Nordplus project "Re-create"
At the beginning of this year Centre for Innovative Education “Idea” found partners from Sweden ((Sverigefinska folkhögskolan or SVEFI), Finland (Jyväskylän Kristillinen Opisto or JKO) and Estonia (NGO „People to People”) on the Internet and submitted a project under „Nordplus” programme. Few months later we received good news: the project was approved and we could start work on it!
Our project name is „Re-Create: Recycling of Creative Ideas, Experiences and Cultures with the Climate in Focus” and its theme is shearing of different art techniques.
We truly believe that such a project will certainly help to increase the participant’s knowledge of new areas/subjects, cultures, customs, co-operation across borders and intercultural dialogue. We can also learn from each other and get new creative ideas how to work with and motivate vulnerable groups to further education.
The project constitutes of 5 exchanges with a total of 6 different courses for the students/participants. This means that students/participants from all countries will visit the other countries and attend a course in a subject which is not offered by their own institution.
The first course was held at JKO in Jyväskylä, Finland on Oct 23-29. Participants from Latvia and Estonia went to Jyväskylä for one week to learn wet felting and were studying together with Finnish students. The first day was spent getting acquainted to the material and experimenting with colours. After that, participants started to work on the Big Work: a felted picture which was later put onto frame. At the end of the week, all works were exhibitioned, so JKO students and staff would see them too. Those who were interested in JKO work could attend lectures and visit theatre and drama class. Organizers had also prepared a wide range of free time activities: sight-seeing, museums and, of course, sauna!
The second course for students was held at „Idea” in Riga on Nov 27-Dec 3. During this workshop, the participants became acquinted with decoupage tehnique. Their schedule was quite thight, yet exciting. Riga activity opened with a public workshop at Riga City Council, continued in Jurmala, then moved back to Riga. On Tuesday, November 29, participants at first went to open air museum near the sea and then had a workshop at Jurmala Art School where they were making interior decors using recycled materials. On Wednesday, November 30, participants were introuced to "Magnetto" primer: it makes surfaces magnetic, so everyone could make a magnetic decoupage picture! On December 1, second public workshop took place, this time at EU House. Participants showed how to renew furniture by remaking old tabouretes. Friday, December 2, was the last day of Riga activity. In the morning everyone gathered in "Ideja" office for evaluation and exhibition of works. Project in general and future activities were also discussed. Later participants had free time which they used for sightseeing.
In January/February2012 , we plan a half-time evaluation meeting, either physical or virtual, with all partners to evaluate the activities in the fall and see if any changes need to be made in order for the project to reach it’s goals and also to discuss the possibility to make a second Nordplus application together for the deadline in spring 2012.
The third and fourth course for students will be held at Svefi in Haparanda in Feb 19-25, 2012. These courses will handle redesing/remake of hard materials on the one hand and sound and light on the other hand.
The fifth course will be held at JKO in Jyväskylä and this course will teach the participants about respiratory, acrobatics and voice control.
The final course will take place in Tallinn in spring 2012 and will handle the remake of coft materials, clothing and environmental issues.
In all exchange courses, the local and national recycling system will be presented to the participants and
teaching personnel in order to increase the awareness of what we all can do on an individual level to contribute to a sustainable development of our society. We will deal with the issues of how changes of the
temperature/extreme cold and hot weather, winter and summer storms that result from climate changes affects our way of coping with these issues. For example we will discuss how warm clothing, recycling clothing, natural traditional materials as felting and wool, can be used to keep us warm, how saving energy in theatre and music can be achieved through the use of energy efficient lights and sound systems. We will give the participants and teachers examples of how recycling can be used also in art and design areas.
A final evalution meeting will be held between all partners in order to discuss the entire project, its outcomes and possibilities for futther co-operation in the future.
The project will end in summer 2012.