The Caravan

Our general objective was to offer seniors (70+ y.o.) with fewer opportunities partecipation possibilities to promote their inclusion and mitigate the isolation they have faced during covid-19. Th...

Our general objective was to offer seniors (70+ y.o.) with fewer opportunities partecipation possibilities to promote their inclusion and mitigate the isolation they have faced during covid-19. The project wanted to give elders a space for developing creative skills together with their peers. The project was meant to further common values, civic engagement and participation above all of elder people in public life. The project intended also to promote the culture identity of the partner countries and european citizenship. Our specific objetcives were: - to develop a guide describing the work methodology for the travelling Caravan and for creating inclusion and participation through art. - to prepare 3 travelling Caravans with at least 5 seniors (1 in each country), that included a performance, non-formal activities of social values and promoted the engagement of seniors with fewer opportunities. - to travel with the Caravan to 5 locations and thus reaching other seniors living for example in depressed neighbourhoods, isolated villages, low-income areas. - to engage at least 450 people in the events of the travelling Caravan - to share the work methodology with at least 60 organisation active in the field of adult education.

A1 Coordination: the project was managed by a general coordination (Calypso) and by local coordination of each partner. M1 Kick off meeting - M2 Staff training - M3 Evaluation meeting: we had three transnational meetings; the first one in June 2023 was held in Spain, Fuenlabrada de Los Montes in Siberia Estremena. The second one in October/November 2023 was held in Greece, Athens. The third one in July 2024 was held in Italy, Varzi in Oltrepo pavese. A2 The guide. We developed a guide describing the working methodology of fostering participation and inclusion through cultural activities. The guide, written in English, was improved (A3) during the preparation of the Caravan and then translated (A6) in Italian, Greek and Spanish. A4 Preparing the Caravan: the Caravan was prepared by implementing workshops with elders in the 3 different countries. Starting from the common base of shared methodology each partner developed the best artistic language to work with the seniors participating in the workshops. A5 The travelling Caravan: the performances created by the workshops became the event travelling in different locations in each country. A7 Presentation events: a dissemination event was held in each country.

A concrete output of the project was the creation of a guide which describes the methodology behind the travelling Caravan and covers all the steps of the process: from the preparation of participants, to the activities of the workshops, from devising a performing piece to logistic issues, to the audience engagement. The guide, written in English was translated in Italian, Spanish and Greek and shared with stakeholders involved in adult education. The output of the workshop activities were: in Spain the creation of a theatrical piece "El Retorno" which was performed in Fuelabradas de Los Montes in the month of May 2024; in Italy the creation of "Nondimenticar Balera", a community dancing event which was performed between the months of April and July 2024 in Oltrepo pavese and in Pavia. The ladys of the group also recorded some videos sharing stories about dancing. In Greece the storytelling workshops led to the creation of street performances (monologues about life challenges and transformations) in Athens and Kalamata in the month of June. In September dissemination events took place in the 3 countries, sharing the results of the Caravan with the community and stakeholders dealing with adult education.