Launch of the IDeA Project: People with Intellectual Disabilities Engaged in the Arts, Number: 2023-1-EL01-KA210-ADU-00015198, funded by the EU Erasmus+ program.
The project “IDeA – People with Intellectual Disabilities Engaged in the Arts” aims to promote the integration of adults (adults) with intellectual disabilities (ID) into society by providing high-quality opportunities for acquiring skills in art and artistic crafts. The project will improve their social skills through the use of social networks, will facilitate the launch of social entrepreneurship, promoting their own products – crafts and artistic works.
THE IDEA OF THE PROJECT
The main target group of the “IDeA” project – are people with intellectual disabilities (ID) engaged in art. Around 1% of the EU population is disabled, so finding ways to include them in society, education and the economy is crucial and this is the main priority of our project. Although there are relatively many opportunities for young people with disabilities (especially children), as soon as they reach adulthood, the lack of opportunities and participation in education and the economy, as well as the lack of employability, becomes apparent. Furthermore, there is a huge gap in the digital literacy of older people with intellectual disabilities. While other people of the same age use social media, phones, etc. every day, people with intellectual disabilities use them rarely or have accounts that they only use as tools to promote their art. Furthermore, family and carers of people with disabilities feel abandoned and alone in dealing with the problem and this is where we aim to intervene with the “IDeA” project. We aim to give hope and practical help to both people with intellectual disabilities and their families through artwork, soft skills education, digital media literacy, which can transform the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by engaging them in a creative world that can be both engaging and inspiring, as well as practically profitable through the promotion of their artwork.
The IDeA project was created by PEKAMEA (coordinator) and Challedu, who had the opportunity to explore the power of art and entrepreneurship through the HOPE project – Empowering Disadvantaged People through Art.
All organizations participating in the project are dedicated to offering high-quality opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities, not only for learning and training in the arts, but also practical skills to present and promote their art products on the market and digital marketplace, giving them a sense of dignity and usefulness to society and a valuable opportunity to break out of their isolation.
Results:
Activity 1
Development of an IDeA methodology aimed at adult educators and relevant professionals working with people with disabilities on how to organize art labs and art education for people with intellectual disabilities, as well as the development of soft skills for the promotion of art products through social media.
Activity 2
Implementation of Training (Training of Trainers) working with people with intellectual disabilities to enhance their skills by applying the methodology and guidelines developed under the IDeA project.
Activity 3
Implementation of local workshops for people with intellectual disabilities in the field of art, the development of soft skills and social media skills in order to promote them in a series of learning activities and creative labs.
Activity 4
Organisation of social engagement and art events and social media campaigns where people with intellectual disabilities will promote their artworks, putting into practice the acquired artistic, soft and social media skills.
Activity 5
IdeA project events will promote the project methodology, its results and the artworks of people with intellectual disabilities as a means of adequate integration, employability, digital literacy, social engagement and active participation in society, education and the economy.
Funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the European Union or the European Executive Agency for Education and Culture (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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