Chic & craft - Newsletter - 3 (English)

ISSUE 3-AUGUST 2017 ISSUE 3-AUGUST 2017

Welcome to our third and last newsletter!

Chic & Craft is finishing and we want to say you good bye and express our gratitude for being there, for your interest in this amazing initiative and for your support during the last three years.

We have learnt many things, especially during the pilot experiences implemented in all partners’ countries for six months. We managed to involve a total of 49 people with severe and prolonged mental illness in an upcycling fashion design training course. The results have been satisfactory and, in many cases, surprising. The course has aroused the commitment and interest of many of the trainees that normally don’t express their attention in any of the activities proposed by the professionals. This single reason is more than enough to ensure that it is worth to implement it in any organization working with this target group. Chic & Craft has offered the participants with a relaxing activity in which they could develop their creativity and concentrate in a gratifying activity which results they could enjoy and even show to other people.

In addition to this, we can say that thanks to the collection of exercises based on peer learning that complements the Chic & Craft course, the trainees have improved some soft skills, as for instance: working in a team, leadership skills, communication with other people, self-confidence and self-esteem, ability to concentrate in a concrete task or motivation.

We hope that you enjoyed reading about our progress and that our stories inspire you to reproduce the Chic & Craft course in your organizations.

Enjoy the reading!

The Chic & Craft team

1 This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

ISSUE 3-AUGUST 2017

RESULTS OF THE CHIC & CRAFT PROJECT The Chic & Craft project has left in the day centre run by INTRAS in Toro (Spain), a know-how that we have already included in our daily routine. This valuable knowledge goes beyond some original upcycled garments. Of course, these creations are the most tangible and visible result, both for us and for our European partners, and even more for the customers going to our shop “A touch of madness� looking for a unique gift or for an original garment that make them different. But the Chic & Craft initiative has been much more than this.

Thanks to this project, we managed to test, and event cross, the limits of our creativity, as well as our ability to solve problems that we thought we could never solve. Chic & Craft helped us to improve our sensitivity when working in a team, to contribute with our ideas, to accept criticism and feel part of a whole, with our own personalities and particularities (of course!), but also with a common horizon through which we have learned to improve ourselves with illusion.

During these months, we have also developed several exercises based on group dynamics, useful to learn a little bit about ourselves: not to despise our abilities, even if they seems to be insignificant, and also to recognize our mates. But above all, these exercises have taught us that the strength to do things, to create, transform and change, lies in ourselves.

We say good bye to the Chic & Craft project, but not at all, as this initiative is already part of all of us and part of our workshop.

We are sure that, what we have learned here, will serve us throughout our lives.

The Chic & Craft project, run by OZARA (Slovenia) will remain in our memories as a valuable experience that enriched us both creatively as well as in terms of improved personal interaction. Being a part and having the chance to experience the potential of creative work process and performance of the projects workshops have made an impact on the whole organisations and beyond. Mentors and participants gained new insights into the world of creative handcrafting and enhanced as well as deepened the potential and awareness to work in team. The items produced are much more than upcycling which was only one of the ideas of the project. Gaining the will power to create something

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

ISSUE 3-AUGUST 2017

new, upgrading basic skills and knowledge and working together was a unique process and experience for the participants and mentors. Sensitivity and motivation for team work, group dynamics and new ways of looking at the “old� were only some of the new horizons that changed through the process of implementing the national pilot experience.

It can be said, without false modesty, that our regular activities have been enriched and that the creative part and practical experience opened up new horizons to create together in the future as well. New approaches to team work and motivation have left a strong impact in our mentors work too and will most definitely find its way into regular work activities in the future also.

Last but not least; introducing the project to the public at our final event made us even more aware, that its impact is now going to be tracked down even in other organisations, tangling their everyday processes with vulnerable groups also. That is why we only say goodbye to common work in the Chic & Craft project and a hello to new possibilities that will arise from implementing parts of activities even after the project.

The Chic & Craft project course has now been implemented for some time within the first year of the vocational training for housekeeping at the VET center of the CJD-BBW Frechen. It became a valued appointment for the young students every Friday.

During the course, the participants had some favorite sessions they did as well as some sessions that were more complicated for them to follow and became a real challenge. For example the unit where a neck buff has been created was very welcome; the following week participants were proudly seen with their creations on the compound of the VET center. The unit where a skirt was done was more complicated for them. But luckily as it was a group activity with a good team spirit, they were all willing to keep on

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

ISSUE 3-AUGUST 2017

trying it. The results of the second skirt stitching session were a real improvement and the participants were proud to have done it and to show their success.

Besides the fashion part, the peer to peer learning part of the Chic & Craft course was always a welcomed start to their weekly creative activity and helped them to concentrate on their next task. The peer to peer learning activities helped the participants to improve their communication skills, to reflect within a team and to build up their self-confidence and self-esteem.

Listening to the participants we discovered that the Chic & Craft course gave them the inspiration to use their creative skills to a greater extent and to start reusing and recycling things. One participant mentioned that she is hoping for a sewing machine as a present for her next birthday, as she has now many ideas of what she could do herself.

Within the trainers of the vocational training for housekeeping it has been decided that the sessions of the Chic & Craft course will continually be used as exercises in the future VET courses. This decision has been taken as the Chic & Craft course showed the participants that working with a sewing machine, doing needle work and ironing is not only necessary in order to repair and maintain uniforms, bed linen, and table cloth. The participants learned that by simple means, reusing material and a little effort in trying something new and with the help of their team they can create beautiful new things by themselves.

Finally it was fun!! â€œâ€ŚIf you ask me what was the most significant and important achievement of Chic & Craft process, was the joy and the creative atmosphere that was all the time implemented by facilitators. I think that it was an opportunity for all us here in IASIS Day Center to get to know with each other, to collaborate for a common purpose and to

4 This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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show our skills and capacity in handcrafting, those that even we had forget that we have!

Some materials were really difficult to handle and to create something nice with them easily. For instance, jeans fabric was hard to manage it especially to sew it and to cut it in a straight line. The needle needed is bigger and stronger than the usual one, and the effort you had to put on your finger creates pain sometimes.

But really was a worth – story!

Still remember all of the group around the big table, with all these materials upon it, trying to figure out the final form of the products. We use to star with some funny games and exercises, just to make us feeling warm and welcome. And then we went to the deep of the business!!!

Not all of us were all the time in a good mood or available. There were mornings very bad – and sad for some of us… The whole project went back and all the team was not able to follow the time flow. The priority then was to assist our colleague, to cheer his up in order to be again in the C&C process… But the process itself helps us to cope with theses bad and sad feelings, and to think that we have a mission to achieve, a task to fulfill. Together with facilitators, we decide to go further, to leave behind this depression and to fantasize our next creation!

What was the most important creation?

Joyfulness! And the feeling that you can achieve really good results if you try in a specific methodology and with clears guidelines. Team work seems to be the key for this progress, especially if you use to be alone for a long time…

Finally it was fun! Hope that I will have the chance to continue with C&C methodology and materials, and to create more fantastic stuff! Thanks” The Chic & Craft project was held in the vocational rehabilitation center Valakupiu reabilitacijos centras (VRC) in Kaunas department (Lithuania). It was a part of our daily sewing workshops.

This project was very useful for the entire VRC and especially for clients who participated in pilot. We are glad to inform that the peer to peer learning sessions helped clients to be more patient and find their right paths in their lives. During the sewing sessions clients offered new ideas for improvement of the units. Created crafts and accessories were presented during fairs. It was not only a great opportunity for the disabled, but also the formation of a positive public attitude about people with disabilities, as creative and talented members of society.

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

ISSUE 3-AUGUST 2017

We are also happy that one of the client who already finished her sewing vocational rehabilitation and pilot experiences decided come back to VRC and now she is volunteer in sewing class.

We will say goodbye for the Chic & Craft project a little bit later, because we are planning and organizing national event to disseminate the idea of the project and visible results of pilot experiences in Lithuania. It is going to be great event with fashion show and auction with lots of quests from different organizations interested in such methodology. We are sure that this idea will be interesting for many specialists in our country and we hope to come back with this project again and again.

MULTIPLIER EVENT IN ATHENS: A NATIONAL EVENT WITH INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER! Greek multiplier event has been held in Athens, on 15th June 2017. The place chosen was our Day center premises, from which its members were the basic beneficiaries of Chick and Craft project.

More than 40 people had attended to the Greek event. All of them were scientists of humanitarian studies (psychologists, social workers, day – caregivers and shelters personnel), and they all wanted to know more about the project exercises, platform and methodology of C&C project.

The event was dedicated to people that had been work with C&C methodology during the previous months of implementation. Under this point of view, the structure was designed to give the first role to our beneficiaries: After a short presentation of the project by IASIS Training Manager, a short exhibition with all partners’ teams’ creations was set up in the Day Center, in order to enforce the visibility of the project.

Another innovative aspect was the international character of the event, because of partners’ presence on it: Since a year ago was decided among partnership to combine project last meeting with Greek multiplier event. So, attendants had the opportunity to discuss with partners representatives about how to involve project methodology in more efficient way in their everyday routine and exchange good practices. But for beneficiaries also was a nice surprise, because they had their training certificates given by partners, understand this way what trainers said during the whole implementation period, that they are also some other teams all around Europe works simultaneously with C&C material and exercises!

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

ISSUE 3-AUGUST 2017

For further information, please contact us via e-mail: proyectos2@intras.es

or enter in our website: http://chicandcraft.intras.es/

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.