The CC concept takes into account the needs and constraints of adults from various vulnerable groups. They fall behind the rest of the society in terms of missing personal skills and capacities on one hand, and lack of appropriate available educational programmes on the other. Their common difficulty is to adapt to a standard learning environment. This is why the project focuses on alternative and unconventional teaching methods and their practical applications into programmes of non-formal education sector. The project aims at developing, testing and widely disseminating an innovative methodology based on creative approach in adult education. The choice of theatre and precisely puppetry art was made on the basis of the long-standing experience of the Applicant in using this specific art form in education and therapy. Even though puppet theatre is usually perceived as something childish, it can serve as a very efficient and attractive way of teaching adult students how to discover their aptitudes and abilities needed for a true social adaptation. For the partners invited to participate in the project the use of puppet theatre in AE is a new approach, even though each of them has a long-standing experience in working with adult students, also with the use of creative methods. This fact shows that this particular discipline of art has not been recognized as useful and adequate for adult education, so the project is truly innovative. Teatr Grodzki, the author of the project, will present their approach of using the elements of puppetry art and visual storytelling in adult education to other partners during the Short-term Joint Staff training at the beginning of the project. Then, all the partners will test the methods presented during the training, modyfying them and further developing according to specific needs/constraints of their target groups. It is envisaged that at least 120 socially vulnerable adults will participate in these pilot workshops. The project consortium consist of 5 partners from 5 European countries: Poland, UK, Italy, Lithuania and Bulgaria. They all have an access to different socially vulnerable groups, including mentally, physically and sensory disabled persons, seniors, prisoners, people in addiction, asylum seekers, refugees and migrants, homeless, unemployed. They are also linked to the European community of educators and professionals active in the field of social inclusion, including teachers and trainers, social workers, therapists, artists and art instructors, as well as volunteers in NGO and governmental sectors. The partners will jointly produce 3 Intellectual Outputs: -Platform for Sharing Best Practices which will provide the environment for on-line learning and will be the main dissemination tool of the project - a place to publish its findings. -Methodological Guideliness - the description of methods developed by international project team and evaluated on the basis of feedback from the user groups. -Multilingual E-Compendium - presentation of knowledge and experience gained by the trainers during pilot workshops through a detailed description of different learning processes, step-by-step, and supported by evaluation conclusions. Both the Guidelines and Compendium will be published in 8 European languages (EN, PL, IT, LT, BG, DE, FR, ES) and freely available on the platform. A number of dissemination actions will be organized in order to reach a wide group of individuals and institutions active in the field of adult education and social inclusion across Europe. In particular, multiplier events will be organized in ech partner country. It is envisaged that at least 1300 educators will benefit from the project findings during the lifetime of the CC initiative. The number of the long-term beneficiaries - the disadvantaged adult students and those who will be using CC methodology should be several times bigger.
The CC Project aimed at developing, testing and widely disseminating an innovative methodology based on creative approach in adult education. It also focused on the needs of disadvantaged adult learners with a view to training social and civic competences. The choice of theatre and precisely puppetry art was made on the basis of the long-standing experience of Teatr Grodzki in using this specific art form in education and therapy. Even though puppet theatre is usually perceived as something childish, it can serve as a very efficient and attractive way of teaching adult students how to discover their aptitudes and abilities needed for a true social adaptation.Through the activities we created the new educational and self-development opportunities for those who are socially excluded due to their health/disability problems, difficult economic situation, conflict with the law or other factors. We were aware of the fact that integration of socially vulnerable individuals and groups with society was a long and challenging process. It must have involved an important phase of creating a suitable environment for making first steps towards changes. People who had been isolated, often for a very long time, needed to be first of all motivated to make an effort to step out. They needed to see positive results of their actions and to feel rewarded. Such an experience could be a turning point in their life and lead to discovering own place in the community. We found puppetry art a surprisingly efficient tool facilitating this initial stage of social inclusion processes.The project implementation of the CC Project was introduced in six steps.1.Teatr Grodzki, the author of the project, presented their approach of using the elements of puppetry art and psychodrama techniques in adult education to other partners and their trainers during the Short-term Joint Staff Training in Glasgow (18 participants from CITIZENS THEATRE, BABILONAS, Know&Can, CSC Danilo Dolci and TEATR GRODZKI) 2.All partners tested the methods presented during the training, modifying them and further developing according to specific needs/constraints of their target groups (13 local pilot workshops, 177 participants with fewer opportunities) documented in blogs run by the trainers http://ccproject.art/pilot-workshop/ 3.A VLCE – good practice platform launched in 8 languages (EN, PL, LT, IT, BG, DE, SE, FR) and used for sharing/exchanging teaching experience throughout the project www.ccproject.art 4.On the basis of the training experience further tested and confirmed during the workshops in Scotland, Lithuania, Italy, Bulgaria and Poland the partners jointly formulated the methodological guidelines for the use of puppet theatre inspiration in adult education and social inclusion programs available in 8 languages on http://ccproject.art/publications/ 5.Parallelly to the elaboration of methodological guidelines all partners worked on a presentation of ten different teaching processes and case studies in the form of eCompendium issued in 8 languages: EN, PL, IT, LT, BG, DE, FR, ES on the platform in the section eResources http://ccproject.art/publications/6. Twelve Muliplier Events organized in the last phase of the project in all the partner countries for 233 educators (11 of them from abroad). CC project was recognized successful in the field of supporting the disadvantaged adults. In particular project resources and dissemination activities were found very useful by all partners and their trainers: “I loved the training and I will use all of the resources in the future. The group I work with is very similar to one of the pilot groups and the project would work a treat with the women.” (Project Worker from the Health and Social Care); "The educational materials are clear and they include important guidelines which I can follow as a trainer. They lead me step-by-step through the workshop process. The methods presented are simple to implement in a wide range of application contexts" (Adult educator); https://www.creativescotland.com/explore/read/stories/creative-learning/2019/create-a-puppet-citizens-theatre (article in Creative Scotland)