The future of social workers involving people with disabilities in community activities between artists and art therapists.

<< Background >>The project responded to the urgent need to ensure intercultural and inclusive support for the elderly after the COVID-19 crisis, by improving their well-being and reducing their isolation. It also meant upgrading the skills of social workers. Through collaboration between international partners, adult education tools, training programs, and distance learning materials were developed for social workers and art therapists. These interventions, tested in pilot projects, made it possible to update professional skills and introduce art therapy methods to promote the psychosocial well-being of older people. Our approach focused on adapting art therapy methods, recognizing that creative expression can foster subjective well-being and mitigate the isolation of many older people.The strengthening of Saules Stygos' management and administrative skills ensured effective coordination, fostering partnerships with public bodies, NGOs, and NPOs to reach the most vulnerable elderly. The project provided counseling, psychological support, and targeted training, producing lasting resources and policy recommendations to support future initiatives in adult education and therapeutic practices. << Objectives >>The project aimed to support two groups severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic: socially isolated seniors and artists facing economic hardship. As an art and health initiative, it explored the link between memories, creativity, and well-being.Key objectives:- Reduce seniors' isolation and encourage social participation.- Enhance cognitive, social, and communicative skills.- Promote intergenerational dialogue and strengthen neighborhood networks.- Reduce reliance on structured social support through community activities.- Encourage participation in local cultural and social opportunities. -Develop training services for seniors while expanding professional competencies. -Increase the visibility of partner organizations in adult education. -The project also supported artists and expressive arts therapists, addressing both their professional and psychological needs by involving them in activities that benefited seniors.Specific goals: -Prevent loneliness among seniors. -Foster socially inclusive local environments. -Enhance organizations' competencies in seniors' training and expand their reach in adult education. << Implementation >>Activity A: Social Workers Training ManualThis activity created a manual for social workers, using expressive arts to tackle seniors' social isolation and encourage community engagement. Key elements included:- Ice-breaking Activities, discussions and activities focused on strategies to overcome isolation helped participants connect and produce materials. - Expressive Arts Workshops reframed isolation positively, fostering cooperation. Invited seniors to strengthen community bonds. - Evaluation and Story Collection: Defined objectives and tools for collecting and analyzing stories, involving stakeholders, build inter-institutional networks to test and refine its impact.Activity B: MOOC Online Training for Social Workers and Disables. In-person training was converted into an online format, ensuring accessibility for social workers and seniors. Key aspects included: - Face-to-face modules were developed into digital formats for virtual classrooms. - The content of digital materials included videos, photos, interactive activities, and PDFs. - Selection of Tools and Partner training: ensured effective online learning. - Pilot testing and Feedback involved seniors, and social workers with a final group evaluation. << Results >>- Training Manual for social workers, structured to integrate theory and artistic activities (photography, visual arts, music, dance, poetry and theatre) to counteract the social isolation of older people by promoting empathy, solidarity and the creation of welcoming communities. There are thematic modules, ice-breaking exercises, detailed workshop guidelines and instructions for collecting and analysing personal narratives.The training culminated in activities centred on building a welcoming community, where participants engaged with their local environment and its resources. Seniors took on active roles as trainers, contributing their experiences and fostering intergenerational relationships.- MOOC Online Training, content on a digital platform (www.prometeodigitale.eu) that makes the contents of the manual accessible through video lessons, interactive activities, forums and tests (self-assessment quizzes and peer-reviewed tasks). This open enrolment training (EN, LT, IT) ensures maximum flexibility and inclusion, improving the digital and professional skills of social workers, older people and people with disabilities. - The testing phase involved volunteers, elderly people, social workers and art therapists in LT and IT