Educate Together has been awarded a €284,000 EU grant to encourage the development of ethical education.

The grant, obtained through a European grant scheme (Erasmus+), will help fund a project called ‘Learn Together to Live Together – Teachers leading Ethical Education for an inclusive society (LITTLE).

The funds are ring-fenced for this project and will be conducted by Educate Together’s Education and Support Programme.

The project also involves three European partners, Univerza Liublan, Slovenia; Petit Philosophy, Croatia and STEPS, Italy.

It will run over three years and includes the design of a high-quality online interactive course for teachers as well as the development of good practice guides for teachers in Ethical Education.

“Educate Together is thrilled to have been awarded this grant. It will help us broaden our supports to teachers in our schools through developing high quality courses and guides for teachers of Ethical Education”, said Sandra Irwin-Gowran, education & support programme manager with Educate Together.

“Educate Together is a leader of Ethical Education in Ireland.

“This project will allow us to develop our expertise further by drawing on some the best practitioners and minds in the area of Ethical Education through our European partners in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.

“As the project develops we look forward to promoting innovative practices in schools, building the confidence of teachers in the area of Ethical Education and raising awareness of Ethical Education among politicians, policy makers and the general public as an inclusive approach to education for pluralist democracies in Europe.”

Described by Erasmus+ as “full of promise and hope for the development of a more equitable inclusive society encompassing common European values of respect, dignity and inclusiveness”, work on the project will begin in September.