Opening Heritage and Archeological Sites for People with Special Needs Erasmus Project

Project Title

Opening Heritage and Archeological Sites for People with Special Needs

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Creativity and culture; Access for disadvantaged; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

The article 2010 of Resolution launched on the 2010 European Day of People with Disabilities, calls on governments throughout the world to take the cultural rights of disabled people seriously. It asks governments to develop ‘comprehensive access policies and action programmes designed to bring about significant and lasting improvements for all people with disabilities’. The other documents as European Disability Strategy 2010-2020, priorities equal access to quality education and lifelong learning. To enable disabled adults participation in inclusive cultural education, there’s a need of clear guidance on translating standards into practical tasks for implementation. Solutions for inclusive cultural education for adults differ not only within the EU but also from one institution to another. It depends on many issues, like: institution’s experience in work with disabled adults, financial sources, individual approach and staff training.

According to the publication of National Institute of Museums and Preservation of Collections (NIMOZ) from 2016, that describes situation of cultural education in museums in Poland, even there is a slow increase in reaching people with disabilities by museum education, still in comparison with other audiences it’s not a significant number. Plenty of museums don’t have any specific offer for this group of visitors. It is also underlined that the most important factor that has influence on inclusion in cultural education is adequate staff training.

In the effect, bigger, popular and well financed cultural heritage sites often offer inclusive education of high quality. In contrary smaller, understaffed and less experienced cultural sites often are lacking educational programme for adults with disabilities. It reasons our proposal and the need for international cooperation in this field.

Taking above into consideration and based on own experience of partner organisations the consortium of 6 partners from 4 European countries decided to submit hereby proposal aiming to in depth analyze of best practices used in most accessible cultural and heritage sites, incorporate them with new ideas and transfer them into practical and comprehensive guidelines and curriculum that could be easily implemented in most institutions. Element that will complete above will be the International Internet Platform which will be a valuable source of information about accessible cultural heritage facilities in Europe.

The consortium is composed of following partners:
– Institute for Regional Development Foundation (FIRR) – applicant and project coordinator
– Fundacja “Kultury bez Barier” (Foundation “Culture without barriers”) (FKBB)
– Gruppo Archeologico da Perusia,
– Articity,
– Culturepolis,
– Regional Pleven Museum.

The project will thus elaborate following intellectual outputs:
– in depth study of current situation regarding access for people with disabilities to cultural heritage sites, their needs, practices to open up to people with special needs.
– Guidebook – inclusive cultural education manual for adult trainers, archaeological and cultural heritage sites employees, guides and cultural educators with very practical and diversified solutions presented,
– Curriculum – adaptable training program for educators and other staff of cultural institutions on how to implement in practice proposed solutions and use manual as toolkit,
– international platform of accessible museums and other cultural institutions in Europe – starting with database of such sites in partner countries: Poland, Bulgaria, Greece and Italy. Platform will contain list of cultural institutions from several chosen countries which are accessible for people with special needs or have at least important part which is accessible. The database will contain proper description of each of them and link to detailed information if needed.

The project includes realisation of other activities like:
– two short joint staff trainings – first facilitating intensive exchange of expertise and experience, discussions and analysis, and second aiming to debate on testing phase results and final idea of useful training curriculum.
– Multiplier events in each partner country to reach together at least 300 stakeholders in order to disseminate and promote exploitation of OHAS outputs.
– Standard management, implementation and communication activities, including 5 transnational project meetings.

Realisation of project “Opening….” objectives will facilitate stakeholders responsible and aware of importance of inclusion in cultural heritage education and equal opportunities for people with disabilities with comprehensive resources and tools. Elaboration of set including so wide and exhaustive information will equip them with structured knowledge, many practical skills and universal design approach.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 219517,4 Eur

Project Coordinator

FUNDACJA INSTYTUT ROZWOJU REGIONALNEGO & Country: PL

Project Partners

• Regionalen Istoricheski muzei Pleven
• Fundacja Kultury bez Barier
• Associazione Botteghe Artigiane del Centro Storico
• Gruppo Archeologico Perusia
• CULTUREPOLIS