REcognition of the Social Theatre Operator as a professional to tackle the Risk of social Exclusion Erasmus Project

Project Title

REcognition of the Social Theatre Operator as a professional to tackle the Risk of social Exclusion

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Recognition, transparency, certification; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Inclusion – equity

Project Summary

The idea of “doing theatre” as a means to support different disadvantaged groups at risk of social exclusion is quite ancient. Good practices are spread all over Europe, showing the potentials, effectiveness and transversal applicability of this methodology, which can be successfully applied to any age groups and adapted to several targets affected by different kinds of social disease. In a few words, this educational approach is based upon the idea of developing key competences and skills, increasing sense of initiative, self-confidence and self-esteem by practising theatre, thus facilitating social inclusion.

Plenty of examples and success stories demonstrate the usefulness of this approach. Within the Italian context, one of the most relevant best practices belongs to the Community of San Patrignano, one of the partners of this project, using theatre for the rehabilitation of former drug addicts and eventually performing in prestigious theatres such as “Piccolo di Milano”, “Olimpico di Vicenza” and within the “Festival Pirandelliano”. Other Italian good practices have gained visibility and recognition at international level such as the Taviani’s docu-drama “Cesare deve morire”, winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2012 and interpreted by a group of detainees of the Roman Rebibbia prison. Similarly, the “Compagnia della Fortezza” by Armando Punzo is another fortunate and well known example of theatre in prison, whereas disabled people were involved by the director Pippo del Bono both in cinema and theatre performances.

A peculiar form, born in Brazil during the 80s and then become quite popular in Europe for its transversal applicability, is the “Theatre of the Oppressed”, based on the idea that while practicing theatre the “spect-actors” can transform the relation between themselves and their surroundings. However, this is just a possible declination of the extensive and powerful methodology of Social and Community Theatre.

According to these premises, this project aims to promote cooperation and the exchange of good practices at European level and take advantage of the EU transparency and recognition tools to increase the training opportunities and employability of professionals working in the field of Social Theatre.

In particular, the Specific objectives of the project are:
• To promote the diffusion of Social and Community Theatre as an effective means for social inclusion of disadvantaged adult learners
• To strengthen cooperation and facilitate the exchange of good practices in the field of non-formal education among partner organisations
• To jointly develop and validate a training course addressed to STO
• To boost a process for the recognition and standardization at EU level of the SOCIAL THEATRE OPERATOR (STO), a new professional figure defined in terms of knowledge, competences and skills

The main target groups addressed by the project can be identified at three levels:
• Non-profit organisations supporting different groups of disadvantaged adult learners working
• Professional adult educators and volunteers working in the field of Social and Community Theatre
• Groups at high risk of social exclusion and segregation such as migrants, disabled, prisoners, ethnic minorities, former drug addicts, NEETs, etc.

The most important tangible results of the project are three Intellectual Outputs, namely:
– Description of the EU standard professional profile of the Social Theatre Operator;
– Training course for the Social Theatre Operator;
– Methodological guidelines for validation, accreditation and certification at national level.

These three outputs, which are strictly connected among them, will be promoted and disseminated through four Multipliers Events including a huge final event in San Patrignano (Italy) supported by Regione Emilia Romagna.

4 Joint Staff Training Events will be organised in partner countries to promote capacity building and the exchange of good practices:
– 1 training course in Spain on EU transparency and recognition tools;
– 3 Peer Learning Workshops (in Italy, Portugal and Poland) to share good practices in training and working with different disadvantaged groups of adult learners.

Pilot courses to test and validate the training will be organised in 4 countries (Italy, Poland, Ireland, Portugal), followed by a work-based learning experience, so that each student will run a theatrical workshop addressing different categories of disadvantaged adult learners. A total of around 80 students trained and 600-800 disadvantaged adult learners belonging to different categories will then benefit from the activities of this project.

Four Multiplier Events will be organized in Portugal, Spain, Poland and Italy to disseminate the project outputs and the wider public so as to maximise the impact of the project. A huge final event will take place by the end of the project in San Patrignano Community, one of the places symbol of the whole project.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 316593 Eur

Project Coordinator

Oltre le Parole & Country: IT

Project Partners

• BIELSKIE STOWARZYSZENIE ARTYSTYCZNE TEATR GRODZKI
• ProSoc – drustvo za implementacijo projektov in razvoj socialnega podjetnistva
• PELE, Associação Social e Cultural
• MAGENTA CONSULTORIA PROJECTS SL
• Comunità San Patrignano Società Cooperativa Sociale
• SMASHING TIMES THEATRE COMPANY LIMITED