Empowering kids with special educational needs in the Baltics (EKSEN)

Main aim: to foster inclusive education environments in kindergartens across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. By leveraging the power of sports, arts, and music, EKSEN seeks to enhance the educational experiences of children with special needs, provide valuable upskilling opportunities for educators, and equip parents with essential information to support their children's development.

Objectives:

To promote inclusive education environments in kindergartens for children with special educational needs.
To enhance the knowledge and skills of educators working with children with special needs.
To empower parents with valuable insights and effective communication strategies to support their children's development.
To create tangible outputs, including a comprehensive guide and a booklet of best practices, to be utilized by educators and parents across the region.

Activities:

Kick-off meeting in Latvia | January 2024

The project began with a transnational meeting in Latvia on 18 January 2024, where 9 representatives from partner organisations introduced their organisations, discussed project goals, responsibilities, and planned upcoming activities and timelines.

International Educator Training and Exchanges in Estonia | May 2024

22 participants took part in training activities in Estonia from 6 to 9 May 2024, including presentations on inclusive education, classroom observations, and interactive workshops. Activities involved hands-on sessions, teaching methods demonstrations, and discussions on supporting children with special educational needs.

International Adaptive Sports and Arts Programs in Lithuania | October 2024

21 participants took part in training activities in Lithuania from 14 to 17 October 2024. This activity focused on inclusive education through sports, arts, and creative methods, providing participants with practical tools to engage children with special educational needs in active and creative learning environments.

Midterm meeting online | 2024–2025

Partners met online to review project progress, evaluate implemented activities, coordinate upcoming events, and ensure alignment between partner organisations.

International Inclusive Education Workshops in Latvia | March 2025

Workshops in Latvia, from 17 to 19 March 2025, included school visits, lesson observations, outdoor educational activities, and practical sessions such as creative workshops. 16 participants exchanged methods and experiences related to inclusive education and SEN support.

Parent Information Sessions in partner countries | April 2025

Information sessions for parents were organised in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, focusing on awareness, support strategies, and involvement in the education of children with special educational needs.

Intellectual outputs creation | 2024–2025

Project partners worked on developing educational materials, sharing best practices, and creating resources to support inclusive education and strengthen educators’ competences.

The final meeting in Lithuania with a final conference | May 2025

The project concluded with an international conference with 103 participants in Lithuania, on 19 May 2025, where results and outcomes were presented, and discussions on inclusion and educational innovation were held with participants from multiple countries.

Expected outcomes:

Enhanced understanding of inclusive education environments among educators, resulting in more supportive and nurturing classrooms for children with special needs.
Improved skills of educators in effectively utilizing sports, arts, and music to engage children with special educational needs.
Empowered parents with practical information and communication strategies to support their children's learning and development.
A comprehensive guide for educators and parents with best practices, guidelines, and resources to foster inclusive education.
A visually appealing booklet showcasing successful inclusive practices, providing inspiration and guidance for other kindergartens in the Baltic region.

This project is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program, supporting education, training, youth, and sports initiatives across Europe.