ERASMUS+

KA210-YOU - Small-scale partnerships in youth

Project title: Preventing racism and intolerance among youth through art training methods using marionette techniques (PRIMAT)

National Agency: Agence du Service Civique (France)

Project code: 2023-1-FR02-KA210-YOU-000161195

Participating organisations: ASSOCIATION ACT’DEM (France), RIZA PERFORMING ARTS GbR (Germany), SYVIPEK (Greece)

 

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

Considering global issues, such as migration, social isolation, and fear of diversity and inclusive way of living, it should be clear that values such as respect, tolerance, equity and equality, mutual understanding and non-discrimination have become more important than ever. Against this background, the proposed project reinforces the response of youth training to one of the main challenges of today’s world: the need for creation of inclusive environments where people can co-exist through mutual understanding, tolerance, non-discrimination and respect for diversity and inclusion.

 

 

Research has shown that creative expression through art-based methods helps youth to be aware of issues not easily comprehended through rational argumentation. Literature reviews show that there are very few methods aiming to provide youth trainers with guidelines and tools which will enable them to design training modules which will help youth in developing creativity and critical mode of thinking through exploration of works of art.

 

This project aimed to provide youth trainers in art and culture with art-based methods which will help youth to conceptualise social values and meanings arising through the learning context.

 

More specifically, an art training module was created, including:

- narration inspired by poetry, philosophical and literary texts, which raise social awareness and promote tolerance, non-discrimination and respect for inclusion and diversity,

- a kinetic methodology which will reflect emotions and feelings inspired by the narrated texts,

- marionette techniques which will be based on this kinetic methodology,

- a marionette theatre piece as a case study based on this art training module.

 

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

 

The objectives of the proposed project were:

1. To improve the capacity of youth trainers in art and culture to foster tolerance, mutual understanding and non-discrimination among youth through creative training methods.
2. To improve the capacity of youth trainers in art and culture to promote social inclusion and diversity and to prevent racism and intolerance among youth by using as a tool an art-training module based on marionette techniques.
3. To improve skills and competences needed to successfully involve participants with fewer opportunities in all the stages of the project.
4. To raise environmental consciousness and promote environmentally sustainable behavior by integrating sustainable activities in the implementation of the project.
5. To enhance the access of open-source art-based training tools to youth trainers and learners.
6. To build capacity and professionalism to work transnationally at EU level and to reinforce cooperation with partners from other countries.

 

 

OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT

 

The outcomes of the project were:

1. Improvement of the capacity of youth trainers in art and culture to foster tolerance, mutual understanding and non-discrimination among youth through creative training methods.
2. Improvement of the capacity of youth trainers in art and culture to develop and share art-training modules based on marionette techniques in order to promote inclusion and diversity and prevent racism and intolerance among youth.
3. Promotion of equal opportunities and access, inclusion, diversity, tolerance and non-discrimination by involving participants with fewer opportunities in the implementation of the project.
4. Development of environmental consciousness and promotion of environmentally sustainable behavior by integrating sustainable activities in the implementation of the project.
5. Enhancement of the access of open-source art-based training tools to youth trainers and learners.
6. Enhancement of the capacity and professionalism to work transnationally at EU level and reinforcement of cooperation with partners from other countries.

 

The result was a digital handbook linked to tutorial videos, including:

1. an art training module based on marionette techniques to help young people to conceptualise values inspired by poetry, literary and philosophical texts which promote tolerance, non-discrimination, inclusion and diversity,
2. a case study based on this art training module.

 

 

 

ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT

 

The training activities which were organised during the implementation of the PRIMAT project were the following:

 

A1: Staff training activity

Paris, France, 15/12/2023 – 19/12/2023

Participants: 2 trainers from each participating organisation

The staff training activity A1 was organised by ACT’DEM in Paris, France. Two staff members from each partner participated for 5 days.

 

Before this activity, the three partners did research on philosophical and literary texts in order to find writings promoting tolerance, non-discrimination, mutual understanding and respect for inclusion and diversity.

 

After the selection of texts, each partner undertook the interpretation of certain texts and the social and humanistic values stemming from these texts into a series of experience-based movements.

 

In the staff training activity A1, the involved staff members trained each other by demonstrating ways of interpreting poetry and philosophical and literary texts, as well as the social and humanistic values stemming from these texts, into a series of experience-based movements which will form a kinetic methodology. Also, in this staff training activity, two marionettists, staff members of ACT’DEM, taught the other involved staff members to create a marionette technique methodology based on the above kinetic methodology.

 

This activity led to the development of:

- an art-based training module which will reflect emotions and feelings inspired by poems and philosophical and literary texts, raising social awareness and promoting respect for inclusion and diversity in order to prevent racism and intolerance among youth, using as a tool a kinetic methodology and marionette techniques based on this methodology,

- a digital handbook linked to tutorial videos, presenting this art-training module,

- a case study based on this module.

 

This digital handbook and the case study becomes a training tool for youth trainers in art and culture on how to use marionette techniques in order to help youth to conceptualise values such as tolerance, mutual understanding and respect for inclusion and diversity.

 

Pictures from this activity:

Click here to see more pictures

 

A2: Blended training activity

Skiathos, Greece, 29/06/2024 – 08/07/2024

Participants: 24 youth trainers in art and culture (including 12 with fewer opportunities and 6 staff members (2 from each participating organisation)

This blended training activity (A2) was organised by SYVIPEK on Skiathos Island in Greece, in an exterior place in nature, which was equipped by the Municipality of Skiathos. In this activity, 24 youth trainers in art and culture (including 12 with fewer opportunities) and 6 staff members (2 from each participating organisation) participated for 10 days.

 

Taking into consideration:

- the NATURA-protected areas and the advanced forest protection services of Skiathos,

- the expected results responding to the need for raising environmental consciousness,

- the offer of an equipped exterior place for implementing this activity by the Municipality of Skiathos,

ACT’DEM had decided that Skiathos would be an appropriate place for this activity.

 

The immediate contact with nature gave the participants a chance to talk about green policies and environmentally sustainable behaviour adopted during the implementation of this activity, by using sustainable food, sustainable means of transportation and eco-friendly materials.

 

Before this activity, the participants were trained virtually for one month by the participating organisations. In this virtual training session, the art-based training module and the case study created in activity A1 were used as a training tool. The participating organisations were in direct contact through emails and Skype/Zoom conference meetings in order to prepare the appropriate material for this activity.

 

SYVIPEK was responsible for the practical and logistic matters (e.g. sustainable travel, accommodation, safety and protection of participants, etc.). The participants were advised before travel to issue a European Health Insurance Card. SVIPEK also prepared an information package for the participants.

 

In this blended training activity, the participants developed their professional skills and capacities, using as a tool the art-based training module and the case study created in the staff training activity A1.

 

Pictures from this activity:

Click here to see more pictures

 

A3: Sharing and promotion conference

Athens, Greece, 12/01/2025

Conference lecturers: staff members from SYVIPEK

Participants: youth trainers in art and culture, including those with fewer opportunities, representatives of ACT’DEM and RIZA, representatives of German, Greek and French artistic, cultural and humanistic organisations

 

Activity A3 was a sharing and promotion conference, organised by SYVIPEK in Athens for one day. In this activity, 4 staff members from SYVIPEK were conference lecturers. Representatives of ACT’DEM and RIZA participated in this conference.

 

During the preparation phase of this conference, promotional material was created and distributed to the target group of this activity.

 

SYVIPEK rented an appropriately equipped place and was responsible for the promotion of the conference. Sustainable food (catering) and sustainable means of transportation were adopted for the invited non-local participants.

 

This conference included:

- lectures,

- open discussions,

- presentations of the project results,

- evaluation of the project results and of the impact on the target group participating in the activity through questionnaires.

 

In this conference, youth trainers in art and culture, including those with fewer opportunities, and representatives from national and international artistic, cultural and humanistic organisations who had shown interest in the content and results of the project were invited.

 

Pictures from this activity:

Click here to see more pictures

 

A4: Sharing and promotion conference

Düsseldorf, Germany, 10/01/2025

Conference lecturers: staff members from RIZA

Participants: youth trainers in art and culture, including those with fewer opportunities, representatives of ACT’DEM and SYVIPEK, representatives of German, Greek and French artistic, cultural and humanistic organisations

 

Activity A4 was a sharing and promotion conference, organised by RIZA in Düsseldorf for one day. In this activity, 4 staff members from RIZA were conference lecturers. Representatives of ACT’DEM and SYVIPEK participated in this conference.

 

During the preparation phase of this conference, promotional material was created and distributed to the target group of this activity.

 

RIZA rented an appropriately equipped place and was responsible for the promotion of the conference. Sustainable food (catering) and sustainable means of transportation were adopted for the invited non-local participants.

 

This conference included:

- lectures,

- open discussions,

- presentations of the project results,

- evaluation of the project results and of the impact on the target group participating in the activity through questionnaires.

 

In this conference, youth trainers in art and culture, including those with fewer opportunities, and representatives from national and international artistic, cultural and humanistic organisations who had shown interest in the content and results of the project were invited.

 

Pictures from this activity:

Click here to see more pictures

 

A5: Sharing and promotion conference

Paris, France, 22/12/2024

Conference lecturers: staff members from ACT’DEM

Participants: youth trainers in art and culture, including those with fewer opportunities, representatives of RIZA and SYVIPEK, representatives of German, Greek and French artistic, cultural and humanistic organisations

 

Activity A5 was a sharing and promotion conference, organised by ACT’DEM in Paris for one day. In this activity, 4 staff members from ACT’DEM were conference lecturers. Representatives of RIZA and SYVIPEK participated in this conference.

 

During the preparation phase of this conference, promotional material was created and distributed to the target group of this activity.

 

ACT’DEM rented an appropriately equipped place and was responsible for the promotion of the conference. Sustainable food (catering) and sustainable means of transportation were adopted for the invited non-local participants.

 

This conference included:

- lectures,

- open discussions,

- presentations of the project results,

- evaluation of the project results and of the impact on the target group participating in the activity through questionnaires.

 

In this conference, youth trainers in art and culture, including those with fewer opportunities, and representatives from national and international artistic, cultural and humanistic organisations who had shown interest in the content and results of the project were invited.

 

Pictures from this activity:

Click here to see more pictures

 

 

RESULTS OF THE PROJECT – DIGITAL HANDBOOK AND CASE STUDY

Click here to see the Handbook and the case study

 

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