Equally important is all at one: a game, a drama workshop, a simulation, a creative and educational program for young people!
The Equally Important program deals with socioeconomic (in)equalities, gender (in)equality, and inequalities in health and education. These topics are all connected on the board/ a map, which has four paths we use to move to the island / around the island / away from the island of Idyllicus... We discover the secrets of this island together.
National
Serbia
The initiative was implemented in the cities of Belgrade, Novi Sad, Sombor, Vranje, Novi Pazar, Prijepolje, Lebane, Kragujevac, and then in Subotica, Užice, Sremski Karlovci, Tutin, Kruševac, Niš, Ćićevac, Jagodina, Kosjerić, and Leskovac.
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Belgrade Centar for Human rights Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Demir Last name of representative: Mekic Gender: Male Nationality: Serbia Function: youth worker Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Kneza Milosa 4 Town: Belgrade Postal code: 11000 Country: Serbia Direct Tel:+381 64 3372882 E-mail:youth@bgcentar.org.rs Website:https://www.bgcentar.org.rs/programi/omladinski-program/
The Equally Important program is a educational and creative program for youth, with a goal for young people to gain a better insight into social (in)equality topics. The program uses created blackboard/map, drama simulation, and game in a very specific and unique way. The main tool that is used in the program is a “game” of Idyllicus ‒ A Saga About Equality, which is developed for this purpose. This format combines simulation, dramatic techniques, narrative, and board games. This whole educational process is told throughout the story of a “perfect island” Idyllicus and through this format four key topics related to (in)equality are addressed, namely:
1. socioeconomic (in)equality;
2. gender (in)equality;
3. (un)equal access to healthcare;
4. (un)equal access to education.
The program deals with the topics throughout four units. Each unit addresses one issue through three workshops, which makes a total of twelve workshops. All the workshops can be found in the created Manual.
The program was designed following the needs and interests of young people who participated in the project in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Sombor, Vranje, Novi Pazar, Prijepolje, Lebane, Kragujevac, and then in Subotica, Užice, Sremski Karlovci, Tutin, Kruševac, Niš, Ćićevac, Jagodina, Kosjerić, and Leskovac.
Social justice and equity
Gender equality
Access to health
Access to education
Socio-economic equity
The main goal is for young people to gain a better insight into social (in)equality topics and become allies to the groups in need/ at risk.
The specific objectives of the program are:
• Understanding the concepts of social justice, social rights, equality, and fairness.
• Understanding the position of certain social groups and informing young people about available resources and services intended for vulnerable social groups.
• Informing young people about socioeconomic (in)equality, gender (in)equality, (un)equal access to healthcare, and (un)equal access to education.
• Understanding the broader social context and the power dynamics regarding certain social groups.
• Developing empathy among young people for vulnerable and at-risk groups, as well as alliences and solidarity
• Understanding intersectionality
All of these topics are connected with the sustainability, human rights and social justice. Agenda 2030 is reflected in the very core of the progfram. Main SDGs that are tackled through the program are SDG 10 (Reducing Inequalities), SDG 4 (Education) , SDG 16 (Peace and justice and strong institutions), but also SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 5 (Gender equality) and SDG 3 (Good health and well-being). Sustainable, just and fair distribution of resources and services is tackled through the 12 workshops specifically designed for young people. More than 300 young people increased their knowledge on the social (in)equalities after the program was implemented. This program is based on drama techniques, board game , simulation and narration, and it can involve other topics connected with sustainability, with the special focus on the resources (nature), that can become a part of the narrative.
This program uses drama techniques that are proven to be successful when tit comes to working with youth.
The evaluation that is conducted before and after workshops, which involved around 90 young people, we gathered very important information on how the program affects youth:
1. Clear perception of their own role and responsibility for social equality. On the scale from 1 do 5, around 90 % of youth shared that they are very aware of their own role and responsibility after the workshop (grade 5).
2. Gained knowledge in action. Vast majority of participants know how to use the acquired knowledge in action (in their own context and reality). Average grade for this area is 4, 62 (5 being the highest).
3. Importance of the topics for their future. Around 97% graded importance of the topics with the highest grade (5).
4. More confidence in the topics. Vast majority of the group shared that now they feel more comfortable to discuss the topics with others. Around 80% of participants giving the highest grade. (5- totally agree).
Besides the learning outcomes, there is an aesthetic, artistic quality of the program. Since the program is using a lot of creative techniques, mostly drama, but also drawing, poem writing, etc... The outputs of the workshops are also artistic in a form of the performances, body images, songs, drawings and performative speeches, etc. This contributes to the transformative potential of the workshops, but also transformative potential of the community, since the outputs can be easily shared with others and affect them deeply.
The inclusion is one of the main principles of the program and it is addressed in the Manual. All the topics that the program is dealing with: socioeconomic (in)equality; gender (in)equality; (un)equal access to healthcare; (un)equal access to education, are the topics were the equality, equity and inclusion are main values. The method and the story of Idyllicus opens the issues of the new societal model, new society and economy where everybody would be equal. Participants throughout the process discuss those topics and develop critical thinking.
All the workshops and the trainings were accessible to all the participants. We involved young people from rural areas too.
All the implemented workshops were adapted to the needs of every young person, and the inclusion started from the very first stages when we started designing the program.
This innovative program/ method was created as a result of the project of the same name through the intensive work of four experts and with the help of twelve educators (teachers and youth workers) from all over Serbia, who participated in the training, gave their suggestions, commented on different versions of the program, and tested them in their respective local communities. This is how we achieved the ownership on the program by educators.
Besides 10 workshop with youth, we implemented 2 consultative meetings with young people, were we have received comments and feedbacks on the methods needed and the right approach in developing the program.
The program that is created offers various techniques for working with youth, by using body, voice, movement, writing, drawing, singing and performing... This richness of the techniques make it inclusive in the way that the educators can use different techniques that will include every individual and will give them space for creative expression.
Most young participants estimated they had concrete ideas for applying the knowledge gained through the workshops. Some participants also gave specific answers that described the different effects of the dramatic work method:
a) the educational effect of the applied theatre and the dramatic work method, i.e., the suitability of this form for work in primary and secondary schools, e.g., showing people how important these topics are through play and fun;
b) the psychotherapeutic effect, i.e., the helping effect of the dramatic method of work: raising and strengthening awareness of solidarity and self-confidence;
c) ideas for knowledge transfer: talks, panels, and discussions.
Besides that, this program gathered many representatives of the civil society organizations, cultural organizations and youth organizations. The finall event of the project took place on 28th of November 2022, was aiming at presenting the method to the civil society organizations and educational institutions. The event gathere 22 educators and they all have reveived the Manual and the rest materials form implementing workshops. Until now, 5 of them reported that they have used the method.
The program that we developed can be a great asset for the civil society organizations dealing with youth people, as well as for schools and universities, since its content is applicable for many various groups, without limitation, it is open and flexible and it is proven that the program has effect on young people. We plan on making Equally Important ("Podjednako vazni") corners in youth organizations and schools, were educators that participated the training can provide information to young people, implement the program (or parts of it) and support youth in concrete actions that deal with (in)equality issues. Some actions are suggested in the Manual.
The program is developed through the intensive work and many consultative meetings with teachers, youth workers and youth. Consultative meeting with 50 youth workers/ teachers was held in the beginning of the project. Total of 12 (twelve) educators from all over Serbia, were chosen to be part of the whole program, to participate in the trainings, give their suggestions, comment on different drafts of the program, and test it their local communities. They provided two reviews of 2 program drafts. Each of them also implemented one workshop with the local youth and collected their feedbacks about the method. Meanwhile, 2 consultative meetings with youth are held online. That is how we assured that the program is designed as a response to the needs and interests of young people. Furthermore, 10 workshops were implemented with youth across Serbia by the core team of trainers. This means that the program was finalized at the end of this process, gathering comments and feedbacks of 12 educators and more than 300 young people from cities like: Belgrade, Novi Sad, Sombor, Vranje, Novi Pazar, Prijepolje, Lebane, Leskovac, Kragujevac, and then in Subotica, Užice, Sremski Karlovci, Tutin, Kruševac, Niš, Ćićevac, Jagodina, Kosjerić,.
In every city/ town we made a partnerships with the local NGOs, Youth Offices, educational institutions, etc. We collaborated with The European Capital of Culture- Novi Sad, Youth Offices in Prijepolje, Novi Pazar, Kragujevac, with NGOs like Sombor Education Centre, Partnership for Education. We established collaboration with the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade (Andragogy Department), and implemented a workshop for their students , with the Pedagogical Faculty from Uzice, etc.
Part of the program was accredited through the partners organization Partnership for Education from Leskovac, by Institute for Education Improvement . The whole program is yet to be accredited in the following year.
The project idea was initiated by 4 people that use drama techniques in their fields of work, which have different professional background: youth worker and sociologist, dramaturg, actress and drama pedagogue, Serbian language teacher. The exchange of the knowledge started even here. Different approaches tend to make one holistic approach that will equip youth with the critical thinking, competences and values needed for the action in the field of social justice. 12 educators that were chosen to be part of the program were also having different backgrounds, with half of them being teachers and half of them being youth workers/ trainers. Various fields of knowledge helped in the process developing the program, since everyone gave their own perspective regarding working with youth. Understanding between formal and non-formal actors was established during the program, but also some of the existing prejudices were overcome. This process provided all of the involved sides that the joint action towards change is possible.
Innovative character of this program is definitely reflected in its method. The specific approach that uses drama techniques, simulation, board game and narration. All these topics are approached with specific techniques and paths to/around/from the board for playing the game. At all times, reference is made to the story of the Idillycus Island, where equality and justice are achieved, and everyone has equal opportunities and access to resources. As players and participants in the proposed workshops, we investigate how this island's citizens managed to achieve equality and fairness in all aspects of life. The inspiration for this concept came from a real story about a place called Roseto, where people are long-lived, healthy, and have a high quality of life, which is believed to be caused by a rich social life and solidarity among people. Participants are going through the map and through the creative tasks in order to reach the goal, to reach this island of equality. Throughout the program, we move through the map/board and pass the Path of Equality, the Gate of Health, the Path of Gender Equality, and the Path of Education to reach the justice and equality that reign on the island.Tasks are creative, they use drama, poetry, poems and drawings. The whole time, tasks are thoughtfully designed to increase their own capacity for equality and equity, to provide participants with the competences to act and to fight for equal rights, deepen their sense of belonging, empathy and solidarity. At the end, when participants accomplish the tasks that board gave, but also they acquired new competences, reached their own "islands".
What differs this program from others is that it has a holistic approach to the learning. It tends to be playful and really deep and emotional, cognitive and process work.
The program resulted in the package of materials that consists of the Manual "Podjednako vazni", the map (board) , cards and the rest of the materials (cubes, etc.). All the educators that were part of the process as well as those participating in the final event (public workshop) have received the materials that they can use. We have received lot of messages of the educators implementing the workshops by their own, since they were inspired by it. Some of them that still do not feel safe with implementing the whole program, took parts of it, so they run concrete exercises, games, and/or discussions that are explained in the Manual.
This program is adjustable to any group of youth, in any country and it deals with the values that are universal. It can be replicated and transferred to the educators further. The plan is to disseminate the outputs and to transfer knowledge to as many educators as possible in the following year.
The Equally Important program is a hybrid methodology that includes the dramatic method and board game mechanisms in the form of process workshops. By the dramatic method, we mean many standard techniques and methods used in dramatic pedagogy and applied drama and theatre, such as the Theatre of the oppressed, Process drama, dramatic games, dramatic conventions, and simulations. The main element of the Equally Important program is the board/map of the fictitious island IDILLYCUS to and around which the participants move with pawns (or other means) exploring and completing tasks according to the predefined steps. An essential element is conflict, which, like in drama and a board game, represents a challenge for the participant to overcome. The conflict creates excitement, makes the process of learning and playing the game attractive, and the feeling of collaborative learning is created through the joint overcoming of challenges by all participants.
The program deals with the following topics: socioeconomic (in)equalities, gender (in)equality, and inequalities in health and education.
These topics are all connected on the board, which has four paths we use to move to the island / around the island / away from the island. This journey begins with the Path to Equality workshop, which deals with socioeconomic inequalities. After that, we move towards the path of health – the Gate of Health deals with the right to equal health care, followed by the Path of Gender Equality, and at the end of the process is the workshop Path of Education, which deals with the right to education. Each topic is covered in two an-hour-and-a-half workshops, with the addition of a third workshop that can be done either after each topic or after all topics have been covered. The goal of the final workshop is to design and implement a specific action that will be visible in the local community. In this way, participants are becoming active agents of change, a real allies in the communities.
The global challenges are the core issues that the program is dealing with. The general topic of the program is (in)equalities, with the specific topics that are tackled with different "Paths" on the board/map. Those issues are:
1. socioeconomic (in)equality;
2. gender (in)equality;
3. (un)equal access to healthcare;
4. (un)equal access to education.
Through the understanding of the local situation in these field (reffering to the national laws on education, health, etc. ;Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other documents) helps young people to understand the global challenges of (in)equality. As mentioned, the base of the program are human rights, social justice and values of solidarity and allyship, which are competences and values that we are lacking even in the global picture. Program is in sink with the sustainable development goals, tackling the topics of inequality, poverty, access to health and education and gender equlity. Translating the topics into the sustainable goals, that means that the main SDGs that are tackled through the program are SDG 10 (Reducing Inequalities), SDG 4 (Education) , SDG 16 (Peace and justice and strong institutions), but also SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 5 (Gender equality) and SDG 3 (Good health and well-being).
The program offers concrete actions that can be done in the local communities as a kind of a final product of the program. Those actions tend to involve others and to inform them about the (in)equalities, to raise these issues further, but also to empower youth to become more active and to involve as change-makers in their communities.
All 12 educators that were part of the program used in their work some of the drama techniques they had adopted during capacity-building training and the whole process. All of the engaged educators (teachers and youth workers) reported that their knowledge on the topics of the (in)equalities has increased after the trainings. Evaluation shows that their knowledge was increased up to 40%. After the second part of the training, which was held from 26-29 August 2022, some teachers included "Equally Important" curriculum in the Annual School Curriculum. The program has so far been included in three schools in Serbia, namely: Elementary School "Rada Miljković" in Jagodina (where the program is included in the Action plan of the program of the team for the protection of students from discrimination, violence, abuse, and neglect for the school year 2022/2023, as part of preventive activities) as well as in the elementary school "Sveti Sava" Kruševac, and the Elementary School "Ibrahim Bakic" In the village of Leskova. Every educator said they gained a lot concrete techniques, and that they now know better how to deal with the topics connected to social justice.
The program reached more than 300 young people across Serbia. Their reported the change of their attitudes, but most important, willingness to use the knowledge in their life. More than 80 % of the total number of participants, sad that they find the gained knowledge very applicable and have idea how to use it.
Parallel with the trainings, workshops and development of the Manual, we started an online campaign focused on the equal rights, social justice and allyship. the campaign reached more than 10 000 people, equipping them with the information on the equality and equity.
The plan is to reach more young people as well as teachers and youth workers and to implement the program in as many educational institutions as possible, becoming a formal part of the curricula. Rural schools are going to be in focus too.
Although this program is not focused on the environmental issues directly, it is profoundly connected to the values of equality and equity, and in its focus is understanding of the importance of fair access to the resources and to social rights. The kind of competences that participants acquired during the program helped them to overcome ethnocentric and anthropocentric approach in thinking about the topics of justice and fairness.
