Associação Educativa Nacional de Inclusão e Inovação nas Escolas- AENIE

The National Association of Educational Innovation and Inclusion in Schools (AENIE) is composed by 9 members of the Board, all linked directly or indirectly to the education system. The direction is composed of teachers, operational workers, union officials, representatives of parents, elements linked to the Portuguese education system, universities and they believe they may have an important contribution in improving the quality of the teaching-learning process in schools and the contribution to the development of 21st century labor competencies of young people. Also there are 4 persons working mainly in hosting hundreds of young interns every year from several countries in Europe in different areas (Car Mechanic or Builder, logistics, gastronomy, nutrition technician, renewable energies, pharmaceutical technician, Hotel technician, Chefs, Economics, technician hotelier, advertising specialist, food techinques, etc). The Association believes that it is imperative that teachers accompany this cibernaut generation of students, running the risk of becoming pedagogically obsolete. “The short term scientific and pedagogical knowledge which teachers face today poses a constant dilemma: either they update, expand and diversify the initial knowledge, or age at a breakneck pace” (Manuel António Patrício). In addition, the AENIE believes in "task based learning" (TBL) because it appears as a form of real experiences of everyday life. Thus, the TBL emerges as a very important reference in formative assessment, presenting itself as a source of success and motivation in student learning. Therefore the AENIE believes that the mobility of students in the employment context is the best way of improving personal skills in order to be prepared for entering in to the job market, promoting qualification, innovation and entrepreneurship, helping companies to be more competitive and looking for new niche markets abroad and also helping young people tread a successful path. So, the purposes of the association AENIE are: - to assure and contribute, by all means, that parents, tutors, teachers and staff can fully accomplish their mission as responsible elements for education; - to contribute for the balanced personality and educational development of each student; - to establish a teaching policy under the values of respect, equality and civic values of all students; - to promote an inclusive and innovative school as far as pedagogical terms are concerned using the ICT Technologies; - to help all students and parents/children’s tutors with economic problems; - to support teachers with new strategies of teaching so they can improve their pedagogical methods through internal and external training; - to support schools as far as new pedagogical practices and non-formal activities are concerned; - to promote and support European Clubs in the Schools; - to promote volunteering in schools: - to combat the early school leaving; - to promote student mobility; - to promote internships for students in a work context in Portugal and abroad; - to promote new work skills of students; - to develop students exchange projects; - to promote, organize and dynamize youth exchanges in Portugal and abroad. Besides this, AENIE activities aims at: - Inspiring and empowering young people with fewer opportunities with skills, knowledge and confidence to realize their potential and to develop their personal and professional competencies. - Supporting the presence and the role of young people with fewer opportunities, youth workers and organizations to participate fully and actively as citizens and to address their own communities’ needs. - Inspiring people about the positive contribution that young people can bring to their communities and to the world. - Enhancing youth volunteerism on local and international level. - Raising public awareness on social entrepreneurship, healthy lifestyle, environmental protection, gender equality, cultural diversity, social inclusion and intercultural dialogue. - Increasing international and cross-cultural tolerance and understanding of young people through intercultural learning AENIE plans to be actively involved in international projects in the frame of Erasmus+ programme. This is why AENIE creates network of trustful partners, in order to continue successful cooperation with them in future. The organization's staff has experience to implement projects on local and international level, work with young people with special needs, minorities, in particular roma pupils and refugees, use non-formal education methodology, support youth mobility, innovation and entrepreneurship and so on.