Ten years of shared learning to break down prejudices and create bonds

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the joint project between the School of Education and Psychology and the Ilundain Foundation, which was born as a result of the shared interest in creating learning spaces and real partnership between university students and young people in training. It is an activity developed by the students of 4th year of pedagogy of the subject "Fundamentals and Strategies of Socio-educational Action II" taught by Professor Sarah Carrica. "We bet on a methodology based on service-learning, where students could apply what they learned in the classroom, in a real context and with a social purpose. The partnership with the Ilundain Haritz-Berri Foundation was natural: we share the same educational outlook, focused on equity, inclusion and recognition of each person," says the teacher.

Throughout these 10 years, more than 300 students and more than a hundred young people from the foundation have participated in the project . "This activity has achieved its main goal , which was to achieve a learning experience that went far beyond academics and served to break down prejudices, question stereotypes and generate authentic bonds," says the teacher.

An experience that leaves its mark

This year's activity focused on "talent" understood "not as something exceptional or limited to a few, but as something diverse, everyday and present in everyone. We intend to make visible and recognize the individual and collective talents of each participant, questioning normative or standardized views on what is considered "valuable," explains Sarah Carrica. Based on this idea, this course has developed activities and dynamics that will strengthen self-esteem and encourage self-expression, building positive bonds among participants.

In this context, for the Foundation's young people, this activity is also a valuable opportunity. "They feel they are protagonists, listened to and recognized. Many times, they are not used to having spaces where their voice or life experience is valued, and in this project they become the center of the process," says the professor, adding "the fact of sharing experiences with university students, as equals, allows them to strengthen their self-esteem, discover new ways of expressing themselves and broaden their vision".

In the case of the student organizers, this activity allows them to put into internship what they have learned in the classroom: "They have the opportunity to learn first-hand about areas of social Education that are not always dealt with in depth during the degree program, and this broadens their professional vision and staff. They become educators in process, who not only teach, but also learn from the young people they work with," she adds. Sarah Carrica also highlights the recreational and experiential component of the project, which favors the involvement and enjoyment of all participants. "In the final, it's an experience that leaves a lasting impression on both parties.