Example Handbook for Inclusive Education" — coordinated by Czechia, published as both a print book and an e-book, capturing the project's learnings as a guide for other institutions
- Mobile app accompanying the handbook
- Booklet — "Differences and Similarities in Special Needs Education in Czechia, Türkiye and Lithuania"
- Partner brochures documenting the methodology, findings and best practices from each mobility
- Project website with resources, event updates and project information
