ARTooLINK (Art2Link)

The art is not just the boost of the creative way of thinking, but also to build capacity to use visual language in communication. Which artistic resources can we use and how to make the most of them, when there is a wish to make a change in society, even making an impact on policy making. Though participants are experienced in their professions, by gaining the skills in visual and art language they will build the bridge for understanding the different professionals and their views, which is essential for collaboration in the field with Youth work, especially in marginalized minorities. Without the regards, if the person is already established in its profession or is still searching its path, each participant will gain knowledge on the different art techniques and new methods, to maximize the success of their action. The project program is composed to introduce the more layered methodology that works on the individual as well in the group work. The individuals and group will experience each art medium from beginning to the end which is essential for its understanding and possibility to later implement. More important is that those art methods are taken from good practice with Roma community and our consortium wants to share it with other organizations facing the same difficulties to make bridges between the Roma communities - Roma Youth and other people and to eliminate the strong discrimination. This was reached with project Roma ARTirythm granted in 2016. (see: http://magicincurrentworld.com/pages/erasmus.html) Participants will be able to make their own projects by using the artistic medias with the appeal, they will experience a healthy and enriching exchange of ideas from other organizations. They will be more prepared for stronger collaboration building a solid network between participants with different professional profiles, offering the possibility to create international actions together in a near future. We will provide the participant with the right set of skills, to communicate and connect with each other and to work with different problematic, backgrounds and understandings. This could be implemented fields, tackling efficiently different issues and needs. They will also learn to work with the community and not "for" community but being outside the community. The project will teach participants to work with their agendas and to develop creative and open minds with the space for new perspectives and new approaches - for instance with art as a tool that empowers the Roma youth. Each partner organization is sending 4 participants, with different profiles and working or having done so, with or in the Roma community. Desirably for this project we are targeting 4 different kinds of profiles (however the project do not require that those are professionals, it also welcomes those that are still searching for its future career and wants to gain the news skills in those fields). 1) Social Worker (including Psychologists) A person that is engaged in the social issues in the community. Social worker deals with the “basic needs” as is standards in health, education, rights, etc. When those needs are fulfilled, the social worker is then able to engage/create healthy developments for the community (pedagogic activities, including culture activities, political activities, etc.) 2) Educators/Facilitators/Cultural Actors A person that has professional skills and experience in non-formal education and facilitating the events, projects, or cultural actions. 3)Activists/Artists/Artivists A person that is actively engaged in promoting the interests of the group or community. This person is the bridge between the community and public (including the policy makers). This person is focused on mediating the issues in an active way, ideally promoting it using art as a vehicle for engagement. 4)Future or present political actors including those in Political sciences This person has engaged already in actions leading to political career or policy making positions. The person can be a leader of youth political party, can be the active member of youth parliament, or studies the political or diplomatic studies. This person can already be in certain position at a ministry, municipality, etc. Aiming for a long lasting and continuous support coming from within the political system against discrimination, towards a multi-cultural society. Why? We believe that it is important to establish the recognition of each profession by appreciating their work, but what the project aims to establish trans-disciplinary cooperation between the different types and ways of thinking. The project activities are designed to recognize the work of each one of them but to put apart those professions and to open the mind for “different languages”. This is reached through non-formal methods of how to present myself, how to establish communication, how to contribute to others work, how to work in a team, how to lead the discussion, how to work in big teams. We believe that it is necessary to have each representative of those profiles being it professionals, (or on the way to be the professional, or practicing it in the community) and to teach them together with the collaboration as that is the most important element for the community to grow, to be active, and prosper in a positive way.