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Description
The project concerns the development of a music lab for people with intellectual disabilities. In the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace there are no providers of musical training for people with mental disabilities. The lab will provide empowerment and musical training to this group. In specific the lab will achieve the development of voice and pre-verbal dialogues, development of communication and social skills, reduction of stereotypical movement, expression of intense emotion with creative ways, cooperation and interaction, stress reduction, promotion of spontaneity, improvement of spontaneity, flexibility, concentration, thought organization, self-esteem, inhibition development and most important lifting social exclusion and inclusion in musical education, targeting professional training. The planned actions will require renting a space of 120 m for the music lab and the provision of musical training and rehabilitation. From the music lab at least 61 people will profit who are currently attending the center of day care, operated by the association the tenants of the center of assisted living and any person with intellectual disability from Easter Macedonia and Thrace. Our association is the provider of all the above services, with the equipment, location and the staff for musical training as well as management of the project.
Summary of project results
The main objective of the project was to provide specialized music education to individuals with intellectual disabilities with the aim of developing skills, understanding and accepting diversity, eliminating prejudices and stigmatization, and promoting the social inclusion of these individuals through the creation and operation of a modern music workshop. This workshop aimed to train and highlight independent and self-sufficient musicians who are educated in the music workshop. Additionally, the achievements during this first year of the workshop''s operation are both the acquisition of all the positive benefits of involving individuals with disabilities in music and the demonstration to the broader community of the therapeutic role of music for individuals with disabilities. Most importantly, the project aimed to eliminate social exclusion by integrating individuals into music education, aiming for professional training and rehabilitation, as there is no other organization within the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace that can provide such services.
The ultimate goal of the project was to highlight professional musicians with intellectual disabilities. Specifically, starting with early intervention and continuing long-term, a number of children will be able to reach a professional level, ensuring their financial sustainability.
The workshop''s program was divided into four courses: music and relaxation, vocal training, music and movement, and music workshop. These courses include choral singing, instrument instruction, orchestral ensemble, percussion ensemble, music listening, music therapy, and the construction of simple improvised musical instruments.
Six individuals were employed in the music workshop for administrative and artistic functions, without the need for additional support staff to conduct the lessons.
Τhrough the project "Music Workshop for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities," they managed to contribute to the expected outcome of the project "empowerment of vulnerable groups." Specifically, they created an innovative space for providing a unique service, music therapy, to individuals with intellectual disabilities. Some of our beneficiaries, through the music workshop, using music as a communication channel, managed to develop their communication and social skills and are now able to integrate into a group. Others who faced verbal and articulation problems were able to improve their speech and language through music therapy, gaining self-awareness and increasing their self-confidence. Additionally, our beneficiaries developed and enhanced the expression and processing of different emotions, listening skills, turn-taking, and the ability to share through music therapy.
Most importantly, through the relationship between the beneficiary and the therapist during the sessions, they gain trust and emotional support, which is reflected in their progress both inside and outside the sessions.
With the help of our 5 music therapists as well as the active participation of the 53 beneficiaries who participated in the project, in one year of operation, through music training, they managed to improve the visual contact, the ability of eye-hand coordination, the use of small muscle groups that are coordinated in a controlled and correct way to help and enhance kinesiology, our concentration, perception of time and space, skills in the use of language, our relationship with the concepts of numbers, direction, orientation and many other concepts, our emotional expression and development, our ability to listen, our patience and the average time of relaxation and decompression.