EPSIR

EPSIR “Empowering parents and families for active social inclusion and resilience” raise awareness of parents and empowers them by providing tools for the improvement of their knowledge about parenting, digital skills, courage, creativity and resilience. This end goal will be achieved by directly involving teachers and organisations that deal with needs of parents and families in their daily work. The project’s primary target group are, therefore, teachers in adult education who work with parents/families in different contexts such as schools, adult education institutions, or in the area of social care.

Following the outbreak of Covid-19, which affected both employed and unemployed parents and educators, what used to be a normal lifestyle ceased to exist, since people have been left with no choice but to give in and adapt to a new way of life. Online tools have become the only effective means of communication, working and attending school. This turned out to be quite challenging for many families, especially parents who experience challenges in regard to communicating with their children, language barriers, lack of digital competence, reconciling work and private life, and integrating their children in the school and community. The second important factor are migration processes, which greatly differ between partner countries. European societies are becoming more exposed to diversity than ever before, steadily increasing the importance of social inclusion. Many societies are not ready for these inevitable processes. Some countries may not accept refugees, while at the same time depending on migrant workers. Their societies, thus, become mixed. Migration processes can be terrifying for some parents and families, exposing them not only to a new language, but also to culture and tradition that may be completely opposite to what they are used to. Integration requires major reorganisation and adjustment, which are accompanied by psychological distress and problems in relation to one’s sense of identity.

By focusing on supporting active parenthood and empowering parents who are involved in their children’s lives, thus acting as model examples of active citizenship, the project will cut across generations. The project also deals with the need for intercultural skills among experts and today’s citizens of Europe. More diverse societies require more diverse and culturally sensitive competencies, by individuals, public service providers, as well as experts in the system of support to parents/families.