<< Background >>While the idea and benefits of the STEAM curriculum are spreading around the world, it still does not impact each demographic in the same way. It is still the case that those are coming from ethnic minorities are consistently underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. For example, in the fields of computer engineering and computer science, there is a substantial disparity between minorities and their counterparts. Of the 5 million employed workers in the computing field, minorities only account for about 30% of employees (A Guide forMinorities in STEM: Increasing Workplace Diversity, March, 2020). At the same time, STEAM practitioners agree that that the manner by which science is taught at the level of primary schools influences students’ (including those with ethnic minority background) perceptions and attitudes towards science, and their uptake of STEAM subjects and careers later on (STEM in Primary School, Scientix 2019, EU). The MISSION:STEAM project identifies and creates opportunities for children (age 6-12) coming with a minority background to be engaged with STEAM activities and further follow the STEAM pathways through education and trainings from the early ages of life (primary school). Researches show (e.g. Olsson, M., & Martiny, S. E. (2018), Steinke, J. (2017) women and men form gender roles in childhood, largely based on their exposure to media and popular culture.According to STEAM in primary education (Scientix, 2019) three key strategies were proposed to tackle the most challenging aspects of delivering effective STEAM teaching in primary classrooms, including work with children with an ethnic minority background.[1] The need for high quality teacher training to support primary school teachers in bringing innovation to their STEAM teaching. PROJECT SOLUTION: MISSION:STEAM (M:S) will tackle the limited availability of STEAM training (LTT) for primary school teachers and educators working with children with ethnic background. Partnership involving schools, STEAM centres & institutions in the development of Digi resources will develop an educational platform and ensure more teacher resources are provided, in both content and pedagogical knowledge. [2] The need to offer primary school students with ethnic background access to high quality learning resources and materials to guide them through STEAM education and pursue the career in STEAM field. PROJECT SOLUTION: The project will develop guidelines for implementation of STEAM activities with ethnic minorities students (age 6-12) in addition to providing the resources to both students and teachers. The project will encourage the collaboration between teachers and scientists to ensure that the resources developed are scientifically accurate and reflect the teachers’ and students' pedagogical needs. M:S resources will be developed around principles of openness and with consideration for the teachers’ need to adapt and localise educational content in work with primary school students with ethnic background.[3] The need to create a so-called “STEAM culture” based on a shared understanding among key education stakeholders of the role STEAM education can play in preparing pupils with ethnic background for the future. PROJECT SOLUTION: M:S will develop a shared meaning to mobilize the support of all education stakeholders (incl. mentors with ethnic background) in order to consolidate a “STEAM culture” – in other words, to create a general climate favourable to improving STEAM education in ethnic minority groups, particularly in primary school field (age 6-12)<< Objectives >>GENERAL AIM The MISSION:STEAM aims to increase and sustain the interest in STEAM subjects among children coming from ethnic minorities to, later on, follow the STEAM pathway. This will be achieved by creating a specific STEAM curriculum in the native languages of ethnic minorities involved in this project. Education in a minority’s mother tongue, combined with quality teaching of the official language, is more cost-effective in the long term; reduces dropout rates; leads to noticeably better academic results; improves levels of literacy and fluency in both themother tongue and the official or majority language; and leads to greater family and community involvement.OBJECTIVES 1)To develop hands-on learning approaches towards involvement of minority youth in STEAM pathways.2) To increase and sustain the interest of STEAM of those young people coming from ethnic minorities by involving them into interactive online activities.TARGET GROUP 1) Young people coming with ethnic minority background (Age 6-12)2) Parents of those young people3) National minority schools in project countries 4) Educators/Teachers<< Implementation >>In order to achieve project AIM and Objectives, the consortium will implement the following activities:1. Development of intellectual outputs2. Transnational meetings3. Multiplier events4. Dissemination events (inc. online)5. Online activities6. Learning teaching activities<< Results >>As main results within the project 3 outputs will be produced:- O1 - MISSION:STEAM Hanbook and Curriculum (incl. Pedagogical Model, Lesson plans, Worksheets). The handbook will be produced in 8 different languages: Lithuanian, Portuguese, Polish, Ukrainian, Italian, Spanish, Russian - for those coming with an ethnic minority background. And the common version in English.- O2 - MISSION:STEAM Science on the Sofa weekends (incl 18 live-stream online lessons in 8 different languages: Lithuanian, Portuguese, Polish, Ukranian, Italian, Spanish, Russian guidelines how to make science lessons, description of the importance of mentor's role in STEAM with same ethnic background). - O3 - MISSION:STEAM Community learning platform (incl. 18 edited online lessons in 7 different languages: Lithuanian, Portuguese, Polish, Ukrainian, Italian, Spanish, English; Lesson Plans and Worksheets for download, Pedagogical Model). Their development processes will be supported by European training activities (LTT) for 12 STEAM Educators that will provide helpful inputs to partners for the work they will have to carry on the national level in the validation of what proposed at the European level. The outputs will also be widely disseminated through multiplier events (described in dissemination), two in each of the partner countries. Other than these important elements will be achieved: - Project website incl information about the project and partners, Pedagogical model, incl a link to MISSION: STEAM Platform. It will also have information for educators and parents. - 1 Pilot testing report of O3 - 4 Newsletters/Pressreleases on project progress and results achieved - 12 short videos with STEAM experts-mentors (with ethnic minority background) to promote STEAM education and engage young people from those communities.Expected softer results of developing and implementing these outputs are: - Increased capacity to work in European contexts and to participate/manage European Union funded project, furthermore, create a network of organisations that could work beyond the lifecycle of the project itself; - Enlarge the opportunity for children/youth to raise their interest in STEAM education and follow STEAM career pathway. As consequence get aware of what are the needs and expectations of enterprises and to enter the world of work (in STEAM professions) as an active participant and achieve as much independence as possible; - Favour the acquisition of soft and entrepreneurial skills by young people trying to support those who wish to make their innovative STEAM ideas become a reality by increasing their skills and proximity to market.