M.U.S.E. – Music as inspiration for union, solidarity and social empowerment

Context/background of project: “M.U.S.E” project is a youth exchange aiming at stimulating and inspiring young people with the idea of social integration, solidarity and social entrepreneurship through music and art.
It will take place from 16 to 21/07/2018, bringing to the local context between Montepaone Lido and Soverato in Calabria region, Southern Italy, 24 young people (8 participants per country) from Italy, Greece and Hungary.
From the context of societies more and more fragmented on political and social level, in which we are witnessing a steady flow of migrants towards Europe and an increasing youth unemployment rate in Southern Europe, the 3 partners want to carry on this project to show young people how music and art can be used in promoting and supporting social inclusion of migrants, refugees (guests in the European immigration centres) and of European NEETs. By bringing together 24 young participants with different competences representing 3 countries, “music lovers” and with the “entrepreneurial spirit”, we want to encourage and support NEETs and migrants to create their own job and be actively involved in social life by developing an innovative type of social entrepreneurship that promotes a new model of hospitality through music and art. Music has always been one of the powerful tool of change of society, a “muse” which inspires people to act in the interest of social change. Therefore music will be used systematically during this project with nonformal educational methods.
The specific objective of M.U.S.E. project is to create a team of 24 young people from Italy, Greece and Hungary working together before,during and after the  exchange (in a period of 6 months) in the field of music and arts involving migrants living in migrants centres, developing the topics of integration, migration and social entrepreneurship and “doing” social inclusion at local level through the organization of music festivals.
The youth exchange is structured in 3 main phases: 1) icebreaking and getting to know each other  phase and local context discovery, 2) “INSIDE/OUT” (working on the field and outdoor with migrants, music trainings and workshops 3) music rehearsals, managers and communicators creative moments with the final common aim of a collective performance to be shared and launched during a local Festival.

Project’s aims and objectives:
– promote social inclusion and equal opportunities in education of young NEET and young immigrants;
– help and motivate participants to be actively involved in democratic social life;
– encourage youth employability by stimulating among young people the idea of social entrepreneurship;
– improve and develop new social-cultural and civic competencies, new creative skills and attitudes of participants in the use of conscious music, in self-confidence, in teamwork ability, leadership and public speaking vitals for both personal and professional growth of participants;
– raise awareness about the importance of the intercultural dialogue and social empowerment processes in Europe;
– spread the fundamental values of the European Union, such as tolerance, freedom, respect for human rights, peace, solidarity, tolerance among people;
– promote non formal learning and present it as a tool for development;
– increase information level about Erasmus + program and stimulate future cooperation across borders.

Target group: This youth Exchange will involve 24 participants between 18-30 years old, from five countries: Italy, Greece, Hungary. The project will gather young musicians and young people who love music and are willing to use their music skills for the success of the project and for the interest of social change; young people having personal experience connected with refugees integration or with social inclusion of people with fewer opportunities; young people who wish to develop and stimulate entrepreneurship and foster skills (knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors); young people who identify themselves with the problem, needs and objectives of the project; newcomers in NGO sector, who are looking for opportunities to improve their skills and work in the youth field. The priority will be given to the participants with fewer opportunities (by educational, economic, social, geographical, linguistic difficulties), especially Young NEETS with high risk of marginalization and social dispersion who love music but have financial problems or are in a state of inactivity or unemployment.

Activities: The project’s activities are designed to trigger participants to use their creativity in using music as a tool for making positive change. The activities will cover six days, in which the participants will be involved in various presentations, creative workshops, seminars, open-air public concerts, music labs, outdoor activities, open discussions and debates by using non-formal methodologies. After all works, the project will lead to an original and unique musical creation: a show in a public place will be organized to highlight the exchange, and to raise local people awareness about cultural and social diversity in a deeper and positive manner. The final event, as well as the dissemination of the results will enable them to share the learning process they had underwent and the materials they have produced, thus granting an increased visibility to the Erasmus+ program. Hence, by organizing music session focused on intercultural dialogue, music and social empowerment, the youngsters will be provided with chance to learn more about the creation of social work from music, applying their knowledge in the different elements of the music. Thus, these set of activities shall lead to a reflection concerning music/social entrepreneurship and music/social inclusion and to an international mobilization around the problem of exclusion and discrimination.

Methodology: “M.U.S.E.” will combine a wide range non-formal methodologies, (e.g.: participant centered approach,, group as a mutual learning resource, trainers as facilitators of the learning process, holistic approach, etc) with other techniques coming from the music therapy and the art therapy fields. This project is planned to be guided by leadership of exchange, but participants will be the true protagonists of the project, because they are supposed to gain some learning outcomes thanks to informal and nonformal education, developing the activities.

Youthpass: Within the frame of ‘recognition of non-formal learning’, participants will receive a “Youthpass”  Certificate after the course upon their request. Youthpass is an official recognized tool in order to validate non-formal learning aspects gained during the training. It is important that, before coming to the training course, participants reflect upon what competences they aim to develop by taking the initiative to participate to our training course. For further information, just follow the link: http://www.youthpass.eu