The Rights Hero project is an ambitious initiative funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Commission, Key Action 2, project code: 2021-1-EL01-KA220-SCH-000032652, implemented by organizations from Greece, Denmark, Italy, and Romania, which took place throughout the years 2022 and 2023, and is set to conclude in February 2024. This project aimed to address a crucial need in contemporary society - raising awareness of children's rights and promoting education based on values and inclusion.
The need for the project
In a post-pandemic context that exacerbated existing challenges and inequalities in the standard of living of children in the European Union and created new ones, the project aimed to increase children's knowledge of their rights. Unfortunately, comprehensive and easily accessible information about these rights is often lacking, leading to an increased need for education and awareness in this direction.
During its implementation, The Rights Hero project organized a series of activities aimed at achieving its objectives:
- Focus groups with students to identify their level of knowledge about children's rights and to identify their desires for an educational video game.
- Development of The Rights Hero educational game, with 4 levels, which involves players in various situations of child rights violations.
- Creation of an educational manual for teachers, to support them in using the game in the classroom and to provide useful information about children's rights.
- Organization of webinars with teachers to present the manual and the educational game.
- Implementation of activities in the classroom, based on the video game and the educational scenarios from the manual, by teachers.
- Creation of a comprehensive Impact Report based on the data from Italy, Denmark, Greece and Romania.
Project impact
The results and impact of the project were significant, both for students and teachers:
- Students demonstrated an increased awareness of their rights and showed a proactive attitude towards social integration and protecting their classmates' rights.
- Teachers observed positive changes in students' attitudes and engagement in activities related to children's rights.
- The Rights Hero educational game was appreciated for its innovative character and for how it managed to involve students in the learning process.
Recommendations for project sustainability
Based on the experience and results obtained, the project formulated some important recommendations for the future:
- Introduction of an optional subject in the school curriculum to teach children about their rights, based on the "Rights Hero" game.
- Expansion of access to the educational game to include mobile devices, to increase its use in schools with limited resources.
- Continued professional development of teachers to enhance the quality of education and raise awareness of children's rights in schools.
The Rights Hero project represents an important step in promoting education based on children's rights and encouraging active involvement of students in the learning and development process. Through innovation and collaboration, this project has demonstrated that education can be transformed into a powerful tool for change and progress in our contemporary society.