Our main goal was to foster diversity and inclusion through creative approaches, especially by using art therapy and intercultural dialogue to connect different communities. We wanted to empower our youth leaders to create truly welcoming spaces where everyone—regardless of ability or background—feels respected and valued. By aligning our efforts with the priorities of the Erasmus youth sector, we aimed to encourage active citizenship and help young people make a positive impact in their communities. We also focused on sharing best practices for inclusion, developing essential skills for our youth leaders, and actively involving young people in all aspects of the project through structures like our steering committee.
We decided to take on this project because, even though KAIOS has a lot of experience working with young people from migrant backgrounds, we saw a real gap in how we were approaching education for young people with intellectual disabilities. We realized that to truly include everyone, we needed the specialized knowledge of our partner, Manisa Ozel Egitim Uygulama Okulu, to go beyond just theory. So, we focused on giving our youth leaders practical tools—like art therapy and sensory methods—that help them connect with mixed-ability groups, including those with autism and Down syndrome. We also wanted to change the system so young people aren’t just passive learners but active decision-makers. We tried to create a kind of "micro-society" where they could take ownership, which we did by setting up the Project Steering Committee. This helped foster an entrepreneurial spirit and empowered youth to co-manage real tasks. Lastly, by including our Youth Accreditation activities in Greece, we tested these inclusive strategies in different environments surrounded by nature. It showed us that embracing diversity is actually a strength in how we operate.