The general objective is to improve the quality of cultural/artistic life for young people with disabilities from Serbia, North Macedonia, Croatia, and Bulgaria through creative non-formal learning, participation, and mobility. Specific objectives: 1. Ensure equal participation of young people with disabilities and make them visible in cultural/artistic programs; 2. Boost the self-confidence of young people with disabilities by developing their capacities; 3. Raise awareness and sensitize local community audiences about the artistic/creative potential of young people with disabilities; 4. Reduce social distance between young people with disabilities and those from the general population through joint participation in artistic workshops/programs. Participants are enabled to contribute their knowledge and skills through activities that involved intensive interaction, exchange of ideas, and practical artistic/creative work. The collaboration between young people with disabilities and local volunteers allowed for the discovery of shared values (empathy, solidarity) and the development of critical thinking (information, analysis) through joint experiences in dance, acting, and drawing.
Persons with disabilities, often referred to as "the world's largest minority," generally experience poorer health, lower levels of education, and lower economic status, along with higher rates of poverty compared to persons without disabilities. This places them among groups with fewer opportunities. The project "Catch Up with Inclusion" is based on the right to active participation in cultural and artistic creation. Progress in fostering an inclusive culture is often measured by physical "access" to facilities rather than active participation by persons with disabilities. Cultural and artistic services for children and youth with developmental challenges and disabilities are few, limited in duration and resources, and often characterized by passive support. In the countries of the participating organizations, various acts provide opportunities for persons with disabilities to showcase their talents and skills through engagement in cultural life with equality and non-discrimination. However, in practice, many cultural venues, services, and content remain inaccessible to them. Few cultural and artistic programs are designed for persons with disabilities, are state-funded, and are mostly available to those in larger cities.