Art of Inclusion Erasmus Project

Project Title

Art of Inclusion

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 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Disabilities – special needs; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

The last years, following among other factors the EU’s non-discrimination regulations have brought progress for inclusion of persons with disabilities in several fields, but there are still huge problems and obstacles. Inclusion is an “art” in each society as well for people responsible for social and political developments as well for the individuals who need a certain “art of life” to overcome obstacles. Our partnership – organizations responsible for day centers and leisure time activities for people with disability based in Germany, Italy, Portugal and Romania – aimed at the exchange of best practises among the partner organizations in the field of social inclusion of people with disability, through the creation of a common learning path for their staff, users and volunteers who explored art as a vehicle for learning and sharing; this path lead the reflection about the art of inclusion in the participating Countries and in the participant’s life. “Art of Inclusion” gave a concrete response to the still perceived barriers to mobility (creating physical short term mobilities -6 days- and virual mobilities for the beneficiaries), to education and leisure (creating an international and inclusive learning process), to the fruition of art and culture, to employment (through a deepening on the possibility of matching art and income); it also promoted the use of easy language and ICT technologies to overcome language and physical barriers. The international cooperation created by this project lead to identify effective, shared and generalizable operative strategies in the perspective of a European Strategy for social inclusion of people with disability, while empowering its learners, giving voice to their needs and suggestions, and making them aware of their power to produce a change. The project had a duration of 3 years (September 2016 – August 2019) and involved more than 100 participants (at least 25 adult learners for each partner) among peple with disability, volunteers and staff members. They were involved in local workshops and activities, and in the joint activities and meetings realized during the 4 blended mobilities on the topic of art and/as social inclusion:
– analysis of cultural sites/artistiacal objects to be found in the local area and how to encounter them with disabilities
– deepening on local artists for the creation of reports- art wotkshops with artistic guidance
– case studies about disability and art of life;
– whorkshop about the European regulation and politicians and opinion leaders attitude about the art of creating a more and more inclusive society;
– workshop about the possibilities to create an income from artistic and artisanal activities for people with disabilities;
– comparisons about the state of social inclusion in the partner countries
The implementation of the project was based on a collaborative approach among the four partners who shared tasks and responsibilities and were all involved in the decision making process: each partner hosted a blended mobility and all the partners worked on common local activies sharing tecniques and results through a constant communication using different channels. The project activities were based on non formal learning methods: team work, task division, open discussions, learning by doing, group or individual analysis under the guidance of local artists and/or pedagogycal specialists. An inclusive approach was adopted in all the undertaken activities: the use of easy languange was encouradged and the use of technology was promoted as a mean to overcome the physical barriers. The results of our discussions as well as the art objects encountered and produced together were shown and disseminated via many barrier-free ways in the partners’ local communities as well as on a broader European scale; the main products of the partnership were a final booklet containing validated tools and strategies to enhance social inclusion through the use of art and an easy to read leaflet summarizing the project activities. The project had a strong personal and social impact on the participants in terms of knowledge and competences related to the topic of the project, soft skills and entrepreneurship. The partner organizations had opportunity to cooperate, exchange good practices and to create a strong partnership, disseminating the results to the main stakeholders in the social field at an European level. The impact was sustainable for the entire duration of the project and it will continue to produce positive effects even after its official conclusion thanks to the wide process of dissemination; furthermore the follow-up plan consisted in the creation of an extended project able to go beyong the project results by channelling them into the opportunities offered by collaborative economy.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 118672,79 Eur

Project Coordinator

Associazione Uniamoci Onlus & Country: IT

Project Partners

• Fundatia Crestina Diakonia Filiala Sfantu Gheorghe
• Diakonisches Werk Bremen e.V.
• Centro Social e Paroquial Santos Mártires