Do you dare to be creative?
When it comes to creativity, what do you think of? Perhaps artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso or Dalí
come to your mind. Perhaps acclaimed writers like Agatha Christie, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen or Oscar
Wilde or film directors like Alfred Hitchcock or Christopher Nolan. Or maybe great classical composers like
Mozart or Beethoven. Even famous singers like Michael Jackson or Beyoncé, among many others.
Creativity has no limits and it is thanks to it that human beings have evolved to the present day. But being
creative does not only mean being the author of great artistic, literary, cinematographic or musical works;
creativity can be found in a simple way in almost any everyday gesture. Of course one can be creative by
drawing and crafting, but also by doing outdoor activities, solving problems or expressing oneself through
writing and acting.
Everyone is creative in their own way, even people with disabilities. In fact, for them, creativity is key in
their lives as it helps them to overcome every obstacle they encounter along the way. Thinking and acting
creatively allows people with disabilities to break down the physical and/or mental barriers that often limit
them, helping them to participate in society and lead a full and satisfying life.
With this in mind, the Power of Creativity project (n° 2021-1-LT01-KA220-ADU-000035122-E10003829),
which involves organisations from Lithuania, Latvia, Italy, Norway, Slovenia and Spain, seeks to develop
new creativity-based training materials aimed at those who work with disabled people. Following these
materials they will be able to include in their activities and programmes a variety of original activities and
workshops related to different topics that promote creativity among people with disabilities.
The first result of the project, a Manual for adult trainers on Creativity and Art therapy for disabled people, is
currently available on the project website. It contains a wide range of activities related to art-therapy,
handicrafts, creativity training, outdoor activities, creative writing and relaxation, all of them with a
common focus and purpose: creativity. This Manual, available in all languages of the consortium, is also the
starting point for the second result of the project, a Guide for teachers to engagement with disabled people
which will also be available in all languages of the consortium very soon. In this Guide several workshops
focused on different types of disabilities are presented: deafness, physical disability, asperger, intellectual
disability, cerebral palsy and mental illnesses. Each workshop is described step by step, so that those
working with people with disabilities can not only acquire new ideas, but also implement them successfully.
On the other hand, this second Guide also offers indications on how to carry out these workshops online,
because if we have learned anything good from the pandemic situation experienced in recent years it is
that creativity is also key when it comes to new technologies.
And you, do you dare to be creative?
Visit the Power of Creativity website and social media for more information about the Power of Creativity
project:
Website: https://disable.altervista.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/powerofcreativityproject
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/powerofcreativityproject/
