A school wishing to take part is required to complete the online registration form on the before 24 November 2017. Before registration, the school shall designate its accompanying teacher, who must be able to communicate in English, being the sole contact person for the EESC – if the school is selected – during the preparatory phase before the event. The head teacher of the school must confirm this choice in the relevant section of the online registration form. On the registration form, the school enters its full name and address, the name and contact details of the head teacher and the accompanying teacher, and an email address to which all correspondence with the accompanying teacher can be sent. Emails must be checked regularly as the schools will be contacted mainly by email. Only one registration form per school will be accepted. Schools that apply more than once will automatically be excluded. Registration will remain open until 24 November 2017. What does a school commit itself to by registering? By registering, each school must accept the general conditions of the draw, preparation and participation in Brussels. Valid registration by the deadline guarantees only that the school can take part in the draw; it does not guarantee a place in the event. The schools that are selected by drawing lots undertake to: choose and register pupils able to speak and understand English, who will take part in the event in Brussels, accompanied by a teacher; invite one EESC Member for an information session at the school; consider and discuss a document proposed by the EESC; share the results of their work during the event in Brussels by taking an active part in the discussions; send a photo of the school's premises (for example the main entrance) and a group photo with the 3 selected pupils and the accompanying teacher, as well as the authorisation to use these photographs in EESC publications and to post them on the EESC website and social networks; to agree to the pupils and teacher's names and pupils and teacher's pictures taken during the EESC Member's visit to the school being used in EESC publications and posted on the EESC website and related social networks. Please note: unless otherwise specified by the school, this authorisation shall cover all the people, buildings and objects shown in the pictures; agree to the pupils and teacher's name and the pupils and teacher's pictures taken during their participation in Brussels being used in EESC publications and posted on the EESC website and related social networks;
provide any press cuttings relating to the visit of an EESC Member to the school or relating to the participation of the school in the event; promptly inform the organisers at the EESC of any change (e.g. in the accompanying teacher, participating pupils, email address); ensure local follow-up to the event, both at the school and elsewhere (for instance informing about the adopted recommendations, spreading information about the event in general). What happens if a school does not meet its commitments? Any failure to meet these conditions will result in the school and its pupils being immediately excluded from the event. Selection of schools The participating schools will be selected by lot in December 2017 from all the schools that have applied by the deadline. A selected school may not apply again the year following its participation in Brussels (but will be able to apply again in two years' time). The names will be drawn in the presence of the EESC's vice-president, who will ensure that the draw is conducted in accordance with the rules. One school will be selected from each country. The chosen schools will be informed of their selection individually by email, and their names will be posted on the EESC website by mid December 2017. Selection and registration of pupils coming to Brussels The participating schools shall choose three pupils to take part in the workshops in Brussels from 15 to 16 March 2018. These pupils should be in their penultimate year of any type of secondary education (aged ≥16 years) and be able to express themselves in English. Selection criteria The schools themselves shall select pupils to represent them. They may set their own selection criteria, provided these are clear, fair and non-discriminatory. For reasons of gender equality, the pupils selected should preferably include at least one boy and one girl. Participation of disabled pupils Schools must ensure that disabled pupils are also able to take part in the event. The EESC premises are equipped in order to be accessible to persons with disabilities. If special arrangements are required, the schools must inform the EESC organisers in good time. Registration of pupils