”Talk2Me” workshops for the empowerment of young refugees and migrants

Following up the transnational project “DeTalks – Creative and Inclusive Non-Verbal Education” which combined artistic methods and language learning, SMouTh’s new project ‘’Talk2Me’’ aims at exploring how arts-based language practices can make a positive contribution to the empowerment of young refugees and migrants, encouraging the recognition of skills through collective events and creations.

A first online partners meeting was held online in late March, and the first round of needs assessment workshops started by SMouTh, with two strategic visits: the first one to Habibi Works, offering spaces and skill developments workshops just next to Katsikas refugee camp outside Ioannina city, on April 20^th, and the second one at KEAN Shelter for unaccompanied minors in Larissa, on May 8^th. Jointly with those two organisations, we had the chance to try small bits of creativity and open the discussion on the challenges and needs of newcomers and workers in the field regarding linguistic education and communication. The next round of workshops will focus on the development of new practices and tools, involving in the process all the target groups of the project (refugees, asylum seekers, staff and volunteers working in hosting facilities and in education/skills development organisations).

The face-to-face kick-off meeting will be held next week in Florence, and we are looking forward to go deeper in the project activities. Special thanks to staff, volunteers and beneficiaries of Habibi Works and KEAN for their hospitality and heartwarming collaboration.

Talk2Me is a 2-year project coordinated by Les Têtes de l’Art Marseille (France) in partnership with Centro di Creazione e Cultura APS (Italy), SMouTh Synergy of Music Theatre Larissa (Greece), Subjective Values Foundation Budapest (Hungary) and Instituto Andaluz de Formación y Mercado Seville (Spain), and co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.