"The CC Project aimed at developing, testing and widely disseminating an innovative methodology based on creative approach in adult education. It also focused on the needs of disadvantaged adult learners with a view to training social and civic competences. The choice of theatre and precisely puppetry art was made on the basis of the long-standing experience of Teatr Grodzki in using this specific art form in education and therapy. Even though puppet theatre is usually perceived as something childish, it can serve as a very efficient and attractive way of teaching adult students how to discover their aptitudes and abilities needed for a true social adaptation.Through the activities we created the new educational and self-development opportunities for those who are socially excluded due to their health/disability problems, difficult economic situation, conflict with the law or other factors. We were aware of the fact that integration of socially vulnerable individuals and groups with society was a long and challenging process. It must have involved an important phase of creating a suitable environment for making first steps towards changes. People who had been isolated, often for a very long time, needed to be first of all motivated to make an effort to step out. They needed to see positive results of their actions and to feel rewarded. Such an experience could be a turning point in their life and lead to discovering own place in the community. We found puppetry art a surprisingly efficient tool facilitating this initial stage of social inclusion processes.The project implementation of the CC Project was introduced in six steps.1.Teatr Grodzki, the author of the project, presented their approach of using the elements of puppetry art and psychodrama techniques in adult education to other partners and their trainers during the Short-term Joint Staff Training in Glasgow (18 participants from CITIZENS THEATRE, BABILONAS, Know&Can, CSC Danilo Dolci and TEATR GRODZKI) 2.All partners tested the methods presented during the training, modifying them and further developing according to specific needs/constraints of their target groups (13 local pilot workshops, 177 participants with fewer opportunities) documented in blogs run by the trainers http://ccproject.art/pilot-workshop/ 3.A VLCE – good practice platform launched in 8 languages (EN, PL, LT, IT, BG, DE, SE, FR) and used for sharing/exchanging teaching experience throughout the project www.ccproject.art 4.On the basis of the training experience further tested and confirmed during the workshops in Scotland, Lithuania, Italy, Bulgaria and Poland the partners jointly formulated the methodological guidelines for the use of puppet theatre inspiration in adult education and social inclusion programs available in 8 languages on http://ccproject.art/publications/ 5.Parallelly to the elaboration of methodological guidelines all partners worked on a presentation of ten different teaching processes and case studies in the form of eCompendium issued in 8 languages: EN, PL, IT, LT, BG, DE, FR, ES on the platform in the section eResources http://ccproject.art/publications/6. Twelve Muliplier Events organized in the last phase of the project in all the partner countries for 233 educators (11 of them from abroad). CC project was recognized successful in the field of supporting the disadvantaged adults. In particular project resources and dissemination activities were found very useful by all partners and their trainers: “I loved the training and I will use all of the resources in the future. The group I work with is very similar to one of the pilot groups and the project would work a treat with the women.” (Project Worker from the Health and Social Care); ""The educational materials are clear and they include important guidelines which I can follow as a trainer. They lead me step-by-step through the workshop process. The methods presented are simple to implement in a wide range of application contexts"" (Adult educator); https://www.creativescotland.com/explore/read/stories/creative-learning/2019/create-a-puppet-citizens-theatre (article in Creative Scotland)"

<< Background >>Young people in Europe (14-19 yrs, secondary school age group) are getting lost in their own virtual bubbles.A Eurostat study (Being young in Europe today) shows that in 2019, 80% of the EU-population aged 16-24 (young people) had basic or above basic digital skills. 98% of the EU-27 households with dependent children had access to computers and internet. 94% of youth in EU-27 used the internet daily (vs 77% of the whole adult population). When away from home, mobile phones are the preferred device to connect to the internet: 92% among young people (against 71% of the whole adult population). This share was only 78% back in 2014. Mobile phone use for internet access in our age group per partner country was: HU: 72 to 92%, NL: 90 to 98%, LT 70 to 95%, BG: 54 to 89% (2014 to 2019 again).Their way of life seems to have shifted online, with activities that take up an increasing share of their daily lives: sending/receiving e-mails (88%), watching internet streamed TV or video (85%), or participating in social networks (84% - in our partnership this is 90-91% for NL, HU and LT, 80% for BG)). So instead of reading books, they prefer to watch movies - the genre of the film is simply a built-in part of their life. They get their info from movies for their conversation, their actions/reactions. According to recent surveys they are “omnivorous”, with preference to series, mostly comedies - that they watch at least twice a week, at home, on-line, mostly alone. A 2017 Eurobarometer survey shows that in EU-27 only 65% of the youth (15-19) took part in any cultural or active participation activities. Their perception of the real world, of social issues are based on the information they get from these online sources. And the problem with social media is that in many cases it just transmits non-reliable or one-sided information.Although digital solutions are very useful to bridge distances, in the end society is built upon direct personal interactions that seem to become scarcer nowadays. Virtual solutions simplify the world around us – in the end they omit responsibility, kill compassion, destroy the fabric of society. Tools should never become aims of existence.Teachers are seeking new methods to contact the newest generations and to improve their knowledge at the same time. Psychologists found that unusual solutions that make them get out of their well-known surroundings can help the change of perspective. According to recent (2019) studies, adolescents are contrary to most things (an age speciality), but are also curious – help is neded to guide them to the right direction.Finding the medium to this is essential. We propose documentary films: they show the world “as it is”.Comparing high school curricula in our partner countries we see that only in HU are film history and aesthetics part of the education. In NL, HU and LT we can find huge documentary film festivals, often with student education programs (but not enough to get deep knowledge about social issues). We suggest documentaries should be used more frequently and consciously in education.<< Objectives >>The project’s objectives are to help secondary school teachers to connect to and guide young people.This we hope to achieve by the making of a new method to highlight the importance of the social issues, using documentary films – helped along with collecting knowledge in the field, film screenings and workshops, and collecting data through students’ feedback, in order to produce effective tools to bring students closer to reality in a protected environment and thus offer a model to the teachers and other educators.The project’s primary target group are secondary school teachers, willing to tackle social issues in class and open to using documentary in education.By developing a curriculum for the use of documentary in schools we hope to give a useful tool for teachers and educators in order to form young people’s minds – to lead them back to reality before it gets too late.We want to gather teachers who are curious about new methods, are interested in films and like to watch them.We want to create a platform that inspires participants of the project and possible future users, and creates awareness and build resilience and knowledge for a conducive teaching and learning enviromentWe also wish:- to foster the use of documentaries which give a sensitive and sensual portrayal of segments of reality with loveable, real-life protagonists and - in general - have an anthropological approach.- Develop a method for teachers to improve and maximise their knowledge - Introduce a new mindset - use the potential of the documentaries- Students - soft skills development, fostering mutual understanding - Teachers can understand better the new generation - intergenerational gap decrease<< Implementation >>The project will last 36 months, from 2022 to 2024.We are planning to prepare a whole range of project results:- a curriculum (R1)- an online database (R2)- a tutorial video about the organising of field trips (R3)- a professional video diary of the project (R4)- a pedagogical manual (R5)- a survey on students’ viewing habits (R6)- a short training course for teachers, adapted to 4 countries (R7)- a manual (a multimedia tool) about student feedback (R8)- a toolkit/exercice book on good practices (R9)We also plan 5 short training activities, and 8 multiplier events that will help us in disseminating project results.<< Results >>The main outcome that we expect is that the topic of using documentary in education will be brought to the fore, and also that various social issues (the fact at all that social issues exist) will be more embedded in the minds of young people.The main result of the project is the curriculum (R1), a complex that will include various tools 8that also figure as project results), and that gives a methodology on how to use documentary films in education, when tackling social issues.The online database (R2) is equally important; it will contain all the tools that are necessary for the successful use of the Curriculum. It is in the form of a website where the users can find all results uploaded. The structure of the database is a blog where all news, information and visual materials can appear. Our mission is to raise the discussion about social issues in an innovative way and foster activities.Our experience is that the pleasing design which uses the symbolic element of the message(es) of the project, is successful. That's why we create a brand which is an image that people will have in mind when thinking about the project both in a practical (results, website) and emotional (experiences) way and we build a community around the project and/or brand. Result 3 is a tool, a tutorial video about the organising of field trips when tackling a social issue with the students through a documentary. It will contain all the advice necessary in such a situation, and will be shot and produced by professionals.Result 4 will be a video diary of the project, focusing on the professional aspects – again made by professionals, observing all GDPR regulations.Result 5 is another important part, a pedagogical manual closely linked to the Curriculum: the methodology elaborated, with data collected throughout the project.Result 6 will be a survey on students’ viewing habits, conducted in all 4 participating countries.Result 7 is a short training course for teachers (and its variations, adapted to each countries’ needs and conditions), that will also be sent to accreditation in at least 1 country.Result 8 is a manual (a multimedia tool) about student feedback, collected after the filed trips of the Film Activity Packages.Result 9 is a toolkit/exercice book on good practices from teachers using various media in teaching, collected internationally.We’ll also organise 5 trainings for teachers, to explain the methodology, and 8 multiplier events in total, targeted at professional publics.