Beskrivelse af organisationen

Sihtasutus Omanäolise Kooli Arenduskeskus is an organisation that supports education improvement in Estonia. Its scope is nationwide and its areas of activity may include the following:
- Undertaking development projects in schools;
- Developing methodologies for education related trainings, organising and carrying out trainings and supervisions;
- Collecting, organising and spreading school development related information. Publishing and marketing its publications;
- Applying for funds from private and legal persons in Estonia and outside;
- Promoting giving support to school development activities.
- Promoting student centred approach and interactive methods in Estonia.
The center has been running since 1997 many different school improvement projects and programs dealing mainly with teacher training, quality assurance of schools, professional communication and conflict management skills and developing innovative teaching methods in scools and universities, We have also established an in-service teacher training organization Avatud Meele Instituut( AMI), which provides different active and innovative teacher training methods for Estonian schools and supervision for professionals mostly in educational and social area. We have published educational literature (books, methodological materials) and educational magazine. The center also started with a development program for pre- and primary schools known as "Step by Step", which has now grown a non-profit organization itself; teacher training project "Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking" and "Quality Assurance of Estonian Schools". Most of our projects are international initiatives developed and implemented in collaboration with some international organizations such as International Reading Association and Children Resources International. We have also created a learning and coping course „Learning to Learn“ for 10th grade students (used in schools from 1998) and course for trainers in our in-service teacher training center Avatud Meele Instituut.
In the field of Content and Language Integrated Learning. we have been developing the method of language immersion, setting up with cooperation with Estonian Ministry of Education and Research teacher training and counselling systems in Estonia, carried out the training of counsellors and supported the counsellors professional development. We have been partners for Estonian universities in initiating and creating the menthor system in Estonian schools and supporting groups for new teachers.
We are one of the establishers of KIVA Estonia (a research-based antibullying program for schools) and active cooperation partners for organization „Noored Kooli“, Keelekümbluskeskus, Intergratsiooni SA a.o.
There have been many projects from 2014 to 2019 that have conducted reducing youth risk behaviour:
- .„From special schools to the society with the help of effective networking and career program for youth. “ (grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants).
- “The social functioning of young people with the help on social support network and a motivational program” (EMP support program “Riskilapsed ja -noored”).
- “Community networking for reducing risk behavior among youth” (Estonian-Swiss Cooperation Program; KÜSK).
- Creating gender-sensitive development environment at home and in classrooms (2015). A project with the aim of raising the awareness of gender-related topics among different target groups (educators, parents, trainers and counselors), allowing participants to gain practical skills and favorable attitudes towards gender-sensitive development environment for boys and girls (Norway Grants and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Estonia).
- STEP (2015-2020) - it is a program to change the attitudes of the Estonian society towards youth who have violated the law. It is carried out through offering partnership to companies who need new employees and care about being socially responsible, and to the youth who have violated the law and who don't work, but are willing and able to. The project is funded by EU Social Fund and Estonian State.
- project « Restorative Practices in the work of Police and communities »: From 2017 to 2018 OK Arenduskeskus has been a partner to Ministry of Interior in the and from 2013 has conducted many comprehensive projects regarding reducing youth risk behavior.

Inklusionsemner

Denne organisation tager også imod frivillige, som af forskellige grunde har sværere ved at deltage i aktiviteter end andre. Det omfatter følgende kategorier for forskellige typer projekter:

• Uddannelsesmæssige vanskeligheder
• Sociale hindringer