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The Elephant Man launches guide to promote youth social inclusion and participation through art and video
The project, driven by a Euro-Mediterranean partnership led by Jovesólides, offers strategies for using audiovisual media to raise awareness and promote social inclusion among youth
During 2024, training workshops will be held with filmmakers from Spain, Italy, Greece, Poland and Lebanon, as well as a short film festival in Valencia
How can the use of audiovisuals contribute to fostering social inclusion among youth? What is the potential impact of video in promoting social inclusion among young people? How can these tools be used to address the challenges of social exclusion faced by this population group today? What is the relevance of audiovisual content in representing diverse identities and experiences, and how can this contribute to greater social inclusion? The European project The Elephant Man has asked all these questions, researched to resolve them and produced a best practice guide on the use of audiovisual and artistic narratives to enhance active citizenship and social inclusion of young people.
Driven by five social entities from Spain, Italy, Greece, Poland and Lebanon within the framework of Erasmus+, The Elephant Man launches this innovative initiative focused on the use of audiovisuals as a tool for social change. The English-language publication, which can be downloaded free of charge, aims to promote social inclusion and active youth participation through the use of art and video.
Its main objective is to empower young people to tell their own stories and promote the values of diversity and inclusion.
The guide is especially designed for organizations and professionals working with young people; cultural and artistic institutions interested in engaging youth; and content creators who wish to design social interventions based on art and audiovisuals as tools for social change.
Training, workshops and short film festival
The Elephant Man 's guide is the prelude to the organization of several storytelling and video creation workshops aimed at young people during 2024.
In the first stage of the project, the five partners have developed an educational methodology to equip youth with relevant audiovisual skills. This methodology will be implemented through an international training of trainers, thus preparing youth workers to interact with young people at the local level.
In the second stage of the project, entities from the five countries will actively engage 100 young people in educational workshops where self-discovery, collaboration and filmmaking will be promoted. Accompanied by local filmmakers and renowned Italian director Renato Giugliano, they will produce films that tell stories of resistance, social inclusion and diversity. Ultimately, these productions will be presented at five local events and an international short film festival in Valencia, in an effort to promote reflection and awareness on issues of social inclusion and diversity.
The Elephant Man represents a significant step towards the creation of an inclusive and participatory space for youth, where art and video become powerful tools for social change and the construction of a more equitable and diverse world. The project is financially supported by the European Union's Erasmus+ program and is driven by an eiromediterranean partnership led by Jovesólides and formed by Comitato Europeo per la Formazione e l'Agricoltura (CEFA) from Bologna, Italy; AMAKA from Athens (Greece); Strefa Wolnoslowa, from Warsaw (Poland); and Lebanese Development Network from Beirut (Lebanon).
