ABOUT REBELAH
The project "REBELAH - Religion, beliefs and laicity in cultural heritage to foster social inclusion in adult trainings" is a two year Erasmus+ strategic partnership involving 6 organizations in 4 countries: Storytelling Centre (NL), University of Groningen (NL), Elan Interculturel (FR), Kepes (HU), Ibn Battuta Foundation (SP) and La Xixa Teatre (SP) as project coordinator.
CONTEXT & NEEDS
Exclusionary narratives that surge throughout Europe are entering the learning environments, negatively affecting religious and ethnic minority learners. In a training group with 15 adults: in Spain, 3 participants would feel uncomfortable with a Muslim or a Roma peer; in France 2 and 3 respectively, in the Netherlands, 1 each; and in Hungary more than half the group would be uncomfortable with either a Muslim or a Roma peer (Special Eurobarometer 493, 2018). In such a context, cultural heritage is an essential tool for both trainers and learners to recover Europe’s plural past in favour of inclusive and safe learning spaces.
PARTICIPANTS
REBELAH is targeted at: adult trainers, adult learners, activists, community leaders, local minorities, policy makers, heritage organisations and adult trainer organisations.
OBJECTIVES
In the context of adult trainings, we will:
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Foster inclusion, diversity and non-discrimination, particularly in regards to religious minorities
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Promote the social and educational value of European cultural heritage and its potential to generate interreligious co-existence
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Extend and develop competences of adult trainers to foster inclusion through their teaching practice, particularly in multicultural learner contexts.
METHODOLOGY
Partners brings in their methods of expertise proven to foster inclusive learning environments: Critical Incident Methodology, Forum Theatre, Process Work, Storytelling, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Metacognitive Therapy. These methods are useful to build trainer and learner skills on how to comprehensively address conflicts, discriminatory behaviours and cultural shocks. We will bring these embodied methodologies into the field of critical heritage studies, to generate an innovative approach to inclusive adult learning environments, particularly for minority learners.
EXPECTED OUTPUTS
✦ “Fostering inclusive learning environments through cultural heritage: Tool-kit for adult trainers.” The toolkit is composed of an interactive map with multi-format narratives about cultural heritage elements, infosheets, and an activity handbook with related teambuilders.
✦ “Inclusion, religion and beliefs in secular adult learning environments: a train the trainer handbook.” The handbook contents include a theoretical introduction on the educational value of cultural heritage to generate inclusive learning environments with special attention to religion and beliefs, followed by modules on different tools that are relevant for the trainer to gain intercultural competence in their teaching practice. Each module should work as a “learning journey/path of self-discovery” where trainers can gain awareness about their heritage, their identity, how this impacts their teaching practice, and how to make their teaching practice more inclusive.
ACTIVITIES
During the project we will be holding workshops and conferences, as well as creating relevant tools for educators and community leaders.
All of our activities will be updated via our social networks, our mailing list and our blog.
