A short description of the problem and the results of the school survey are presented there by lower-secondary students. This is a part of the project "Communication Connects Cultures through Comenius" 2011-2012.

1. Social Exclusion
Social exclusion is a concept used in many parts of the world to characterise
contemporary forms of social disadvantage.
It refers to processes in which individuals and entire communities of people are
systematically blocked from rights, opportunities and resources (e.g. housing,
employment, healthcare, civic engagement...) that are normally available to members
of society and which are key to social integration.
This is the outcome of multiple deprivations that prevent individuals or groups from
participating fully in the economic, social, and political life of the society in which they
live.
It is often connected to a person's social class, educational status, religion, race,
living standards and how these might affect access to various opportunities. It also
applies to some degree to people with a disability, to minority, of all sexual
orientations and gender identities, to the elderly, and to youth. Anyone who deviates
in any perceived way from the norm of a population may become subject to coarse or
subtle forms of social exclusion. Additionally, communities may self-exclude by
removing themselves physically from the larger community, for example, in the gated
community model.

2. Homeless people are usually discriminated because of their material status, many
people also think that every homeless has to be a drunkard.

3. There are still prejudices in the modern world about women.
This picture perfectly shows that they do not have freedom of speech. In some
cultures they cannot have their own opinions and rights. Sometimes they depend on
their husbands' opinions. It comes from traditions, cultures or religion. Even in well-
developed countries sometimes women are discriminated e.g. at work they earn less
money than men.
The mere statement on the part of a religion that its own beliefs and practices are
correct and any contrary beliefs incorrect does not in itself constitute intolerance. On
the other hand, religious tolerance would mean that each person is free to choose
their own faith and no other person would have any right to express opinions on the
faith of the person. Religious intolerance, rather, is when a group specifically refuses
to tolerate practices, people and their beliefs on religious grounds.

4. Counteracting Social Exlusion
Results of the survey
1. What do you think „social exlusion” is ?
• A situation when a person is somehow “out” of the society
• A situation when a person is not accepted by the rest of the society
• Being a “no-life”
2. What people are at risk of being socially excluded ?
• People who are different than others in any way
• People with disabilities
• People who are original or weird
• Poor or sick people
• Homosexuals
• People who do things which are not-accepted by the rest of society
• criminals, prisoners
• Shy, calm and reserved people
3. Can you see the problem of social exclusion in your surroundings ?
• Yes – 92 %
• No – 8 %
4. What can we do to deal with the problem ?
• Educate people
• Talk about the problem
• Be tolerant
• Be open – minded
• Try to accept some “differences”
• Break the stereotypes
• Try to make friends with people who have some problems
• Try to treat every person equally
• Try to change the point of view

5. Racism is one of the cruelest things in the world. Racism is usually defined as views,
practices and actions reflecting the belief that humanity is divided into distinct
biological groups called races and that members of a certain race share certain
attributes which make that group as a whole less desirable or more desirable.

6. Oliwia Dumnicka, Paulina Olivier
with the help of en.wikipedia.org