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Supported by Erasmus + Programme

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Open Digital Europe

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Out of the Box International develops a tailor made open data model and policies based on open digital environment which is transparent, accountable and secured.

Social Businesses

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Out of the Box International works with already existing hubs, various local and national stakeholders and social entrepreneurs in order to further develop and promote successful social entrepreneurship policies and practices.

Solidarity Europe

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Out of the Box International delivers expertise in the field of cohesive policies by using cross-sectorial approach and non-formal  education, in a global perspective.

European Project

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Out of the Box International  works further to enhance current cooperation in South East Europe region and actively supports the integration of all European countries in common European project.

Projects

Fresh Ideas for Social Cohesion / PLACEDU

“PLACEDU: Digital social place for the next normal in education”

COVID-19 revealed how weak the educational landscape is. It left many students without access to a blackboard, a computer, or basic learning resources. Most EU countries closed the higher education infrastructure for some time. While the efforts to maintain education during this closure were high, the students mostly had to rely on individual capabilities and tools. The most challenging aspect for the universities became the fact that the majority of institutions could not offer additional value when teaching only via the current online platforms.

As studies have shown, e-learning can cause social isolation, and it requires strong self-motivation, and time management skills. The current remote learning is having difficulties in delivering proper education not only because of a mismanagement of resources, but mainly because nobody understands how remote learning has to happen without the connection to the physical social space.

PLACEDU will address the most pressing issues of emotional, social, and communicational features that are lost in e-learning. The project aims to equip teachers with new skills in virtual learning by providing training based on those features that are lost when switching to e-learning.

In this regard, the main target groups of the project are (a) teachers of higher education institutions, so that they can deliver a more fulfilling educational experience via e-learning; and (b) students who will, as a result, experience more activities that boost their motivation and weaken their social isolation.

The PLACEDU project will produce the following outputs (IO1) a map of the existing tools and platforms that enable remote learning within HEI; (IO2) “The digital place”, a platform for the enhancement of remote learning; and (IO3) a manual and a digital guidebook for the implementation of the platform.

 

The PLACEDU project will be implemented by 7 partners from 6 countries: Lithuania (XWHY and Vilnius University), Slovenia (University of Ljubljana), Cyprus (CSI), Belgium (OTB International), Iceland (University of Island), and Greece (SOCIAL POLICY ACADEMY).

 

The project is co-financed by the Erasmus+ KA2 Programme of the European Commission

 

Why Out of the Box International

The seemingly ever-lasting depression of European economies has shaken the very foundations of many European societies. The shear rate of unemployment in Europe and the omnipresent environmental crisis coupled with the often frustratingly slow process of decision making in the EU, are calling for civil society actors to step in and fill the void.

In the aftermath of the 2008. economic crisis, the apprehension of falling under the spell of apathy of economic depression across the continent has not been easy to shake off. However, pinpointing the culprits for the current state of affairs on any particular EU decision maker is not the answer. Nonetheless, the fact remains that the current approach to the economic and environmental crisis hasn’t yet shown the affected citizens the light at the end of the tunnel.

As representatives of the civil society we feel the need to make our voice heard in the midst of the current debate on economic crisis. Being a social enterprise we offer new and feasible ideas in education and community work, creative cross-sectorial cooperation among different actors and strong networking coalitions to turn these dire economic challenges into possibilities through social entrepreneurship initiatives which aim at benefiting wide range of citizens, particularly vulnerable groups and those affected by the economic crisis.

Social entrepreneurship is a simple concept that has been put into practice by civil society actors for the benefit of a specific social group or people, and this is precisely what we want: to create projects and initiatives with fresh ideas in different policies, educational programs or tools, support businesses, empower cultural initiatives and offer different solutions to individuals, corporate bodies, everybody who believe that we can have more Creative, Innovative and Cohesive Europe.

 

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