Meeting via Teams on the 17^th and 18^th March for their last transnational event, TLI research staff were able to discuss important final details of the project with partners from Spain, Sweden and Italy.

Despite being a virtual event, all attendees were still treated to the chance to gain the unique cultural insight that is usually on offer during Erasmus projects.  Spanish project leaders Olga Reina Giráldez and Rosa Yáñez Fernández, who would have welcomed us to their hometown in Seville had it not been for travel restrictions, delivered a wonderful presentation about the workings of their school and its surroundings.

An aspect of the school’s community that has resonated within the parameters of the project is the differing cultural traditions of the local Romani population, who make up 60% of the school’s pupils.  Whilst the Romani girls’ role of wife and homemaker is often prioritised over their education, so similarly are the boys required to start work and provide for their family at a young age.  Unfortunately, this means it is a struggle to keep Romani children in school beyond the age of about 13 for girls and 15 for boys, and additionally ensures that the extreme underrepresentation of qualified Romani teachers in the area remains unbalanced.  The community challenges are so extensive that professionals that work at the school do so by voluntary application – they almost never have anyone apply to a traditional publication of a job role.

After discussing the team’s progress towards completing the seven Intellectual Outputs we’ve been funded to deliver, we also enjoyed a video tour of Seville, making us all the more determined to visit when we can.

The pilot for the project’s first output was delivered in November 2020 to a broad range of professionals including attendees from Devon and Cornwall Police, Virtual School Devon, Learning Institute Governors and Public Health Wales.  Our sincere thanks go to Ann Ferguson and Louise Bennett who were our expert facilitators (Ann also produced an amazing piece of CPD on toxic stress which you can find here).  In addition to strategic leads of organisations, front line professionals were present, and this gave us invaluable feedback to ensure a very comprehensive programme for our final output for this project.

“I have worked in my profession for over 40 years – the use of language has never occurred to me before. I have started thinking about my use of language more and adapted it from the very next day.”

This powerful statement speaks particularly to the wish of all those involved in this project, and a prevailing theme over recent transnational: that the project has a prevailing legacy beyond its creation.  Specifically, that people think and adapt their ways of working particularly with vulnerable groups and those facing challenges, difficulties and toxic stress in their lives.  On this note, we are happy to announce that our first dissemination event will be held on the 30^th June via an online event platform, and it will include a particularly exciting range of guest speakers and workshops.  Watch this space for more details!

With the recent one year anniversary of the first COVID-19 lockdown in the UK, the notion of collective trauma is only just beginning to be grappled with.  Furthermore, as well as the drastic changes to everyday life, millions of us have been left bereaved by the loss of loved ones, and we have seen an alarming rise in the number of reported domestic abuse cases.  As such, understanding trauma, especially as it manifests in our children and young people, has never been more important.  We very much hope that this project and its culminating events will provide much needed information and guidance on how our communities can continue to tackle adverse childhood experiences, trauma and toxic stress.

Please make sure you’re following us on Twitter where we will be continuing to share more information about upcoming events – and look out for our upcoming promotional video!

To find out more about the project:

Visit: www.learninginstitute.co.uk/erasmusace

Contact: r.d@learninginstitute.co.uk

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