Abstract:

Social Innovation Education (SIE) has been developed for mainstream education where young people co-create with adults to address local social and sustainability issues through transformative social action projects. However, the model has not been tested with students with Additional Educational Needs (AEN). Since the competencies acquired through SIE, such as self-efficacy, social communication, empathy, and social resilience, are essential in today's world, it is imperative that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in these efforts. SIE has been adapted for AEN students and, over a period of 10 months, it was tested with over 173 young people from Cyprus, France, Greece, Ireland, and Romania in activities facilitated by 51 educators and 8 youth volunteers.

The pilot implementation had two main phases: Preparation and Implementation. During preparation, educators ensured proper setup of the co-creation lab. The implementation phase, where co-creation occurred, included 7 stages: 1. Team Building, 2. Introducing the SDGs, 3. Introducing SI as a way to solve problems, 4. Identifying and selecting a local issue, 5. Co-creation of the SI project, 6. Carrying out the SI project, and 7. Reflection and celebration.

The resulting 13 pilot projects were coordinated by five education institutions from each participating country and it included students with mild and low symptoms of ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health. Educators received in-person training, ongoing support from specialized organizations, and access to guidebooks, activities, and support meetings.

Observation, discussions, and survey results were used to determine the main lessons learned from the pilot, as follows:
1. From abstract to concrete and repeat: Activities need to be adapted to the needs of students with AEN. Multiple methods and tools were used to help students with AEN understand abstract concepts like SDGs and SIE. These methods included visual representation, experiential learning, role play, social stories, and collaborative learning.
2. Non-linear process: Even if the co-creation stages are presented as linear from 1 to 7, the process of developing SI is not linear. Students continue to learn about the SDGs and SI (stages 2-3) as they implement their projects (stages 4-6). If students spend too much time in the abstract, the project will lose momentum and fail to achieve its impact.
3. Co-creation: One of the key strengths of the project was bringing external stakeholders into the project. They contributed with resources, encouragement, and ideas, making the social innovation projects successful.
4. Concrete SDGs: One of the main challenges encountered by educators was the complexity of the project. Educators preferred to address issues linked to simpler SDGs such as No Poverty, No Hunger, Health and Wellbeing, Quality Education, and Climate Change.
5. Ongoing support: Educators needed substantial support when implementing the methodology, from access to training and resources to confirmation that they were on the right path and inspiration from other projects and educators.

The pilot projects were successful in all countries, though they required adaptation to each context. The pilot highlights both the benefits and limitations of engaging students with AEN in Social Innovation Education (SIE), as well as the adjustments educators need to make to ensure students develop critical 21st-century competencies.

Keywords:

Social Innovation Education (SIE), Additional Educational Needs (AEN), 21st century competencies, co-creation labs, active citizenship.