The Future of Education

This paper is focused on presenting a project funded by the European Commission through the

Daphne programme: TranSpace: transitional spaces for empowering disable children and youth to protect themselves from comunity based violence (Project N° JUST/2011-2012/dap/ag/3253).

The project TranSpace envisages the development and implementation of innovative and inerdisciplinary set of action methods and tools for children and youth with intellectual and mental health disabilities.

The project was developed on the basis of observing how violence towards disabled children and youth is painfully present. The everyday reality for children and youth with intellectual or mental health disabilities is that they consistently experience episodes of bullying, mocking, verbal and physical violence.

The aim of the project is to give to children and young people who have intellectual and mental health disabilities the undestanding and tools to combat psychological violence in their lives. It will do so with an innovative methodology using psychodrama, role play, theatre techniques and will use the “space” as a tool to enable and improve their social interactions and social skills, such as empathy, assertiveness, conflict management, problem solving, group working.

The main action of the project will be to implement a series of workshops through which children and youth with special needs will be offered tools and skills to empower them and help them in the relationships and interaction with their peers and as well as adults.

The aim of the presentation will be to show the methodology developed and results of its implementation and to provide a detailed guidance as to how it can be implemented within schools and other community settings.