SPACE4US – project finalized

MANO EUROPA together with SPACE4US project partners completed the research which aimed to investigate the experiences, vulnerabilities, and resources of participant girls in seven European countries (Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Spain). This research is one of the outcomes of SPACE4US which is a European project dedicated to empowering young women in vulnerability through a blended experiential learning model. The research presents a summary of a qualitative study aimed at unravelling the intricate circumstances, values, and experiences shaping the lives of vulnerable girls across Europe. Its primary objective is to explore the gender, youth, and power dynamics inherent in everyday situations within schools, care institutions, and communities. The brief targets a diverse audience, including professionals directly involved with vulnerable girls and youth, public bodies, educational institutions, social services, and NGOs.
Research activities occurred in various settings, including residential care facilities and educational centers, ensuring a diverse socio-cultural perspective. Data collection spanned for 21 months, involving 112 young participant girls.
The report highlights girls struggles in accessing fundamental rights, opportunities, and resources. These challenges include various forms of discrimination and disadvantage, such as trauma and abuse. The girls’ narratives demonstrate a general awareness of gender inequalities and discrimination in society, reflecting experiences across public and private contexts. Discrimination episodes encompass gender-related discrimination, health-related stigma, poverty-based judgment, and biases within family, school, and the care system. Family and educational settings emerge as both sources of support and potential obstacles in the lives of vulnerable girls.

If you are interested to read a brief of “Stories of fragilities”: a qualitative and comparative social study on the risk of exclusion faced by adolescent girls in Europe you can CHECK HERE.

Additionally, during the project we developed the online Platform and its Social Communication Tool which is an Open Education Resource and includes all the materials, resources and information about the project and related outputs. The Platform is accessible for anyone, especially from common smartphones and mobile devices, it was developed in 8 European languages. It is an important tool to foment the digital readiness not only of the girls and youth workers directly involved in the project, but also for all other “insiders” looking for ideas to help girls at risk of exclusion to explore their potential. In the Platform you can find 27 experiential workshops that are divided according to the following themes: Head, Body (Heart) and Hands. It is a holistic approach to transformative learning and experiences. It relates the cognitive domain (head) to critical reflection, the affective domain (body) to relational knowing and the psychomotor domain (hands) to engagement.

The SPACE4US project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.