Description
The purpose of this project is the creation of a modern musical workshop that will lead to the formation of an orchestra. This workshop will train and educate people with intellectual disabilities. The ultimate aim is to make use of the therapeutic role that music can play to people with disabilities and to communicate this beneficial effect to the wider society.This music therapy workshop will include singing, piano lessons, percussion group, music listening, construction of simple improvised musical instruments and educational outings to music academies. One specialized teacher will be hired for the purposes of the project in case. The orchestra that will be trained during this workshop will perform at the MERIMNA premises in Patra. It will also seek for synergies with other local associations and other municipalities in order to participate and perform in other cultural events as well.
Summary of project results
The main aim of the work related to education - treatment of young people with intellectual disabilities of our Centre through music and music therapy was achieved. Overall, our 130 trainees benefited from music therapy, enhanced their musical skills and improved their mental health, in general. Τheir participation in many activities such as musical performances, acts, anniversary celebrations and environmental events succeeded in familiarizing the community with people with intellectual disabilities and strengthened the self-confidence of the participants. Moreover, both recipients of the music laboratory services and third parties (more than 1.000), who attended the above actions (16 in total), were strengthened, realizing the potential of people with disabilities. Through this process, many goals were accomplished: the education of the general public on the equal acceptance of people with disabilities. The main output of the project is the fight against social inequality and social exclusion faced by vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities. In addition , the project managed to bring closer to society people with intellectual disabilities, to familiarize the general public with their needs and abilities, to ensure their fair deal, to quell social exclusion and remedy the prejudice and social racism . Moreover, the actions of the musical laboratory managed to bring society closer to MERIMNA as a whole and contributed to the upgrading of the Centre’s validity . Based on the above resulting increased availability of welfare services to vulnerable social group which was also the subject of the project.
Summary of bilateral results