Laboratory for women inclusion through creativity

<< Background >>The request for this project arose from the following analyses:-The increase in female immigration to Europe, particularly for family reunification, and the isolation of many immigrant women due to cultural diversity.-The pandemic has had an impact on psychological distress related to emotional stress and loneliness, with symptoms of depression and panic exacerbating the isolation of women over 65 in particular.With regard to these two types of women who, despite their different motivations, have the same difficulties in integrating socially and participating in formal and non-formal education, a course was designed and developed which, using the informal method of the art workshop, can help them acquire non-technical skills useful for social integration. Art experiences help to improve sociability, sharing and empathy. Based on the experience of Nux Vomica, the artistic activity of puppet making was chosen, where people need to help each other, exchange ideas and thus socialise.The project was therefore presented to test an innovative methodology to help women discover their abilities, including in the artistic field, and acquire the soft skills necessary for social inclusion.<< Objectives >>The project aimed to achieve the objectives of:-identify best practices to achieve the social inclusion of women from an immigrant background and women over 65,-to make trainers/educators acquire an innovative methodology aimed at the social inclusion of disadvantaged women-support teachers/trainers in the application of an innovative methodology for the social inclusion of disadvantaged people- disseminate good practices in adult education institutions and cultural and immigrant associations and in general in the network of partners and stakeholders- provide training ideas for the social inclusion of other types of people as wellFurthermore, the project also achieved the objective of increased cooperation at European level between the three participating organisations.<< Implementation >>The following activities were implemented during the course of the project:-Management in which the project management methods were described, which were in accordance with the plan prepared and agreed upon with the partnership.- The realisation of a report on the soft skills needs obtained through a questionnaire submitted to 47 immigrant women and women over 65 reached also with the help of associations not belonging to the partnership (immigrant bodies, social services, ...) and on good practices concerning the development of training activities through art.-The preparation of a pilot programme for the acquisition of the soft skills identified through the creation of puppets-The realisation of a training activity aimed at teachers to learn the methodology-The realisation of workshops composed of 10 people each by each partner to test the methodology-The preparation of a White Paper containing the methodology and addressed to teachers/trainers working with people with social integration problems-The dissemination of the results to make the project known, its potential and to provide ideas for implementing training courses for social integration using artistic activities also different from the creation of puppets.<< Results >>The following results were obtained during the project:-the production of a report containing the results of questionnaires on soft skills highlighting those considered most interesting by immigrants and over-65s with social inclusion problems -best practices identified for the implementation of artistic activities aimed at social inclusion -a white paper as a guide for teachers/trainers for the realisation of a course which, through the preparation of puppets, succeeds in acquiring transversal skills for the social inclusion of marginalised people. In addition to this, the following results were also achieved:-the creation of a model for the preparation of puppet workshops, with the inclusion of soft skills acquired at each stage of the activity - a short practical manual for puppet making