Unpacking Feelings Erasmus Project

Project Title

Unpacking Feelings

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 : Partnerships for Creativity

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Creativity and culture; Health and wellbeing

Project Summary

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been felt globally, affecting all walks of life in personal, social and commercial contexts. The Cultural and Creative Industries are not exempt, and nor have they escaped the significant negative impact. Theatres, cinemas, operas, art galleries, museums, community arts groups have been forced to close at short notice. Schools were shut to most students, some have fully re-opened in Wales, many across Europe have a mixed approach with some year groups in full time and others a mix of F2F/online learning. This situation has left many young people stressed/concerned about their current and future lives. Many students have missed school for friendship and support from school staff and are now worried about catching up on their education. This has impacted negatively on their emotional wellbeing. The Children’s Commissioner’s report Wales 2020 highlighted that only 39% of the 12-18 year olds were confident to access counselling services in school. This project is unique as it aims to take creative arts experts and teaching professionals on a journey to create lessons/activities that use a range of creative arts media to engage learners to express their emotions/feelings. Many have these feelings pent up within themselves without an outlet for ‘unpacking’ their feelings, or someone to talk to or the language to express themselves.
As a partnership of 6 schools, 4 creative arts experts and 2 education support organisations we will work as a PLC to carry out the following
Baseline assessment to evaluate starting point and final impact of the project on the role of Creative Arts methodology within schools as one of the support mechanisms to improve students’ health & emotional wellbeing. This will be developed into an in-depth RESEARCH based IMPACT EVALUATION REVIEW carried out with support from an independent researcher to produce a robust & dynamic impact evaluation report to drive policy development with policy influencers. Other Intellectual Outputs that will support the project to develop/deliver its intended impact include Online workshops/modules developed by CREATIVE ARTS experts to upskill teaching professionals and stored as a digital repository on open access sites. A toolkit of resources/lessons/activities produced by teaching staff developed after attending the online modules to develop and deliver high quality creative arts lessons/activities in schools. The majority of students targeted are learning in a bilingual environment and to support their language acquisition skills we will create between teaching professionals, students and creative arts experts a LEXICON of EMOTIONAL WELLBEING, which will be one of the unique features of this project. This will be developed into a progression route strategy for 3-19 year olds as part of each school’s Health & Wellbeing curriculum/policy.
Our expected results/impact include:
Students have the necessary vocabulary in their language of learning to express themselves confidently about their feelings, emotions and problems that have built up within themselves during the pandemic.
• Students have gained confidence in a range of creative/cultural/expressive arts skills to communicate how they feel about the impact of Covid-19 on themselves, their families, and friends.
• Teaching staff and related support staff (pastoral/counselling staff) develop the skill set to provide support and guidance to pupils to express themselves confidently in the native language used within school setting
• School staff are comfortable and confident in using a range of creative, cultural and expressive arts- based methods to develop their own repertoire of approaches to linguistic and emotional support.
• Schools have mechanism/vocabulary and progression route for talking about feelings from foundation phase into transition years of secondary school and beyond.
• Develop resilience strategy within the school and their local community for the current situation and future challenges
Our longer-term benefits are anticipated as follows:
• Policy changes within schools to develop an emotional wellbeing progression route for talking about feelings from foundation phase into transition years of secondary school and beyond.
• Higher profile on the importance of CREATIVE ARTS and EXPRESSIVE ARTS across the curriculum
• Better emotional wellbeing resilience for schools, their students and teaching staff
• Greater engagement between school communities and local creative arts community.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 296490 Eur

Project Coordinator

International Links (Global) Ltd & Country: UK

Project Partners

• GYMNASIUM PANAGIAS THEOSKEPASTIS
• YGG BRYN TAWE
• Organization for Promotion of European Issues
• 4th Primary School of Paphos- Kato Pervolia
• Theatr na nog
• Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Lon Las
• Malta Film Foundation