In collaboration with educational partners from the Netherlands and Belgium, Solution Safari—sister company to 8D—has launched the Erasmus+ project ‘POLAR – Polarized No More’. The goal? To empower youth and educators in secondary education with the tools to recognize, discuss, and bridge polarization.
Social cohesion across Europe is increasingly under pressure. Due in part to the rapid spread of misinformation and social media ‘bubbles’, young people are less frequently exposed to diverse perspectives. At the same time, there isn’t always enough room in the classroom to discuss controversial topics together, as educators often lack the practical tools to facilitate these conversations effectively.
Project POLAR aims to bridge this gap. Our primary objective is to develop modern, interactive educational materials that are directly applicable in secondary education. these resources will help teachers and students engage in meaningful dialogue; ensuring that polarizing topics aren’t avoided, but instead addressed in a constructive way.
During the recent kick-off meeting, all partners came together to set the project’s course. The focus is on equipping young people with the skills for dialogue, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of democratic values.
Bas Altenburg, involved in the project through 8D for his expertise in design and gamification, explains:
“Through interactive methods, we want to teach young people to look beyond their own perspectives. It’s not about everyone agreeing with one another; it’s about students developing the skills to handle differences in a constructive manner.”
In the coming period, the partnership will focus on preliminary research and engaging the target groups through methods such as focus groups. By working closely with schools and expertise centers, we ensure that the tools align with daily classroom reality. Once finalized, the results will be made available across Europe, free of charge, via a dedicated project website.
POLAR is a collaboration between Piter Jelles !mpulse (Netherlands, coordinator), PAL NETWORK (Belgium), and Solution Safari (Netherlands). The project is supported by the expertise of Tumba (knowledge center for discrimination/polarization), the Italian Polo Europeo della Conoscenza, and the Nordic Horizon Institute.
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