Before diving in, let's acknowledge that communication, managing emotions, empathy, and intercultural sensitivity are often overlooked despite their significance. While we tend to assume individuals naturally excel in these areas, they can greatly benefit from focused attention and development. Therefore, starting from a needs analysis, the CPIA has set the following objectives to be achieved by February 29, 2024, the project's closing date: 1. Engage 20 school staff members, including both teachers and administrative staff, in training courses aimed at enhancing emotional intelligence and coaching skills, fostering professional growth within adult education. 2. Involve 10 adult learners in activities for developing emotional, personal, social, and civic competencies, promoting inclusion and equal opportunities. An additional objective, directed at all participants, was to facilitate sharing, intercultural exchange, and awareness of opportunities offered by Europe and the ErasmusPlus project, through the internationalization of the institute and the initiation of transnational collaboration relationships.
The project originated from an internal need within the Centro Provinciale Istruzione Adulti (CPIA) in Ancona: to enhance the relational skills of the various parties involved, including teachers, administrative staff, and students. The title combines two words, Emotions and Arts, aiming to promote understanding of emotions through techniques offered by performing arts. Indeed, the CPIA is a stimulating yet complex reality, characterized by significant diversity among learners in terms of age, origin, socio-cultural background, experiences, and expectations. Ninety-eight percent come from non-European countries, while the remaining 2% comprises Italians and Europeans. They include migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, detainees, adults, and minors, many of whom have experienced trauma, exclusion, or academic failures. What unites them all is the desire to build valuable relationships and feel part of society. Given the described context, the CPIA has recognized the value of soft skills such as emotional intelligence, empathy, conflict management, communication, and intercultural competence, to enhance personal and professional well-being, and has devised a tailored project.