Erasmus Plus POPULART Project
Real Group’s Gill Cochrane (Specialist teacher) and Celia McKiernan (Art Therapist) have been representing Real Group on an Erasmus Plus funded European Project, POPULART (2017-2019).
One of several European partners, Real Group has had the role of developing a training methodology which combines art-based learning within the Popular University tradition of adult education. The model builds on the success of adult education classes based on the Popular university model in Athens from 2015.
A Community Psychology course based on the above model is being piloted (Jan- June 2019) in the localities of Nea Smyrni (Athens), Sant Boi (Barcelona) and Limassol (Cyprus).
Aims and objectives
The project’s long term aims to include the promotion of social inclusion, intercultural skills, democratic values, equipping trainees to interact positively with their peers from diverse backgrounds, and offer life-long learning that is accessible to all, regardless of age, vulnerability, religion and educational, cultural and economic backgrounds.
Other particular objectives led by European partners and towards which Real Group is contributing are:
- To develop ICT tools (arts database and interactive e-books) that will help trainers to apply art-based training in the framework of POPULART and for future courses.
- To develop training material on Community Psychology in the form of e-books (using ICT), engaging adult learners through art.
