The main aim of the project was the development of innovative teaching methods and strategies, to help teachers to deal with complex classroom realities, and foster inclusion and diversity. It was designed to support the integration of students from different cultural backgrounds, and with different language needs. It brought different communities together, to learn from each other; and combat discrimination, and promote understanding, between communities and groups. The project explored a different way of teaching history in schools, based in Narrative Inquiry. This is a groundbreaking model of learner-centred and enquiry-based education, which has been developed by Midland Actors Theatre for use in schools. It places an emphasis on individual stories and experiences, as a way of exploring wider trends and developments in history. There was a particular focus on the issue of migration, in terms of both the historical patterns of migration in Europe, and the experiences of migrant communities, and people’s individual stories and memories. The project has addressed a number of key questions: ‘How can we help young people to recognise the ways that migration has shaped the modern world? Can we develop new ways to teach history, to connect more with young people’s lives, and help them understand complex current realities? How can we build greater trust and understanding between communities – both within the school environment, and beyond?’ The project has placed an emphasis on raising awareness of the local community as a space which different communities call ‘home.’ Partners have carried out a range of activities and projects, which have encouraged young people to find out more about the places where they live; and which have also engaged people from the local area, brining people from different groups and communities together. In this way, over the course of the project, partner organisations have increasingly turned ‘outward,’ and taken on a new and leading role in the community, helping to foster a greater sense of community identity, and breaking down cultural and social barriers.The project has developed new strategies to enhance the participation and learning performance of disadvantaged learners, particularly young people from a migrant / refugee background; and to promote open and innovative practices and pedagogy in the digital era. There was a particular focus in the project on using different technologies in the classroom. Partners received training in digital storytelling, and introduced this method in the classroom. They also developed the innovative education application of other digital technologies including: Instagram; the creation of new ‘apps’; and the use of digital teaching resources.The project was led by Midland Actors Theatre and brought together: a UK secondary school, George Dixon Academy; two UK arts-in-education organisations, MAT and Kala Phool; an arts-in-education organisation in Italy, melting pro; a primary school in Italy, Istituto Comprensivo Simonetta Salacone (via Ferraironi); a primary school in Portugal, Projeto Schole; a middle school in Turkey, Mehmet Akif; and a university in Poland, Collegium Balticum.Each partner institution developed a number of schemes of work, using the Narrative Inquiry method, which were trialled in classrooms. A selection of these schemes have been published on the project website, breaking-down-barriers.org. The website includes other resources which have been produced through the project (as intellectual outputs), including a Guide to Narrative Inquiry; Schemes of Work; a Digital Storytelling Toolkit; together with a series of films featuring examples of the method in practice, as well as interviews with partners, and records of training sessions. Together, these materials will ensure the project has a lasting legacy, serving as model for other teachers and practitioners. The films we produced have also been compiled and issued as a dvd, for distribution at multiplier events. Partners have also developed resources in their own languages, including booklets and online publications. The Narrative Inquiry method has been embedded as a teaching method in partner organisations, and is being rolled out to other schools and institutions. We have also raised awareness of the project through national and international networks.

INTEGR-ARTE (Integration & Arts) was aimed to create a strong network of educational cooperation between the 4 European municipalities of Rome, Badajoz, Évora and Paterna, enabling the exchange of good practices and improve the professional competencies of teachers who work with Gypsy-Roma children and families (but also of immigrant origin) at risk of exclusion. The project applies a methodology of socio-educational intervention through arts. We have carried out a practical and participatory project that facilitates social cohesion, equality, citizenship and coexistence, favours lower absenteeism rates and implements techniques to improve students’ motivation for learning.INTEGR-ARTE has promoted the exchange of training activities, pedagogical experiences, best practices and educational materials. The project invites to do a research on our cities and our personal realities through the implementation of performances of dance, theatre, visual arts and music that gravitate around the intercultural city in which we all live. Final multimedia products have been produced by children at pre-school and primary school level, during school and out-of-school hours. We worked with artists using innovative techniques to portray different eyes to reality. The produced documentary has the participation of around children of the 4 municipalities. It compares the children’ view of their cities with the their families and their teachers views and thoughts. The final product reflects and deepens into the socio-cultural, affective, emotional and psychological problems of our (mainly Gipsy-Roma) children and their environments, and helps us to overcome their situations of conflict. A free access WIKI space has been developed (website) to foster the participation of the educational communities of the 4 municipalities.INTEGR-ARTE aimed to:1. Develop a proven methodology of intervention through art, which help the prevention of absenteeism, based on a serious and rigorous work that includes evaluating both process and results, in order to transform reality. Art-work is currently often used, but art-work requires the addition of reflection and a methodological process. That’s why we have added to the project 3 universities as partners, and the experience of the MUS-E methodology applied since 1999 by FYME, AYM Portugal and MUS-E Rome.2. Exchange experiences among partners and apply them in schools at risk of exclusion that work with ethnic minorities (principally Roma) in 4 municipalities: Paterna (Valencia), Badajoz, Evora and Rome.3. Implement, based on a methodology of intervention through arts, a practical and participatory work in intercultural education that facilitates social cohesion and coexistence, and improves the motivation for learning of students who live in situations of discouragement, thus reducing problems of absenteeism.4 Improve the training of educational professionals with new social work tools and techniques in the field of education, enhancing social cohesion and learning. The 3 participating universities support this activity.5 Develop an inter-sectorial planning, since the project involves different school area responsibles (parents associations, management teams and teachers), universities, municipal authorities, autonomous public entities, educational associations, volunteers and future educational professionals (trainees of universities).Three trans-national meetings took place and included training, coordination and exchange of good practices activities (held in Badajoz-Evora, Paterna and Rome), attended by members of all 12 participating partners. The training team provided a specific and differentiated artistic, educational and social knowledge. Meetings included actions of coordination, planning, monitoring and evaluation, and will count with the presence of all project partners and representatives of the local and regional educational communities. Educational professionals trained and informed in each municipality reversed their learning to the community, and collaborated in the realization of the planned performances and products produced by our mainly Gipsy children and their families at risk of exclusion.