Reviews
HILS REVIEW
About Spain
Rationale
Description from the application form
Add any information about your school context
Exercise and Sport
This theme is about exploring the benefits of exercise and sport and more specifically the relationship between an active life style and academic performance and general wellbeing. It’s no secret that physical activity is good for you, but do you know about all the ways that exercise can improve your health? Check it out:
- Improved cardiovascular health. The heart is a muscle, it needs to be worked out! Regular exercise can help improve the overall health of your entire cardiovascular system.
- Lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. A healthier heart means reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes.
- Helps manage weight. Not only does physical activity burn calories, it also improves your metabolism in the long run.
- Reduced blood pressure. Physical activity keeps your heart and blood vessels healthy, helping to prevent hypertension.
- Enhanced aerobic fitness. Participating in aerobic activities — such as running, cycling, or swimming — can improve your body’s ability to transport and utilize oxygen in the lungs and blood.
- Improved muscular strength and endurance. Resistance exercises challenge your muscular system, resulting in bigger, stronger muscles.
- Improved joint flexibility and range of motion. Improved flexibility reduces risk of injury.
- Stress relief. Exercise is a great mood-booster and has proven to be an effective method of stress relief.
- Lowers risk of certain types of cancer. People who exercise regularly are less likely to develop breast, colon, and lung cancer.
- Control cholesterol. Exercise decreases LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and increases HDL (good cholesterol) levels.
- Ward off osteoporosis. Building dense, strong bones is another benefit of physical activity.
- Strengthens immune system. Exercising more = getting sick less.
- Improved sleep. We know just how important sleep is, and exercising can help you capitalize on these benefits.
- Mental health benefits. Exercise is good for your mental health too, as it can battle feelings of anxiety and depression, sharpen your focus, and improve self-esteem.
- Prolonged life. When you add all of these benefits together, what do you get? A longer, healthier, more enjoyable life!
The aim of this LTTA is to promote an active lifestyle among pupils by providing high quality lessons in Physical Education, extracurricular sport activities and extra support for inactive students, It is a known fact that young people at this age give less priority to sports and exercise so a varied range of exercise and sports at and around school is of great importance. One of the main objectives of this activity is to encourage schools to offer a wide and varied range of intermediate and after-school sports and exercise activities in collaboration with extracurricular sport activities and sport providers is part of (stimulating) exercise and sports in and around the school.
Key findings
These can be taken from questionnaires, surveys, speaking to key people.
The facilities and extra support with their homework ensure that athletes, even at a high level, choose our school. Because of this, there are many students who practice a sport.
Besides 3 well equipped gyms and professional staff there is also in the immediate vicinity of the school various sports clubs with which the school has an agreement to use the facilities. This makes it possible to offer sports such as swimming that do not take place in a gym or sports field.
The majority of students come to school by bike or on foot.
Besides the group that sports, there are also students who exercise or play sports less. It is important that this group is motivated to exercise more and to enjoy it.
Areas for improvement
Actions from the questionnaire and actions agreed with the students during the mobility
Our schoolyard is boring and is not a sport or exercise motivating environment. Also there are no places to relax.
Very little or no attention is paid to mindfulness, for example yoga.
Evidence of improvement
This can be in the form of photos, policies, posters, campaigns, data, further surveys, quotes, newsletter articles, training etc.
We decided to improve our schoolyard and invite students to think together with us on how to improve this.
We created a team of students, staff and management staff to work on a plan to create a healthier and safer schoolyard thanks to the idea gathered during the HILS meetings: more sporting facilities and equipment were created such as a padel tennis court for students and teachers. Our sports teachers provide other fellow teachers some advice to experience this new sport after school hours.
Good practice
Comment on what you have seen and heard from other countries during the mobility
The students noticed that not all countries had as diverse facilities as their own. And not everyone had the opportunity to come to school by bike or on foot.
They realised that exercise is important for a healthy, well-functioning body, mind and weight.
About Spain
Rationale
Description from the application form
Add any information about your school context
Exercise and Sport
This theme is about exploring the benefits of exercise and sport and more specifically the relationship between an active life style and academic performance and general wellbeing. It’s no secret that physical activity is good for you, but do you know about all the ways that exercise can improve your health? Check it out:
- Improved cardiovascular health. The heart is a muscle, it needs to be worked out! Regular exercise can help improve the overall health of your entire cardiovascular system.
- Lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. A healthier heart means reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes.
- Helps manage weight. Not only does physical activity burn calories, it also improves your metabolism in the long run.
- Reduced blood pressure. Physical activity keeps your heart and blood vessels healthy, helping to prevent hypertension.
- Enhanced aerobic fitness. Participating in aerobic activities — such as running, cycling, or swimming — can improve your body’s ability to transport and utilize oxygen in the lungs and blood.
- Improved muscular strength and endurance. Resistance exercises challenge your muscular system, resulting in bigger, stronger muscles.
- Improved joint flexibility and range of motion. Improved flexibility reduces risk of injury.
- Stress relief. Exercise is a great mood-booster and has proven to be an effective method of stress relief.
- Lowers risk of certain types of cancer. People who exercise regularly are less likely to develop breast, colon, and lung cancer.
- Control cholesterol. Exercise decreases LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and increases HDL (good cholesterol) levels.
- Ward off osteoporosis. Building dense, strong bones is another benefit of physical activity.
- Strengthens immune system. Exercising more = getting sick less.
- Improved sleep. We know just how important sleep is, and exercising can help you capitalize on these benefits.
- Mental health benefits. Exercise is good for your mental health too, as it can battle feelings of anxiety and depression, sharpen your focus, and improve self-esteem.
- Prolonged life. When you add all of these benefits together, what do you get? A longer, healthier, more enjoyable life!
The aim of this LTTA is to promote an active lifestyle among pupils by providing high quality lessons in Physical Education, extracurricular sport activities and extra support for inactive students, It is a known fact that young people at this age give less priority to sports and exercise so a varied range of exercise and sports at and around school is of great importance. One of the main objectives of this activity is to encourage schools to offer a wide and varied range of intermediate and after-school sports and exercise activities in collaboration with extracurricular sport activities and sport providers is part of (stimulating) exercise and sports in and around the school.
Key findings
These can be taken from questionnaires, surveys, speaking to key people.
The facilities and extra support with their homework ensure that athletes, even at a high level, choose our school. Because of this, there are many students who practice a sport.
Besides 3 well equipped gyms and professional staff there is also in the immediate vicinity of the school various sports clubs with which the school has an agreement to use the facilities. This makes it possible to offer sports such as swimming that do not take place in a gym or sports field.
The majority of students come to school by bike or on foot.
Besides the group that sports, there are also students who exercise or play sports less. It is important that this group is motivated to exercise more and to enjoy it.
Areas for improvement
Actions from the questionnaire and actions agreed with the students during the mobility
Our schoolyard is boring and is not a sport or exercise motivating environment. Also there are no places to relax.
Very little or no attention is paid to mindfulness, for example yoga.
Evidence of improvement
This can be in the form of photos, policies, posters, campaigns, data, further surveys, quotes, newsletter articles, training etc.
We decided to improve our schoolyard and invite students to think together with us on how to improve this.
We created a team of students, staff and management staff to work on a plan to create a healthier and safer schoolyard thanks to the idea gathered during the HILS meetings: more sporting facilities and equipment were created such as a padel tennis court for students and teachers. Our sports teachers provide other fellow teachers some advice to experience this new sport after school hours.
Good practice
Comment on what you have seen and heard from other countries during the mobility
The students noticed that not all countries had as diverse facilities as their own. And not everyone had the opportunity to come to school by bike or on foot.
They realised that exercise is important for a healthy, well-functioning body, mind and weight.
HILS REVIEW
About Slovinia
Rationale
Description from the application form
Add any information about your school context
Wellbeing, mental health and mindfulness
In order to learn, develop talents and grow up to become healthy adults, it is important that students feel comfortable at school. It is important that they have the space to develop, make mistakes and take responsibility for this. Students who feel connected to school and have better social and emotional skills are more motivated to learn and often get better grades at school. During adolescence, social skills, resilience and self-image develop strongly.
We see at all schools more and more problems around mental health. Every year more students fail school because of mental health problems. Actions will include: -
- Finding out what the problems are (documenting them per school/community).
- We want to find ways to fight mental health problems. We want to do this from a student perspective.
- Teach our students and staff involving in this LTTA how to cope with mental health problems and give them tools that they can share at their schools/communities.
- Perspective from students how to cope with these problems.
- Making a school policy for this subject (goal).
Students thrive well in a safe and pleasant class and school climate. Some students are more vulnerable than others. They need extra support or extra care to sit comfortably in their own skin or to deal well with their peers and adults. A good signalling system is therefore important to give these students the right support. During this LTTA we want to teach our staff how to work on signalling. We want to investigate, together with students from all partner countries, how to do this. As a product we will create a plan in how to achieve this. Adolescents benefit from a supportive social environment that sets clear rules of behaviour, creates an environment where teenagers feel at home and involved and where they treat each other with respect. With the help of our health professionals from VGGM and the Enfield council, together with our student participants we will work on clear rules that schools can use. Working on well-being is an active and continuous process. It is important to record agreements in the school policy. During this LTTA we want to investigate, together with students and staff from all partner countries, how to do this. As a product we will create a plan in how to achieve this.
Multiple recent studies on a mindfulness program for vulnerable children have corroborated the idea that mindfulness improves emotional regulation, mood, empathy, confidence and self-esteem, coping and social skills, and their ability to pay attention and focus. The benefits of mindfulness are proven
to include:
- Higher brain functioning
- Decreased stress
- Increased immune function
- Lowered blood pressure
- Lowered heart rate
- Increased awareness
- Increased attention and focus
- Increased clarity in thinking and perception
- Lowered anxiety levels
- Experience of being calm and internally still
- Experience of feeling connected.
Key findings
These can be taken from questionnaires, surveys, speaking to key people.
We have to do way more in the area of mental Health. A lot of the students don’t even know the meaning of mental health. Mental health is not something some students like to talk about.
Teachers are friendly and helpful.
Perhaps less focus on results more on wellbeing.
Organise days focussing on the mental health of students
Areas for improvement
Actions from the questionnaire and actions agreed with the students during the mobility
More knowledge about mental health
A greener school yard
Places in school to get some rest
Lessons in mind-fulness
More possibilities to talk about mental health with teachers and other students.
Creating groups with extra curriculums like movie’s games, dance, sports, theatre etcetera.
More facilities to support the students.
More student involvement.
More atention for diversity.
Evidence of improvement
This can be in the form of photos, policies, posters, campaigns, data, further surveys, quotes, newsletter articles, training etc.
Starting next year, we will work with a flexible schedule to be able to provide more customization to meet the needs of our students. This applies to cultural, sporting or supportive aspects.
Extra staff has been hired to create equality of opportunity, for example by providing homework guidance and to be able to continue to guarantee the (preventive) care need.
An active student council that consults with the management team about improvements at school.
The GSA group has become more active again .
Good practice
Comment on what you have seen and heard from other countries during the mobility
In other schools students have more time to socialise. Dutch school system is very much about result, mental health is not as important as in other schools in other countries.
Bigger gap/distance between teachers and students.
Students and teachers start their day together talk about what’s going on.
Common dinners at school, time to socialise
More other kind of activities within the school, groups that practise all kind of topics like sports or theatre.
About Slovinia
Rationale
Description from the application form
Add any information about your school context
Wellbeing, mental health and mindfulness
In order to learn, develop talents and grow up to become healthy adults, it is important that students feel comfortable at school. It is important that they have the space to develop, make mistakes and take responsibility for this. Students who feel connected to school and have better social and emotional skills are more motivated to learn and often get better grades at school. During adolescence, social skills, resilience and self-image develop strongly.
We see at all schools more and more problems around mental health. Every year more students fail school because of mental health problems. Actions will include: -
- Finding out what the problems are (documenting them per school/community).
- We want to find ways to fight mental health problems. We want to do this from a student perspective.
- Teach our students and staff involving in this LTTA how to cope with mental health problems and give them tools that they can share at their schools/communities.
- Perspective from students how to cope with these problems.
- Making a school policy for this subject (goal).
Students thrive well in a safe and pleasant class and school climate. Some students are more vulnerable than others. They need extra support or extra care to sit comfortably in their own skin or to deal well with their peers and adults. A good signalling system is therefore important to give these students the right support. During this LTTA we want to teach our staff how to work on signalling. We want to investigate, together with students from all partner countries, how to do this. As a product we will create a plan in how to achieve this. Adolescents benefit from a supportive social environment that sets clear rules of behaviour, creates an environment where teenagers feel at home and involved and where they treat each other with respect. With the help of our health professionals from VGGM and the Enfield council, together with our student participants we will work on clear rules that schools can use. Working on well-being is an active and continuous process. It is important to record agreements in the school policy. During this LTTA we want to investigate, together with students and staff from all partner countries, how to do this. As a product we will create a plan in how to achieve this.
Multiple recent studies on a mindfulness program for vulnerable children have corroborated the idea that mindfulness improves emotional regulation, mood, empathy, confidence and self-esteem, coping and social skills, and their ability to pay attention and focus. The benefits of mindfulness are proven
to include:
- Higher brain functioning
- Decreased stress
- Increased immune function
- Lowered blood pressure
- Lowered heart rate
- Increased awareness
- Increased attention and focus
- Increased clarity in thinking and perception
- Lowered anxiety levels
- Experience of being calm and internally still
- Experience of feeling connected.
Key findings
These can be taken from questionnaires, surveys, speaking to key people.
We have to do way more in the area of mental Health. A lot of the students don’t even know the meaning of mental health. Mental health is not something some students like to talk about.
Teachers are friendly and helpful.
Perhaps less focus on results more on wellbeing.
Organise days focussing on the mental health of students
Areas for improvement
Actions from the questionnaire and actions agreed with the students during the mobility
More knowledge about mental health
A greener school yard
Places in school to get some rest
Lessons in mind-fulness
More possibilities to talk about mental health with teachers and other students.
Creating groups with extra curriculums like movie’s games, dance, sports, theatre etcetera.
More facilities to support the students.
More student involvement.
More atention for diversity.
Evidence of improvement
This can be in the form of photos, policies, posters, campaigns, data, further surveys, quotes, newsletter articles, training etc.
Starting next year, we will work with a flexible schedule to be able to provide more customization to meet the needs of our students. This applies to cultural, sporting or supportive aspects.
Extra staff has been hired to create equality of opportunity, for example by providing homework guidance and to be able to continue to guarantee the (preventive) care need.
An active student council that consults with the management team about improvements at school.
The GSA group has become more active again .
Good practice
Comment on what you have seen and heard from other countries during the mobility
In other schools students have more time to socialise. Dutch school system is very much about result, mental health is not as important as in other schools in other countries.
Bigger gap/distance between teachers and students.
Students and teachers start their day together talk about what’s going on.
Common dinners at school, time to socialise
More other kind of activities within the school, groups that practise all kind of topics like sports or theatre.
HILS REVIEW – HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT
About Italia
Rationale
Description from the application form
Add any information about your school context
Health, Safety and Environment
Access to safe and high-quality sport facilities is important in and around schools if we are to ensure that young people have the opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity, whilst ensuring their safety. For example, a healthy environment ensures a reduction in health complaints, less absenteeism and an increase in well-being and improvement in the performance of both pupils and staff. Appropriate and available sporting facilities not only provide the benefit of free physical activity, but they are very crucial in terms of mental growth and alertness. Not only does it empower youth and promote higher self-esteem, it also motivates students, enables them to gain better grades, especially in schools where obtaining certain grades is a pre-requisite to staying on the team.
Numerous physical benefits include maintaining a healthy weight, preventing chronic diseases and learning the skills necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle after graduating.
The health-promoting school concept offers the following advantages: interrelationships between the physical, mental, social and environmental aspects of health, supporting a positive learning environment and one in which healthy relationships and the emotional well-being of students are strengthened.
Physical safety includes: physical safety (of the school building, the schoolyard and during practical and gym classes), traffic safety, fire safety and hearing safety.
Key findings
These can be taken from questionnaires, surveys, speaking to key people.
There is a lot of traffic in the area, and not all bike lanes are as safe as they should be.
We have not a healthy schoolyard are not anything for sports and too little to relax. Also there is a lack of greenery on school property. In the direct area of the school there are more possibilities like parks and nature.
Dutch life is more situated inside than outside. So inside our facilities are better. We do need to stay alert to all possibilities of improvement. We should work more on the outside area and improve this so it’s safe and healthy for our students.
We don’t have a lot of littering in and around the school, this Is partly due to the hard work of our cleaning team.
Areas for improvement
Actions from the questionnaire and actions agreed with the students during the mobility
We decided to improve our schoolyard and invite students to think together with us on how to improve this.
We created a team of students, staff and management staff to work on a plan to create a healthier and safer schoolyard thanks to the idea gathered during the HILS meetings: more sporting facilities and equipment were created such as a padel tennis court for students and teachers. Our sports teachers provide other fellow teachers some advice to experience this new sport after school hours.
We are going to improve are recycling program in and around our school. During breaks students are encouraged to sort their rubbish. Garbagebins have been replaced by new containers decorated by students that are more attractive. We insist on making students more aware of the problems of them littering and make them more responsible to clean their surroundings.
Evidence of improvement
This can be in the form of photos, policies, posters, campaigns, data, further surveys, quotes, newsletter articles, training etc.
We informed colleagues about how they could create and improve a better and safer environment in and around the school, and about the fact that this is everyone’s responsibility to get a healthier working and studying place.
We have created a system to make students responsible for the cleanliness of the school: every week ten different students supervise the other students during break and at lunchtime and tell them to clean up and be nice. This team of supervising students is easily recognisable for they wear blue jackets. They also get support from a team of teachers who are in nearby and stay in contact with the supervising students
Thanks to all these new ideas, we have seen tremendous improvements.
Good practice
Comment on what you have seen and heard from other countries during the mobility
One of the most important things we experienced was the safe environment created for students, by watching Italian students so confident during the opening ceremony, our students learned how to feel very secure and self-confident while on stage. At the end of the stay, they felt safe and were proud. This is something we could learn about in our country at school.
The environment in Sicily is quite different than the one our student were used to. The natural reserve of Vendicari and the Plemmirio marine are well protected area in Siracusa. They became more aware of the importance of protecting vulnerable environment and the value of protecting these areas, how to protect them, and the reason.
They learned that it is important to take good care of themselves as teenagers about own safety. How to protect themselves against unsafe situations like on social media, about their hearing while using earphones or addictions.
About Italia
Rationale
Description from the application form
Add any information about your school context
Health, Safety and Environment
Access to safe and high-quality sport facilities is important in and around schools if we are to ensure that young people have the opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity, whilst ensuring their safety. For example, a healthy environment ensures a reduction in health complaints, less absenteeism and an increase in well-being and improvement in the performance of both pupils and staff. Appropriate and available sporting facilities not only provide the benefit of free physical activity, but they are very crucial in terms of mental growth and alertness. Not only does it empower youth and promote higher self-esteem, it also motivates students, enables them to gain better grades, especially in schools where obtaining certain grades is a pre-requisite to staying on the team.
Numerous physical benefits include maintaining a healthy weight, preventing chronic diseases and learning the skills necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle after graduating.
The health-promoting school concept offers the following advantages: interrelationships between the physical, mental, social and environmental aspects of health, supporting a positive learning environment and one in which healthy relationships and the emotional well-being of students are strengthened.
Physical safety includes: physical safety (of the school building, the schoolyard and during practical and gym classes), traffic safety, fire safety and hearing safety.
Key findings
These can be taken from questionnaires, surveys, speaking to key people.
There is a lot of traffic in the area, and not all bike lanes are as safe as they should be.
We have not a healthy schoolyard are not anything for sports and too little to relax. Also there is a lack of greenery on school property. In the direct area of the school there are more possibilities like parks and nature.
Dutch life is more situated inside than outside. So inside our facilities are better. We do need to stay alert to all possibilities of improvement. We should work more on the outside area and improve this so it’s safe and healthy for our students.
We don’t have a lot of littering in and around the school, this Is partly due to the hard work of our cleaning team.
Areas for improvement
Actions from the questionnaire and actions agreed with the students during the mobility
We decided to improve our schoolyard and invite students to think together with us on how to improve this.
We created a team of students, staff and management staff to work on a plan to create a healthier and safer schoolyard thanks to the idea gathered during the HILS meetings: more sporting facilities and equipment were created such as a padel tennis court for students and teachers. Our sports teachers provide other fellow teachers some advice to experience this new sport after school hours.
We are going to improve are recycling program in and around our school. During breaks students are encouraged to sort their rubbish. Garbagebins have been replaced by new containers decorated by students that are more attractive. We insist on making students more aware of the problems of them littering and make them more responsible to clean their surroundings.
Evidence of improvement
This can be in the form of photos, policies, posters, campaigns, data, further surveys, quotes, newsletter articles, training etc.
We informed colleagues about how they could create and improve a better and safer environment in and around the school, and about the fact that this is everyone’s responsibility to get a healthier working and studying place.
We have created a system to make students responsible for the cleanliness of the school: every week ten different students supervise the other students during break and at lunchtime and tell them to clean up and be nice. This team of supervising students is easily recognisable for they wear blue jackets. They also get support from a team of teachers who are in nearby and stay in contact with the supervising students
Thanks to all these new ideas, we have seen tremendous improvements.
Good practice
Comment on what you have seen and heard from other countries during the mobility
One of the most important things we experienced was the safe environment created for students, by watching Italian students so confident during the opening ceremony, our students learned how to feel very secure and self-confident while on stage. At the end of the stay, they felt safe and were proud. This is something we could learn about in our country at school.
The environment in Sicily is quite different than the one our student were used to. The natural reserve of Vendicari and the Plemmirio marine are well protected area in Siracusa. They became more aware of the importance of protecting vulnerable environment and the value of protecting these areas, how to protect them, and the reason.
They learned that it is important to take good care of themselves as teenagers about own safety. How to protect themselves against unsafe situations like on social media, about their hearing while using earphones or addictions.
HILS REVIEW – ONLINE MOBILITY
About the online Mobility
Rationale
Description from the application form
Add any information about your school context
Online mobility – COVID
Due to the COVID pandemic all face to face mobilities had to be paused. During this time, we held a three-day online conference to continue the spirit of the HILS project and to explore how each country has been affected through our seven health topics.
Before and during the online mobility the following activities took place:
Key findings
These can be taken from questionnaires, surveys, speaking to key people.
Questionnaire results are attached, each country gave their own presentation and then each mixed country group gave their final presentation.
We had speakers from several countries, experts on sports, food nutrition, and media telling our students in what way they were able to stay more healthy in lock-down situations.
Areas for improvement
Actions from the questionnaire and actions agreed with the students during the mobility
Students learned how to stay fit and how to try to stay mentally healthy during lockdown, how to deal with their body image, which can be a major issue during adolescence.
We had the word champion pastries chef telling our students how to cook healthy pastry, thanks to different ingredients they had never used before.
Evidence of improvement
This can be in the form of photos, policies, posters, campaigns, data, further surveys, quotes, newsletter articles, training etc.
Thanks to this online mobility, students from 7 different countries who had never met before, found out they were able to communicate, collaborate and work together, to finally be able to make international presentations after only 3 days of online meetings. The 7 HILS health-related topics covered during this session where the common centres of interest for all the participants, which proves that they were relevant.
Students made posters how to cope with covid lock down situation and we had people from the Dutch national health institute (GGD) coming to our school talking with students about this. The GGD has used this input in their national campaign. Unfortunately we as a project were not mentioned by them in the final result.
We did however had our students make a similar poster campaign for our school about the use of mouthpieces and staying safe. This camping was throughout the school and the idea was even borrowed by other schools to use there as well. As a result of this the mayor of the city of Ede came to our school to honour our students involved in this campaign. They took the ideas with them for city hall and spoke about it during the council meeting.
The impact of these three days was obvious, especially in this tough period of pandemic: it gave the students a boost of confidence and of energy.
Good practice
Comment on what you have seen and heard from other countries during the mobility
As mentioned above we had the poster campaign as a good practice. Furthermore our students were surprised in a nice way on how they were at ease communicating with students from foreign countries, and how it was smooth and easy to work together and share their ideas, and build up common presentations. After the mobility, they said that it was too short, they were very enthusiastic by the fact that they had been able to make new friends thanks to this project. After the lockdown some of them even visited friends they made during this online mobility
They also realised the importance of mastering the English language. This online mobility motivated them even more to participate to the HILS Erasmus + project, and of course they were eager to take part to face-to-face future mobilities when travelling would be possible again.
About the online Mobility
Rationale
Description from the application form
Add any information about your school context
Online mobility – COVID
Due to the COVID pandemic all face to face mobilities had to be paused. During this time, we held a three-day online conference to continue the spirit of the HILS project and to explore how each country has been affected through our seven health topics.
- Well-being, mental health and mindfulness
- Body image and the dangers of social media
- Exercise and Sport
- Health Safety and environment
- Food and nutrition
- Relationships
- Addiction (smoking, alcohol and drugs) prevention
Before and during the online mobility the following activities took place:
- A questionnaire was completed by as many students as possible in each country exploring various health and wellbeing elements of their home and school lives
- Each country gave a short presentation of the current situation and how the pandemic is affecting them, their school life and home life
- Students then worked in mixed country groups with a lead teacher to guide them through the assignment. The assignment was that each group on the last day would present how they have been affected by the COVID pandemic (negative and positive) on a specific health topic and what measures could be put in place to deal with this from the student’s point of view
- Body image workshop presented to all
- Healthy eating workshop presented to all by Johanna Le Pape – all students cooked live online to make healthy cookies
- Physical activity session delivered to all by Enfield Council – how to keep active at home during the pandemic
- Mental health and wellbeing session delivered by VGGM
- Online quiz on the final day
- Final presentations from each mixed country group
Key findings
These can be taken from questionnaires, surveys, speaking to key people.
Questionnaire results are attached, each country gave their own presentation and then each mixed country group gave their final presentation.
We had speakers from several countries, experts on sports, food nutrition, and media telling our students in what way they were able to stay more healthy in lock-down situations.
Areas for improvement
Actions from the questionnaire and actions agreed with the students during the mobility
Students learned how to stay fit and how to try to stay mentally healthy during lockdown, how to deal with their body image, which can be a major issue during adolescence.
We had the word champion pastries chef telling our students how to cook healthy pastry, thanks to different ingredients they had never used before.
Evidence of improvement
This can be in the form of photos, policies, posters, campaigns, data, further surveys, quotes, newsletter articles, training etc.
Thanks to this online mobility, students from 7 different countries who had never met before, found out they were able to communicate, collaborate and work together, to finally be able to make international presentations after only 3 days of online meetings. The 7 HILS health-related topics covered during this session where the common centres of interest for all the participants, which proves that they were relevant.
Students made posters how to cope with covid lock down situation and we had people from the Dutch national health institute (GGD) coming to our school talking with students about this. The GGD has used this input in their national campaign. Unfortunately we as a project were not mentioned by them in the final result.
We did however had our students make a similar poster campaign for our school about the use of mouthpieces and staying safe. This camping was throughout the school and the idea was even borrowed by other schools to use there as well. As a result of this the mayor of the city of Ede came to our school to honour our students involved in this campaign. They took the ideas with them for city hall and spoke about it during the council meeting.
The impact of these three days was obvious, especially in this tough period of pandemic: it gave the students a boost of confidence and of energy.
Good practice
Comment on what you have seen and heard from other countries during the mobility
As mentioned above we had the poster campaign as a good practice. Furthermore our students were surprised in a nice way on how they were at ease communicating with students from foreign countries, and how it was smooth and easy to work together and share their ideas, and build up common presentations. After the mobility, they said that it was too short, they were very enthusiastic by the fact that they had been able to make new friends thanks to this project. After the lockdown some of them even visited friends they made during this online mobility
They also realised the importance of mastering the English language. This online mobility motivated them even more to participate to the HILS Erasmus + project, and of course they were eager to take part to face-to-face future mobilities when travelling would be possible again.