At the local level, 10 adult educators, professionals and volunteers (8 women, 2 men) working with migrant TCNs attended the training on the IN-CREATE online platform in May 2023. Most selected participants were recruited after an open call, while some of them were contacted directly as they had already expressed interest in Symplexis’ workshops and courses in the past. After the successful completion of the training, the Creativity Labs took place in June 2023. The Labs were facilitated by three trained professionals, with the support of Symplexis’ project managers and trainers, and were addressed to 12 selected participants: 8 women & 4 men from Albania, Bulgaria and India. All of the participants have lived in Greece for many years and speak the language very well, while most of them are employed in various sectors, including tourism and cleaning services. One individual session and three small-groups workshops were organized in person, while participants had the opportunity to self-navigate on the platform and study the material at their own pace as well. The majority had a very positive attitude and were really happy to participate in the workshops, half of which focused on photography and half on theatre, following the participants’ preferences. The photography course led to photographs under various themes such as cats, monuments and playing with the light and the sky. Positive comments were made about the importance of providing free learning materials and opportunities for creative expression, especially for people who feel stressed by the problems of everyday life. Most participants mentioned that the IN-CREATE Labs helped them to be more creative and meet new people, and motivated them to attend other similar courses in the future. Such experiences enable participants not only to express themselves in a creative way, but also to interact and connect with one another and the local community, bridging cultural differences and developing a sense of belonging, essential for social inclusion and well-being.
Sample of learners’ artwork:
