GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The modern world is characterised by more and more sophisticated technologies. These technologies bring of course not only advantages but also negative effects, in particular with regard to young people who are naturally inexperienced.

The main purpose of the project is first of all to promote the integration of young people. In fact the target groups of Raffaello are young people who live in the disadvantaged and suburban areas of the town in which each partner is located, in particular the project activities will involve those having fewer opportunities and attending social centres.

This target group of young people live often in a virtual reality with virtual relationships, which are characterised by the lack of human contacts and emotions, whereas there is a frequent use of chat and phone mobile messages.

The habitual use, some times exasperated, of personal computers and mobile telephones by teenagers and children (from 8 to 11 for example) creates in them strong limits in developing their emotions and feelings.

It’s necessary, when referring to young people, to keep firmly in mind that the age of development is thus defined because teenagers exchange relations with other teenagers having the same age. Often young people stay alone at home in front of their personal computer, while their parents are at work or, if they are with them, they are usually busy with other interests.

Sometimes it may happen that parents, when referring to their sons and daughters, don’t consider the consequences of wrong use of the technologies above described.

The exasperated use of technologies brings forth significant difficulties and problems in running relationships, and moreover to limitations in the ability to write by hand and to write in cursive, because of a lack of habit.

The main risks arising from the deterioration of relationships and from the non-use of the emotive sphere are illiteracy, marginalisation and the social exclusion of young people.

Studies and analysis carried out by experts in development psychology show that young people who are at high risk of social exclusion, more that others, learn and love art and technologies.

Therefore the Raffaello project intents to recover the expressive capabilities and skills of young people using their personal abilities in different areas of interests (music, poems, short tales, etc.).

 The general objectives of the project are :

 to contribute to the development of the quality in the support systems for youth activities and to promote the civil participation of young people in Europe.

 to promote the adoption, implementation and encouragement of innovative, quality approaches in the fields of non-formal education for young people and youth work.

 to fight against the social exclusion of young people having fewer opportunities.

 The specific objectives are :

 the promotion of creativity as a means of self expression, encouraging non-formal learning processes.

 the re-use of emotions, meant as a soul product, and the re-use of hand-writing.

 the interaction of all the groups involved in the project in the field of non-formal education.

 The expected results connected to the above mentioned objectives of the project will be :

 The integration among young people will be not “virtual” but “real” through a number of different activities (such as learning how to compose, sing and play a song, how to write a short tale, how to recite a poem or theatrical piece), young people will work together divided in groups interacting with each other.

 The development of personal capabilities, also in view of future access in the labour market.

 The target zones and the participants in the projet Raffaello.