In 2016 the project "From destruction - to creation. Ways of reconciliation in the Ukrainian society" by NGO "Information and Research Center "Integration and Development" in partnership with DVV International in Ukraine received Grundtvig Award * in the category "National project". On their new initiative "Replace walls by open windows" says The Head of project Yulia Golodnikova.
- How did the idea of the project, and what does mean the name of the project "replace the walls by open windows"?
- Once in the interview to the participants of our previous project were told the phrase, "Let's replace the walls by open windows ...". It was the NGO of Zhytomyr region "Parity", and it was about the search for mutual understanding in a society that is now tearing the political crisis. "We replace the walls by open windows" - a logical continuation of the first project "From destruction - to creation. Ways of reconciliation in the Ukrainian society". But this time, our goal is more ambitious - contribute the adult education centers through the establishment of cooperation between non-governmental organizations and cultural institutions (museums, cultural centers, libraries, theaters, etc.) in the implementation of cultural and educational initiatives. Such project formulation was in the documents, but if you ask about what this project, I will answer, about overcoming. It is the overcoming of ideas that can change in a small rural museum or library, overcoming the resistance of the legacy that we inherited from the Soviet era, along with the uncertainty of the creative abilities of each individual.
- Now, all project activity is developing around cultural institutions - museums, libraries, clubs, their infrastructure determines the challenges: outdated approaches to the creation of exhibitions, a limited understanding of how to work with readers and book, a specific perception of the club as a place of mass folk festivals and shows such as "Miss of district..."
- Yes, but, in addition, we meet with the reality of people, their life have a lot of negative emotions associated with threats of closing cultural institutions because there is no funding, job losses, small pensions, the lack of skills to adapt for changes. Wherever we go we will see that all regions have difficulties with a complex of cultural landscape. But in this project involves different organizations. Some already have experience in the implementation of cultural initiatives and understand main problems of the cultural environment of small towns that are linked not only to the general level of the economy, but also disrupted character of social relations and the lack of solidarity community. Of course, everywhere there are activists of public organizations engaged in their projects, some professional groups, marginal of the art environment that forming some communities, there are subcultural phenomena and also we have the residents of the city. We need various self-government mechanisms, for city residents, they must feel their right to the city and want to take responsibility for changing of culture environment. Members of our mini-projects trying to develop the social capital, nonmaterial and material resources, which have museums and libraries, creating on their territory a cultural and educational centers for adults.
- Why does your accent on Adults? Does the work activity of such centers connect with age limits?
- All on the contrary, there are extensions ... Expanding opportunities for adult education - one of the components of the mission of the project "Replace walls by open windows", implemented by NGO "Information and Research Center "Integration and Development" in partnership with the Institute for International Cooperation of the German Association People's Universities in Ukraine (DVV International). In Germany, the national university model involves the creation of centers for the development of educational programs, communication and leisure representatives of local communities. This is not a club, but rather informal platforms through which adults can gain the necessary knowledge, competencies and skills of socialization. People's universities are in Belgium, in Poland and in other countries. However, for the German people's universities today is particularly topical issues of adaptation and socio-cultural integration of migrants when people first help acquire basic language skills, acquaint with the culture and history of the host country, develop learning skills. Only then follows the course of a skills that a person could acquire its for employment.
- Does the activity of people's universities, somehow, connect with employment centers?
- Yes, and not only with them. At the last meeting of the European Association of Adult Education in July this year, the agenda were issues nearest and further future. For example, where professionals need and will need in European labor market, what challenges will have educators for adults due to increased flow of migrants from the Middle East and how to influence the improvement of digital skills.
- What about us?
- In Ukraine, "education" and "work" - a concept requiring decommunisation. Both are closely associated with outdated scripts of success, social recognition policies and isolation from overrides the word "intellectual" tied to the theme of "workers of intellectual labor", and the refinement of the concept of "creative class". For example, in Ukraine the employment of internally displaced persons can be consider in the context of "we have increased problems", and can be consider in the context of creative industries. For many people the crisis situation was the radical change of life scenario where previously was impossible and now real and positive: someone has mastered a new profession, someone opened his business or first written business plan and received a grant for its implementation. In some cases, it needed a minimum of human resources. Sewing studio, dairy, mini Agency for production of advertising materials, art workshops, IT-business - these are just a few points of growth. Those who dared to move forward and not dwell on depression require special skills that can be obtained in adult education centers opened in Ukraine with financial support from DVV International. The question is only in motivation: to be adult or stay where you are. A psychotherapist Oleksandr Roitman said: "Adult work because he wants...". But I would like to add that there are many adult "children" who are afraid to believe because they can more than they think, afraid to strive for more.
- What skills and professions need to immigrants? Someone examining these issues?
- Our projects reveal only part of issues related to the needs of adult education at local level. For example, based on the personal data of citizens, we have analyzed that profession could be useful for change in cities. In the past, the project "From destruction - to creation. Ways of reconciliation in Ukrainian society " based on the needs of regions with a high percentage of internally displaced persons (IDPs), we proposed a solution: to attract IDPs to community life through cultural initiatives. The leading task of the project was to promote adaptation and socialization of citizens through disclosure of their creative potential. But it turned out that the meeting with people from another region of the locals actualized the need for reintegration. Then, we offered both, to create together cultural and educational centers. The project concept is based on the idea that adult education is way and decision of how to make life full of meanings that people choose themselves. This process will inevitably be associated with the culture of dialogue within communities. What we want to establish in the city park? Fountain, a monument or fence? We want to beautify the main street of flowers in pots? Who will buy them, and will watering? So either need to train activists and help them find financing, or someone needs to start to put pressure on the mayor's office and wait for the order to be of such action. In the first case we get people who have gained skills in ornamental horticulture and teamwork that can continue to use the experience of collective interaction. Second - we are dealing with a "lesson education authorities".
- But it is also important. What if cultural initiatives will be a temporary fashion trend?
- Andrii Tarkovskiiy once said: "One of the sad signs of our times is, in my opinion, the fact that the average person is completely cut off from all that is connected with reflections on the beautiful and eternal. Tailored to the "consumer" of modern mass culture - civilization prostheses - cripples life, people are increasingly blocks the path to the fundamental questions of their existence, the conscious reproduction of themselves as spiritual beings ... ". In my view, the modern mass culture is not the way partition to human spirituality. Rather, individual spirituality is not requested devices of modern society. Changed not only working conditions and forms of citizen participation in the creation of cultural products as everyday life, which so far is not the place to reflect on the values of various practices of creative expression as a social norm. In our projects we try to pick up creative initiatives and support them, offer participants educational programs to develop the skills of cultural management, fundraising, promotion of creative educational programs in small towns and not only that. Our principle through culture - to produce ideas community. Its formation does not have to be around cultural and educational centers. Let us give people educational opportunities, open platform for communication, create events and filling museums, clubs and libraries with new meanings. And then people will learn to regulate relations within communities and achieve common goals.
* Grundtvig Award is awarded by EAEA, named after Nikol Frederik Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872), Danish educator who was a great influence on the development of non-formal adult education in Europe and worldwide. Encourages projects that generate new ideas, partnerships, techniques, and new understanding of how to work in adult education.
Journalist & author: Galyna Shamkova
Category: Society
Newspaper: №143-144, (2016) / Official source
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