MODUS Final Conference: The Importance of Enthusiasm and Collaboration Between CSOs and Educational Institutions
ABOUT ACTIVITY
On May 11th and May 12th, 2023, we organised a conference titled "Schools and CSOs Supporting Civic Education – Spaces of Collaboration" in Rijeka. About seventy participants, representatives of educational institutions and civil society organizations from different parts of Croatia attended the conference.
National-level support is needed for the implementation of civic education
As part of the program, a panel discussion titled "Regional School Stories: Civic Education Practices in different parts of Croatia" was held. The panellists Ivana Milas from the Nansen Dialogue Centre in Osijek, Lana Golob from the City of Rijeka, Jasmina Lichtenberg from the City of Pula, Elena Puh Belci from the Istrian County, and Marko Rajić from the Vladimir Becić Elementary School in Osijek shared their experiences and the challenges they face in the daily implementation of civic education activities. They emphasized the importance of collaboration between public administration, civil society organizations, higher education institutions, and schools, as well as the need for evaluation and sustainable funding for these activities.
MODUS Model of Cooperation aims to strengthen ties between schools and civil society organisations
One of the key topics at the conference was the presentation of the "MODUS Model of Cooperation between civil society organisations and educational institutions in the implementation of civic education". This model, resulting from research and joint work in the Osijek-Baranja, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, and Istrian counties, provides simple steps and guidelines to facilitate collaboration between schools and organisations. Reducing administrative barriers and ensuring the sustainability of civic education activities are important elements of this model, which will be beneficial for both beginners and experienced practitioners in the field of civic education.
Collaboration and Inspirational Activities: Good Practice Examples
The second day of the conference featured examples of good practice from the participants themselves. The Centre for Peace Studies presented the quality assurance system for informal educational programs called SKOCKANO, through which organizations can receive quality marks for their programs. The Vladimir Becić Elementary School in Osijek introduced a project which created opportunities for students to learn about sustainability. The "Centar" Elementary School in Rijeka presented a project about empowering individuals with developmental disabilities. The "Power of Culture" Association showcased its work in heritage preservation in collaboration with schools. The Croatian Debate Society presented the project "Democratic Vaccination", about the role of debate as a democratic tool empowering civic education, as well as youth participation in decision-making processes. The Agricultural and Veterinary School in Osijek and the Medical School in Osijek also presented a series of projects they conduct in collaboration with civil society organizations. The Istrian Foundation for Partnership and Civil Society Development introduced the "Philanthropic Treasure Hunt."
Photo galleries from the conference are available here: Day 1, Day 2.
The conference was organized as part of the project "MODUS - Civil Society and the Public Sector supporting Civic Education" funded with 135.000€ through the financial support of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway as part of the EEA grants. The project is co-financed by the Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Republic of Croatia.
