Design for Change Romania
Context
In a world full of challenges, an adult who firmly believes in the potential of every child can make a huge difference in their lives.
This belief opens up a universe of possibilities where children are encouraged to explore their passions and develop their talents.
“It can be a wonderful journey where they learn that there are no limits, that effort and perseverance can lead them to success,” says Oana Pășălan, the project coordinator.
In a context marked by a commitment to efficient and relevant education, Romanian Angel Appeal (RAA) joins a global mission that has already reached over 70 countries, focusing on developing essential skills for children’s future, such as empathy, creativity, and problem-solving.
Design for Change (DfC) offers significant advantages for teachers, students, and communities, including:
- Encourages Creative Thinking: DfC methodology emphasizes developing critical and creative thinking skills by addressing community problems and developing innovative solutions. Students are encouraged to use their imagination to find ingenious solutions, which they then implement.
- Promotes Empathy and Social Awareness: By engaging in projects aimed at solving community problems, students develop empathy and social awareness, better understanding the needs and challenges of those around them and being motivated to make a positive difference in others’ lives.
- Encourages Collaboration and Teamwork: DfC often involves teamwork and collaboration among students to develop and implement solutions. By promoting communication, negotiation, and teamwork skills, students are prepared for the future.
- Creates Experiential Learning Opportunities: Through a practical and experiential approach to learning, DfC offers students authentic and meaningful learning opportunities. Students learn by doing, actively exploring and experimenting with problems and solutions.
- Increases Confidence and Self-Efficacy: By observing the positive impact of their actions on the community, students develop confidence in their abilities and a sense of self-efficacy. This motivates them to be more engaged and dedicated to their activities.
- Contributes to Building a More United and Responsible Community: By actively involving students in solving community problems, each member feels part of a team and is motivated to contribute to the common good.
Objectives
Since Romanian Angel Appeal became a Design for Change partner in Romania in 2022, the training package was translated into Romanian, and a Romanian version of the DFC website was created.
Moreover, the methodology was tested in four rural schools with four teachers and mixed groups of children from grades IV to VI.
These initiatives demonstrate our ongoing commitment to bringing positive changes to Romanian education and the communities we are part of.
The series of questions raised after testing the methodology in 2023, such as its sustainability in mixed or single classes, optional curriculum, in primary or secondary school, and the methodology’s ability to become engaging for students and teachers, guided our direction in 2024.
This year, we aim to implement the DfC methodology in both formal and informal settings, alongside 24 teachers from at least 12 schools, to increase the skills and motivation of the school community to work together intentionally for the common good.
The project will be implemented in various environments, and the results obtained will be reflected in a comprehensive report, which will serve as a basis for dissemination and use in development, fundraising, and advocacy activities.
For ten months, we will dedicate ourselves to validating a tested intervention for the children involved, creating and training a community of teachers capable of providing effective support to children in identifying and solving problems.
In the end, all these efforts will contribute to the active involvement of children in building a happier and healthier community.
Stories
In a school in Prahova where we work, 31 students didn’t let their teacher give up, even when the challenge they faced was too great. Teachers, inspired by their students like Anca, saw the difference children’s involvement can make.
After a process where they analyzed their world and asked, “What problems affect me at school every day?“, the students built the Friendship Bench, a place to reconcile after arguments and enjoy playing together.
Anca’s class is one of twenty we work with to create a positive classroom model, showing how to do things differently and create an environment that encourages children to be attentive, involved, take initiative, and have the courage to act and solve problems.
