Award-winning Voluntary Innovative Multidisciplinary Cultural Program (Scientific Program / Educational Workshop): "Junior Tourist - A traveling Suitcase"
SOCIETY
CIVIL SOCIETY: 276 PRACTICES
TOPIC:
Initiative
SUBMITTED FROM:
IDIOTIS
Objective Action
This program is an informative and awareness raising program on issues related to "tourism education", that is to say, it aims at ensuring that the participants acquire active citizenship - acting on the principles of sustainable development – and create tourist consciousness, protecting and highlighting Greece and its tourist destinations but in the long run by respecting all environments and by building mutual understanding with indigenous.
In fact, since the 70th General Assembly of United Nations nominated “2017” as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development (A/RES/70/193), innovative and creative projects, like this, are not only essential, but also necessary to put into action.
Target Audience
We have participated in a variety of events and different educated target groups such as public and private schools of all levels (kindergartens, primary schools, high schools, Vocational Training Institutes, universities, postgraduate courses, etc.), in festivals (science, volunteering, education, play), pedagogical and tourist conferences, specialized workshops for teachers / educators / volunteers / municipal staff, special schools, multi-culti schools, sustainable schools, ecological schools, historic schools, open schools, ecclesiastical schools, vocational schools, lyceum classes, erasmus and e-twinning classes (school exchanges), school events etc. (approximately in over than 100 educational institutions / official papers-announcements-publications during the 2 years).
Duration
2015-2016, 2016-2017, 2017-2018 and is still continious …
Description
The implementation of the program is accomplished through experiential workshops and practical exercises based on: works of art / artists, contemporary audiovisual material, appropriate teaching material and of course, through modern pedagogical methodology. The most important, however, is the "creative and playful character" that has been given to the project, so that to help participant, in a meaningful and understandable way, to perceive concepts that are very important for tourism, such as: natural environment /geography, culture/history, gastronomy, labor market / occupation, entertainment/ volunteering, activism/society, locality/ economy, Europe and Sustainable Tourism Goals (SDG’s) etc.
“Tourist junior - A traveling Suitcase" is a program aimed at promoting values of international and global Organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union and is part of the Global Agenda 2030 (Education 2030) on Sustainable Development Goals / SDGs, aiming at shaping active and critically-minded citizens through a holistic approach to education. Therefore, through cooperative actions, it aims at the emergence of equality and respect, the cultivation of trust and understanding leading to the resolution of any differences, if any, by establishing values such as peace and democracy. In particular, new teaching methods combine experiential semi-structured workshops that provide great self-action to participants, role plays, case studies, play, interactive exercises and other actions, and all participants are invited to take an active role to the project.
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Impact on Society
The impact of the program is evidenced by thank you letters, letters of support, official evaluations, as well as positive e-mails submitted by school directors and teachers, the "impressions’ album" of students and teachers, which was always being completed after the end of each workshop, but also memorable pictures with children, hugs and cheerful faces after at the end of the project. The program’s great success was sealed with a great number of distinctions (awards, commendations, prizes, praise etc) that it earned from the very first year of implementation (see the presentation below).
Initiative Location
Τhe Award-winning Voluntary Innovative Multidisciplinary Cultural Program (Scientific Program / Educational Workshop): "Tourist junior - A traveling Suitcase" is mainly active in Greece. Pilots have been implemented in the UK, while it is planned to be implemented in Cyprus, Norway, Spain (see the presentation below).
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Working with Organization
In fact, this year the program is officially implemented under the umbrella of the following institutions: Hellenic Ministry of Tourism, Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), Attica Region, European Parliament (for specific events), European Parliament's Office in Greece, Europe Direct City of Athens, Club for Unesco Art- Literature and Science of Greece, Scientific Association for Promotion of Educational Innovation. It has also been approved by the Hellenic Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs (2016-2017) and is hosted, being an integral part of the voluntary activities "Come with us" of Onassis Foundation (Scholars' Association), «Open Schools» of Athens’ Municipality, "Mind the Lab" at Athens Metro Station, "Athens Science Festival" Technopolis/ British Council, “Let’s do it Greece” in combination with an e-twinning program, “Children’ Festival” of Municipality of Lykovrysi-Pefki, “Toy Festival" of the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos, Crete, «Teachers for Europe Ambassadors” of Representation of the European Commission in Greece, «The Athens we need» an initiative of Unesco (World Urban Campaign), «Dreamland» of Municipality of Kavala, «Educational Programs» of the Library of Onassis Foundation etc.
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Workers Participation
Two executives from the ex Hellenic Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, Dr Eleftheria M. Gkrimpa (scholarship owner by the State Scholarship Foundation, N. Igoumenaki Foundation as well as Researcher-Writer & Executive of the Hellenic Ministry of Tourism, also Creator-Voluntary Trainer of the project) in collaboration with Msc Evangelia M. Gkrimpa (Scholarhip owner by the State Scholarship Foundation, Onassis Foundation, I. Chalkiopoulos Foundation as well as Trainer-Educator Executive of the Hellenic Minister of Economy and Development, also Coordinator-Volunteer Facilitator of the project): planned (2010-2013), applied pilot (2013-2015) and implemented (2015-2016, 2016-2017, 2017-2018) the Award-winning Innovative Multidisciplinary Cultural Program (Scientific Program / Educational Workshop): "Tourist junior-A traveling Suitcase", on a voluntary basis (that is without being paid and by covering by themselves the operating costs of each workshop as well as the travel/ accommodation expenses for implementing the project in regions out of Attica & abroad) & free of charge for the beneficiaries’ participation.
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Benefits for Οrganization
Τhe Award-winning Voluntary Innovative Multidisciplinary Cultural Program (Scientific Program / Educational Workshop): "Tourist junior - A traveling Suitcase" has exceeded all expectations, judging from the appeal and demand it has so far both for children and adults from all over Greece. More analytically, over 1.500 people (pupils and teachers) were trained by 2 volunteers during the school year (2015-2016), while this year (2016-2017) more than 3.500 people participated in our workshops while this year demand is rising and the program constitutes a part of various already established educational / environmental / social / cultural actions.
Connection with Global Goals
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"Τhe Little Tourist/Consumer - A Suitcase Travels"
