TEHIC-Handbook_of_best_practices

154 TEHIC Towards a European Heritage Interpretation Curriculum 7.3.2. Integrated Educational Project in Oeiras 2. Community engagement Degree of engagement Co-creation: The projects are designed by the classes. Mediators function as knowledge providers, trainers, and mentors (monitoring project implementation and leading the decision- making process), but mostly as facilitators (encouraging all participants to be active, mediating discussions, creating bridges). Diversity of Audiences This initiative is intended for elementary and secondary school students. Since the pro - ject is made available using the Oeiras Educa+ platform, it is open to any class in public schools within the municipality of Oeiras, to students from 1 st grade (age of 6) to 12 th grade (age of 18). As the enrolment in public schools is decided by specific criteria related to students domicile or the workplace of their parents, these schools represent the de- mographic diversity of themunicipality, inwhich reside people fromdifferent nationalities, faiths, and economic backgrounds. Positive impact on the community The project had a positive impact within the class that developed it and the community (school and non-school) in which it takes place. In order to empower the group and give visibility and a sense of fulfilment to all the work made, a final presentation of each pro - ject – three books and one video - was prepared at each chosen heritage site and open to the public. Elements of the school community were present, as well as people from each heritage site staff and representatives of Oeiras City Council. An evaluation survey of the methodology applied to the project was also conducted with the involvement of teachers, who keep providing data. 3. Heritage values provoke thinking or identity storytelling or media This initiative explores the concepts of identity, memory, and knowledge. The aim of the project is for students to learn more about their local heritage and history, and how her - itage intertwines with national history. Since three of the six sessions take place at the heritage site, students can create a closer relationship with such sites, seeing them as something else than just places to visit only for leisure purposes. By encouraging stu -