On 10 December 2024, the significant second transnational meeting of the LSAS project took place, hosted by the Turkoois team in the Dutch city of Groningen. This event brought together project partners, experts, and stakeholders to jointly evaluate progress so far, discuss next steps, and prepare for upcoming challenges. The meeting was not only a working event but also a space for strengthening collaboration and sharing innovative ideas that are key to the LSAS project.

The agenda of the meeting was carefully planned to cover all critical areas of the project. The day began with a warm welcome and technical setup, allowing all participants to prepare for intensive discussions.

The first part of the program focused on an assessment of the current status of the project, led by the Equalizent team. This was followed by a detailed discussion of Work Package 2 (WP2), led by the partner Turkoois. Within WP2, we tackled approximately 60 topics related to sex education, such as explanations, terminology, and more. These topics will subsequently be translated into sign language in the form of videos, which will serve as educational tools for both youth and youth workers. This step is essential to ensure inclusion and accessibility of information for everyone.

After a short coffee break, the meeting continued with a discussion on Work Package 3 (WP3). This session, led by teams from UNB, Freya, and Innosign, provided many insights and proposals for further improvements. WP3 focuses on the training of youth workers. From each country involved in the project, three individuals will be trained to learn how to properly approach teaching and handling sensitive situations. For example:

  • If a student approaches a teacher, educator, or youth leader with an issue such as sexual harassment, curiosity, their first sexual experience, pregnancy, or similar, the person must know how to respond appropriately.
  • If the youth worker lacks the necessary training, the student might lose trust or self-confidence, which could lead to depression or other issues.

 

Therefore, this group of individuals will be trained on how to teach effectively and handle such situations. By combining Work Packages 2 and 4, methods will be developed to help teachers, trainers, and educators manage these situations in a way that ensures students feel safe. Education in this area is crucial to enable youth workers to assist and resolve issues without making students feel devalued.

After the discussion on WP3, the presentation of Work Package 4 (WP4) followed, delivered by the IST team. This work package focuses on creating 40 demonstration videos, which will cover various topics, examples of situations, and suggested solutions. These videos will be integrated with the content of WP2 and WP3, ensuring a comprehensive approach to education.

During the afternoon session, participants focused on creating a timeline for the upcoming months. Parallel discussions on WP3 and WP4 were held, and attention was also given to training and educational activities (LTTA), which are an integral part of the LSAS project. The meeting concluded with a brief discussion on various topics, led by the Equalizent team.

The second transnational meeting was extremely productive and inspiring. The LSAS project partners demonstrated great commitment and dedication to achieving the project’s objectives. Together, we have taken a step closer to creating an inclusive and accessible society, which is the main mission of the LSAS project. We are already looking forward to the next steps and meetings that will help us turn our vision into reality.

If you haven’t already followed our LSAS project pages on social media, now is the right time! Find us on Facebook under the name “Let’s Sign About S3X” and on Instagram as @lsasproject. Follow us and be part of our journey toward inclusion and accessibility!