The CIRCARE project aimed to promote a social circus for inclusion, resilience, and empowerment in the partner countries (Bulgaria, Italy, and Spain) by developing open educational resources and delivering targeted training to professionals and disadvantaged groups To reach this main objective, the partners set three specific objectives: SO1: To exchange know-how and best practices to build the capacity of the partner organisations and their staff SO2: To develop a methodology for the preparation of social workers, teachers and circus artists to use social circus in their teaching activities with disadvantaged groups SO3: To pilot a social circus training toolkit for the inclusion, resilience and empowerment of disadvantaged groups in partner countries. The project objectives were achieved by developing a social circus methodology for professionals and a training toolkit for working with disadvantaged groups. The project envisaged two partner meetings to exchange know-how and best practices, an international LTTA for social workers, teachers, and circus artists, and local piloting training sessions with disadvantaged groups. The project finished with local multiplier events in the partner countries.
The partners look at the social circus as a powerful, transformative tool that connects education, physical art, and social development. Social circus is not just entertainment but a tool for teaching social skills, overcoming trauma, and developing people’s discipline, creativity, and artistic expression. It can foster social inclusion, resilience, and the empowerment of children, young people, and adults with fewer opportunities. The partners applied the CIRCARE project because they faced similar challenges, mainly the need to build capacity and attract more educators, social workers, and artists to use the social circus as an artistic and teaching technique in working with disadvantaged groups. The social circus enhances cognitive abilities, social competences, and personal qualities. All these skills and competences can transform and empower children, young people and adults threatened by social exclusion, experiencing difficulties interacting with others, and experiencing uncertainty and anxiety.