In the framework of the InCreate project, Diesis organized two successful focus groups at the end of February.
The IN-Create project aims to address the basic needs and challenges of promoting the successful integration of TCNs within the EU and cultivate creative expression as means to promote their social inclusion and community cohesion. In-Create will focus on developing and applying pioneer methodologies on various alternative ways of expression, such as Visual Art, literature, theatre, creative writing, film, and photography.
The first part of the project has been to carry a research about how arts and culture support the inclusion and integration of TCNs in the countries of the project. Diesis has carried this activity in Belgium, implementing both a desk research and a field research.
As part of the field research, in collaboration with the Belgian organization Le Monde des Possibles, Diesis organized two focus groups at the end of February. Le Monde des Possibles is an organization based in Liegi providing language courses and other trainings, such as IT, to newcomers and TCNs.
The two focus groups organized, one with TCNs and one with professionals and educators working in the field of inclusion and integration in Belgium, was a great opportunity to discuss the role of art in the integration process. The main topics discussed have been the barriers related to the access to arts and artistics expression, how art can be included in integration programmes (oth as a tool and/or as an objective itself), and which are the needs of educators and TCNs in this regards.
We would like to thank all the ones that joined our focus groups and Le Monde des Possibles for this collaboration!