Partners
The ACCESS project is a collaborative effort by eight organisations from five European countries: Lithuania, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Romania. Together, they work towards a shared goal of creating more inclusive educational environments for children with learning difficulties.
Joniškis “Saulės“ basic school is a big town school with departments (the department for students with big special needs and a primary school department in the district). We have 534 students and 51 teachers. Primary school students (7-10 years old) are taught together in one big building with basic school students (11-16 years old). Students and teachers take part in various projects, events, not only in regional ones, but also in national and international.
The school currently has 103 pupils with special needs. These pupils need help from a range of specialists (special educator, social educator, psychologist, tiflopedagogue, sign language teacher, speech therapist and teaching assistant). The school has pupils who are not identified as having special needs but have specialist support. However, they are not able to receive it because of the lack of specialists. Specialists are unable to provide quality education due to the over-representation of pupils and the number of pupils per specialist. Teachers in the lower grades face teaching difficulties in educating their children, with speech and language disorders. Failure to provide the necessary and timely support in the primary grades’ specialist support, the learning difficulties increase in the older grades. The use of information technology at an early age, parental busyness and a lack of communication within the family. One in three pupils receives the help they need. In this situation, attempts are made to group pupils in need of specialist help together. Pupils with speech, language or reading disabilities are taught in classes with a high number of pupils (24 pupils per class). During pandemics our teachers, students and parents suffer from stress, anxiety and weight problems. We have a group which consists of teachers, a special pedagogue and a psychologist who try to help students and their parents.
Lithuanian Education and Science Trade Union – LESTU (Lietuvos švietimo ir mokslo profesinė sąjunga – LŠMPS) is the largest trade union umbrella organisation for education employees trade unions in Lithuania with about 11 000 members and with over 25% unionization rate. It has 12 people staff working in the central office and 40 coordinators at the regional level (municipalities).
LESTU is the only education trade union organisation in Lithuania uniting workers in all fields of education, ranging from pre-primary teachers to lecturers and researchers in universities and vocational school teachers. The Union is actively engaged in promoting the overall professional and trade union interests of its members at all levels – national, regional and institutional. The LESTU is politically independent and in dialogue with employers and is deeply committed to influencing the education policy formatted by the Government, Parliament. Lithuanian Education and Science Trade Union is a member of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK), also the member of Education International (EI) and the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE). Therefore the union has big national and international networks to disseminate the project results and share the best experiences. At the state level, the LESTU via Parliamentary Education Council gives the recommendations to the government in all fields of education concerning design and implement the ECEC, general education, VET, HE and AL policies and initiatives. LESTU has strong cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Sports and Science. Beneath this strong influence on the policy level, the LESTU is also regulating the framework conditions of the teachers and trainers – working hours, training, remuneration, dismissal protection, health protection etc. – by collective bargaining.
EMVIO is a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing social solidarity, cultural development, environmental protection, and public health. The organisation collaborates with municipalities, governmental bodies, and other stakeholders to promote programs that foster the growth of the social economy. EMVIO actively implements initiatives that raise environmental, cultural, and social awareness, including conferences, festivals, and the digitization of ecological and cultural content.
Committed to empowering vulnerable groups, EMVIO supports young people, women, and individuals with disabilities through self-employment counseling and small business development in the social economy sector. The organisation also engages in international collaborations to combat poverty, reduce social exclusion, and promote access to knowledge and employment opportunities for disadvantaged populations. EMVIO’s mission extends to building networks, disseminating scientific knowledge, and enhancing local and international development through education, cultural exchange, and solidarity initiatives.
Ethos-Hub is a Mental Health Research, Educational and Support Centre based in Greece providing support for children, family and adults in different sectors. Our multidisciplinary team includes psychologists, special education teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and play therapists, providing a wide range of services tailored to diverse needs. We offer:
- Psychological support (children, teenagers, adults, family)
- Consultancy
- Speech therapy services
- Special teacher services
- Occupational services
- Treatment groups
- Holistic health treatment and quality life monitoring
- Inclusive sport programmes
A key focus of Ethos-Hub is our dedication to individuals with learning difficulties. We provide targeted interventions that recognize the unique strengths and challenges of each learner. Our special education teachers and therapists work collaboratively to empower children and adults to overcome barriers, build confidence, and succeed academically and socially. Ethos-Hub is dedicated to enhancing overall quality of life through holistic health approaches and inclusive programs.
Special education teachers and therapists work collaboratively to create individualized learning plans that leverage strengths while targeting specific difficulties. Our approach emphasizes skill-building, fostering independence, and nurturing confidence. Speech and occupational therapy play a vital role in our holistic approach to learning difficulties. By improving communication skills, motor coordination, and cognitive functioning, we help learners build a strong foundation for success in both academic and social settings.
The psychologists at Ethos-Hub are an integral part of our efforts to support people with learning disabilities, using their expertise in cognitive and emotional development. In addition, they offer counselling to help families navigate the emotional and practical complexities of learning disabilities, fostering a holistic support system.
These initiatives ensure that individuals with learning difficulties can enjoy enriching experiences and develop a sense of belonging, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth and success.
FEG Primary School, located in Iași, Romania, was founded in 2003 to extend the educational journey initiated by FEG Kindergarten. Accredited by the Ministry of Education and Research through Order no. 6206 of 18 December 2009, it is an integral part of the national educational network. The school is dedicated to fostering a stimulating and supportive environment where pupils can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
To offer a comprehensive educational experience, FEG Primary School boasts a variety of modern facilities. These include an English language cabinet, a fully equipped computer lab, a well-stocked library, a spacious sports hall, an outdoor play area, and a dining room. Additionally, the school provides audio-visual aids and state-of-the-art materials essential for an effective and engaging learning process.
At FEG Primary School, students are encouraged to embrace core life values, respect others, and develop self-confidence while learning to express themselves authentically. The school follows the national framework plans and curricula developed by the Ministry of National Education, tailoring them to its specific educational objectives. Key features of its approach include intensive English language instruction, guided homework sessions, introductory computer skills training, and diverse extracurricular activities aimed at fostering creativity and collaboration.
Safety and convenience are prioritized, with the school offering an online video surveillance system and optional transportation via a dedicated school minibus. Currently, FEG Primary School serves 86 pupils, supported by a dedicated team of 18 teachers and 4 staff members. The institution remains committed to nurturing well-rounded individuals prepared to excel in an ever-evolving world.
LeGO is a social cooperative working in the fields of education and childcare, social inclusion, eldercare.
The company was established in 1978 in the city of Montevarchi and still mostly works in Tuscany, although it has developed a network of collaborations at national and European levels over the years.
LeGO has 279 employers. The staff is mainly composed of educators, nurses, professional caregivers, teachers, psychologists and social workers.
LeGO has three main fields of activities. First, it provides educational services for children and for adults who have learning disabilities or who are more at risk of being marginalized. Our main activities in this field consist of daily care centers for children aged 0-18, educational support for children and adults in different settings (school, home, community centers, workplaces etc.), parent training and projects addressing child neglect, school dropout prevention programs, orientation, VET services addressed to people with disabilities and to people at risk of poverty or social exclusion, independent living training for adolescents and adults with disabilities.
Second, it provides elderly care services: home care services; project aiming at promoting active ageing; recreational and sports activities for elderly people; community services for people with dementia or cognitive impairment and their caregivers; residential services.
Third, we work in the field of social research, education and professional development of social workers, public/private co-design, European cooperation.
LeGO works in collaboration with several public institutions among which the Tuscany Region and several local municipalities, and also collaborates with Italian Universities and Research Centers.
San Félix Ikastola is a center located in Ortuella, Bizkaia. A subsidised school belonging to the EBI group. Recognized by the Basque Government with a gold A in management, with special mention in people and innovation. We are committed to a Basque culture rooted in human-christian values based on an innovative, technologically advanced and methodologically active education where collaborative work and emotional flexibility acquire a relevant role being fundamental the involvement of families and the social fabric for the integral development of our students. All this, in order to promote and develop a critical and fair citizenship, active, sustainable and adapted to new challenges.
- Working on group projects allows students to be the protagonist of their own learning, thus highlighting a more personalized and motivating approach.
- We have been recognized as a V.E.C. center. We help our students to understand and channel their emotions so that they can be emotionally flexible.
- We are committed to the pedagogy of confidence, we enhance the capabilities of each child, creating a safe and stimulating environment and helping students with difficulties to feel valued and motivated. Teamwork and collaboration are fundamental, which helps our students to learn from their peers and develop social skills.
- The school has a Snoezelen classroom where our children manage to reach a state of well-being and relax through the senses. In this room we work in the stimulation of the five senses but in an experimental way. We work here in small groups, only 4 or 5 students, respecting the rhythm of each child. This classroom helps us to work with students with special educational needs.
- We promote an inclusive and integrative education that begins by supporting the person from the regular classroom, the teachers work closely with each student to identify their specific needs and design personalized learning strategies to help them develop their full potential. We currently have four teachers of Therapeutic Pedagogy and four Educational Support Specialists.
- The school has a wide range of educational resources, both traditional and technological, to adapt to the different ways of learning.
