C6 Technical Skills

PSONI Gdańsk | Poland

The Polish STELLA partner PSONI was chosen to present educational projects dedicated to PWD at the Congress of Development of the Educational System in Warsaw. One staff member and one PWD came to the National Station to promote non-formal education for people with disabilities and to inform the audience about the STELLA project.

Playhouse Derry | Ireland

Max Beer, The Playhouse (Communication skills and Technical skills)

We will be working with Lilliput Theatre Company (who are a group of adults with learning difficulties) to record two songs which they wrote last year, in partnership with our music tutor.

We will also produce a video for the two songs, working in partnership with a film-maker, and a cover for the CD / DVD working in partnership with an art tutor.

We will work with our local Health Authority – Western Health & Social Care Trust – to assess how involvement in these arts activities can impact on the technical and communication skills of the clients with learning disabilities. Tasks are performed by the clients with learning disabilities include singing, acting, of art-work design and contributing to ideas for the production of two videos. This includes the storyboarding, deciding on filming locations, costumes and developing characters, for example.  

The results should be available to be presented at the STELLA meeting in Athens, April 18-21.

PSONI Gdańsk | Poland

We focus on self-presentation, body language, communication skills and working in a team.

One of the exercises is enacting good and bad examples of journalistic behaviour, remembering how other people look and what kind of emotions they express and switching roles. One task was describing different colors in an abstract way, playing different roles in interviews, work on emotions and how to prepare your self for interviews.

The project coordinator (a PWD) is acting as such in a project setting for the first time. She is very motivated to work as a coordinator and the position is greatly empowering for her. She also said that it gives her an inside view of the project workflow and she acquires a lot of knowledge this way.

The journalistic experiences seem to be received as very interesting and new. The participants are preparing themselves for an interview and following the topics of discussion.

They learn that a journalist should have an open-minded attitude and should not be afraid of speaking with people. The journalist should be neutral but also brave in asking complicatedor difficult questions.

Kara Bobowski | Italy

The work by Kara Bobowski for both Organizational and Technical Skills (chap. 1 and 6) is based on the following conceptual scheme

Gibbs, 1988 in CERI-OCSE (1994), Valutare l’insegnamento

METHODS EXECUTED :

Kara Bobowski | Italy

Event organization. Delivering an event to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their organization, including the presentation of a specially designed calendar & cake to all attendees.

PSONI | Poland

Journalism. Training PWD’s as journalists and enabling them to conduct interviews with famous people and policy makers.

Playhouse Derry | Lilliput Theatre | Ireland

Song writing, performance & video. Enabling PWD’s to write a sing, record it and make an accompanying video.

TOOLS USED:

PWD’s used the following technical skills:

Kara Bobowski | Italy

• Manual Skills: Packing the calendar & cake together for guests.
• Food Preparation Skills: Working as kitchen assistants
• Logistic Skills: Obtaining supplies for the party.
• Money Management Skills: Purchasing supplies to budget.
• Transportation Skills: Moving supplies to the party venue.
• Time Management Skills: Being on-time.
• Technological Skills: Operating computer / Audio Visual equipment

PSONI | Poland

• Self Presentation Skills: How do conduct oneself in an interview situation. How to make interviews interesting for viewers / audiences.
• Communication Skills: PWD’s worked with a theatre director to develop ability to communicate clearly and concisely. Role play was used to prepare PWD’s for real life interviews.
• Time Management Skills: Being on-time.
• Next steps are enabling PWD’s to use technical equipment (microphones, cameras etc.) and use IT
• equipment to edit and publish interviews.

Playhouse Derry | Lilliput Theatre | Ireland

• Communication Skills: PWD’s developed vocal, listening and writing skills through group discussion / brainstorming when devising their ideas for original songs and lyric writing.
• Performance Skills: PWD’s developed breathing, vocal projection, movement & character skills when singing their songs and acting for camera.
• Photography Skills: Using cameras / camera phones and creating images for the cover of the song’s CD.
• Teamwork Skills: PWD’s learned to sing together as a group.
• Technological Skills: Operating Audio Visual equipment.
• Time Management Skills: Being on-time.

FEEDBACKS / REACTIONS / CONCLUSIONS ON METHODS:

Each approach – Organising An Event, Journalism and being a Singer / Performer – offered opportunities for using and developing a wide range of skills that are relevant in the workplace, manual skills, communication skills, team-working etc. In addition the process develop confidence and esteem necessary to succeed in the workplace. PWD’s were encouraged to self evaluate, and accept both positive and negative criticism.

BEST PRACTICE:

Each approach from the different partners was useful in developing the technical skills necessary in the workplace. PWD’s were encouraged to better use existing skills and discover new skills that they did not realize they processed. Common approached included the importance of group work / team working, and for organising staff to adopt a person centred approach. This meant that PWD’s abilities were taken into account and that work was developed in consultation with what PWD’s wanted to do and achieve.