The Gender Loops project aims to implement Gender Mainstreaming strategies in vocational training institutions for educators (schools, colleges and universities), further qualification institutions for educators and early childhood education institutions.

From the 1st of October 2006 to the 30th of September 2008 partners from Germany, Lithuania, Norway, Spain and Turkey are developing a Curriculum for the implementation of Gender Mainstreaming in vocational training institutions for educators.

The Curriculum deals, among other things, with legal and political requirements, theoretical foundations, learning targets, differences and similarities regarding the realisation and the understanding of Gender Mainstreaming in the area of early childhood education. In addition, the curriculum includes recommendations, gender cooperation models between vocational training institutions for educators and early childhood education institutions and strategies to increase the proportion of men participating in the vocational training of educators. The Curriculum also presents Gender Mainstreaming Analysis Instruments and practical methods and games that reflect gender, and methodological explanations concerning their teaching.

The Curriculum will be produced in the form of CDs in each partner language and in English.

On the other hand the partners are compiling a toolbox for early childhood education institutions. The toolbox presents recommendations, methods and games that reflect gender, methods for self-perception and self-reflection, Gender Mainstreaming Analysis Instruments and strategies to increase the proportion of men (e.g. fathers, trainees) in pedagogical work.

The toolbox will be published in a printed version for direct use in early childhood education institutions.

The main activities of the project will be carried out within three working phases:

In the first working phase, the foundations for the laying down of the curricula are being created. An analysis of literature, as well as quantitative and/or qualitative interviews with training and further qualification institutions for educators, will show the current state of discussions and knowledge and the needs concerning Gender Mainstreaming in training and further qualification measures for educators in the partner countries.

In the second working phase, methods, games and strategies will be developed with which educators and the early childhood education institutions can better reflect gender in their work. These methods, games and strategies will be tested in early childhood education institutions. This testing will take place partly in cooperation with universities.

In the third working phase the project partners describe and document their methods, games and strategies for the toolbox. In addition, the project partners draw up the chapters of the curriculum. The curriculum will be evaluated, and modified if necessary, in seminars with trainers and teachers.