Current Projects

LAUTC

Learn About Us Through Culture: cultural events for intercultural dialogue

Currently, the non-formal educative and intercultural dialogue values of cultural events are not employed effectively as tools to enable social inclusion in marginalised European urban areas knowing high levels of immigration. The fabric of these communities is weak as individuals lack
positive images of their cultural identities and intercultural dialogue (hereafter known as ICD) is difficult to achieve. The intercultural learning needs of second generation migrants and autochthones1 are not met, their understanding of each other is poor and civic spirit within the
communities is low. Partner organisations promoting intercultural dialogue are facing difficulties in developing cultural events that stimulate dialogue and integration.

Thus, there is a need to develop an EU framework strategy and methodology for ICD realized in a EU "parcours"2 of cultural events answering to intercultural learning needs. This project of Research-Action "Learn about us through culture", will be based on an active learning processes
employing the "Four Pillars of Education" methodology (learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be); the three phases of the project will be implemented by the target itself (immigrants, autochthons from the same marginalised urban local area and staff of organizations promoting ICD) with the constant support of experts of research-action, who will make up the working group.

The phases are as follows:

1st phase - Analysis of intercultural learning needs and development of an EU level strategy and methodology for cultural events;
2nd phase - Realising the EU “parcours” of cultural events employing the strategy and methodology developed;
3rd phase - Evaluation and dissemination of the strategy and methodology developed into good practices through creation of materials and realisation of an EU level seminar. 

The project will enable people from these communities to enter or re-enter the educational sphere, to innovate LLL opportunities (through strategy and methodology effectively tested in different contexts, thus becoming good practices) adapted to their intercultural learning needs and to develop social cohesion by improving their interpersonal, intercultural and social competences. Moreover, the project will show how the development of ICD within European local communities is needed to create an inclusive European identity promoting the common cultural heritage and the importance of cultural diversity.

Aims: Realise the value of cultural events as part of the non-formal LLL process through the development of an EU level strategy and methodology; Aid the development of ICD and the integration of migrants at local and EU levels; Strengthen inclusive notions of European identity and citizenship through non-formal learning; Develop positive identities of EU marginalised urban areas and their inhabitants thus promoting social cohesion on a wider scale. Objectives: Develop EU level good practices, realizable at a local level, which increase the value of cultural events in responding to migrants’ and autochthones’ intercultural learning needs; Involvement of target groups in each project phase the strong results of ICD when implemented at both local and EU levels by formulating an EU "parcours" of cultural events which will respond to local intercultural learning needs; Integrate population from marginalised urban areas by facilitating the development of competences in line with LLL objectives of personal fulfillment and
European active citizenship. The targets will learn with the support of experts how to develop a research-action, by identifying their community intercultural learning needs and developing good practices to address them. They will also acquire new skills and competences in LLL field through participation and ICD process at both local and EU levels. Finally, the project will develop positive images of local areas thus facilitating social cohesion and active citizenship. The specific needs to be addressed: Improved ICD and migrant integration can positively affect social Cohesion11 by reaching the OECD12 indicators. Increased ICD awareness creates mutual harmony between local and European identities. Aids the integration process of migrants and marginalized urban areas by facilitating LLL access and its role in improving their resources and
Competences. Break the negative image of cultural events by helping people to find in them answers to their needs. Improve civic and active citizenship through the development of good practices for the community by the community. New cooperation between European adults from marginalised areas, immigrants and autochthons from the same local communities, other communities from the same urban locality, organisations working in the ICD field and their targets, diverse urban realities across Europe.

The project aims and objectives reinforce the contribution of LLL at the following levels:
(1) Social cohesion will be realised through ICD and integration in accordance with the OECD indicators.
(2) Active citizenship13 will be promoted by enabling the community to find answers to their needs.
(3) ICD will be jointly improved at EU and local levels as part of the methodology and finality.
(4) Gender balance will be strictly observed at all levels, as all need to be included as active citizens to reach cohesion. The project will solve individual’s intercultural learning needs, increase basic skills, self-identity and creativity and improve competences leading to
(5) personal fulfilment of the target and beneficiaries.
The learning process will occur in all research-action phases: adults participating in the intercultural working groups will learn how to conduct research and analysis, identify strategy and methodology, disseminate results, develop, realize and evaluate cultural projects, extract good practices, create materials, work in and on ICD; other targets will promote their skills and learn to work in and on ICD. Both inner capacities and practical skills will be acquired. Moreover, the wider community of migrants and autochthones will benefit by increasing their knowledge and awareness through the non-formal learning processes. The project will stress the importance of ICD –developed at both local and European level- as finality and methodology, supporting the integration of migrants into local communities and of marginalised areas into wider communities, moreover the project will explore culture as an educative and interactive tool to answer to learning needs and recreate the link between marginalised people and cultural events.

LAUTC project web site - www.lautc.eu

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