Project title
Description of initiative
Darba Waħda… is an intergenerational project led by Anna Formosa that took place between 2015 and 2019 during which children and older people were given a safe space to share and learn from each other through creative methods including drama, games and exercises, arts and crafts, storytelling, improvisations etc. By means of the carefully structured workshops and involvement of professional artists, participants unleashed their creativity, built friendships and developed new skills together. Darba waħda… was about using creativity to harness the strengths, potentials and achievements of elderly people, and the joy and youthfulness of children to provide a line of communication that transcends the generational divide. There were 18 projects of 10 weekly sessions each, spread around Malta and Gozo over the years, the last one being a special edition. This was followed by another 3 projects in schools supported by the National Literacy Agency..
Themes: Culture and...
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Cultural field
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Results, benefits, impact and lessons learnt
In total Darba waħda... delivered over 200 workshops, engaged 20 artists, and involved more than 300 participants from more than 40 locations across Malta and Gozo. According to the positive participant feedback, the project successfully managed to create a platform for engaging many participants over the 5 years, bridging gaps and stimulating positive attitudes towards aging through creativity. The safe environment enabled participants to build friendships, learn new things, discover new aspects of themselves, whether young or old. Some of them said that the sessions were the highlight of their week. Children brought so much positive energy and enthusiasm that it permeated to the older people, igniting the child in them generating beautiful laughter together. For many older people it was a first to do creative things. Some children drastically gained confidence. Some participants gained an interest in further pursuing an artistic endeavour. To some, it ‘opened up a whole new world’, and 'was restful and mind-calming, making you forget all that made you weary throughout the day', as 2 participants said. The project enabled children to learn about traditions and history first hand from the older participants. Some attended subsequent projects as volunteers. One community signed a petition to extend the project. Sometimes participants did not want to stop for a little break, or go home at the end. There were also many secondary benefits - 2 participants found work, one gifted older participant was selected to represent the project, and in turn the sector, in a parliamentary debate promoting the importance of creative community projects, and one group experienced their first TV interview. Darba waħda...enabled many special moments to be created and shared, generating a lot of positivity that was felt by participants, visiting artists and all who came in contact with the project. In general, it enriched the lives of many, including the organisers’, on many levels.