The PRO-YOUTH Skills for Heritage Training Event was held between 27-31 January 2020 in Stuttgart. The goal of the training was to familiarize participants with the project-based learning modules in the PRO-YOUTH Handbook, which is currently in development, and test selected parts. 46 professionals working at cultural institutions, tourism, municipalities as well as teachers and professors took part in the training, coming from Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy and Romania.
The week consisted of a mix of workshops and visits to cultural institutions, such as museums and theaters, including Theater Rampe, Theater am Faden and Landesmuseum Württemberg Stuttgart. PRO-YOUTH project partners held interactive workshops related to the learning modules on cultural project management, mentoring and career counseling as well as the legal aspects of employment. This gave participants a basis for understanding the main aims of the projects and the methods developed to help involve unemployed young people in the cultural and heritage tourism sector and help them learn more skills through work-based learning.
Through visiting Stuttgart-based cultural institutions, we learned more about participatory approaches and involving the local community in cultural projects. Stuttgart is a dynamic city of industry where, despite the diverse cultural and touristic offers, the presence of cultural heritage is not as remarkable at first sight. However, there are several projects and institutions in the city that present cultural heritage in a fresh way with the involvement of locals.
At Hotel Silber for instance, which was once a headquarter for the Gestapo (Secret State Police) in the region, participants took part in a guided tour of the museum. We learned about the history of the building and the history of perpetrators and victims. As many of the objects exhibited in the museum are personal objects such as photos and letters donated by citizens, the visitor can feel even closer to the era. The tour was followed by a discussion with representatives of the museum about the creation of the museum as a participatory project.
On 30-31 January, the training was hosted in StadtPalais, the city museum of Stuttgart. StadtPalais, once a residence of King Wilhelm II, is a museum about both the history and the future of Stuttgart, inviting visitors to think about the development of the city together. With its thematic city tours, exhibitions, seasonal festivals and an area for children, there is something for everyone in the museum.
These are some of the examples that provided food for thought for rethinking cultural heritage and developing new formats, which are key elements in the cultural project management learning module of PRO-YOUTH as well. One of the aims of the learning module is to help young people develop their own project with the help of professionals in the field.
The next step is going to be the further development of the modules based on the inputs received in Stuttgart, followed by the piloting phase in Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy and Romania. The event also served as an opportunity to discuss possibilities for future cooperation for the piloting with the participating professionals in tourism and culture in project countries.
Project-role chart – in the introduction session, participants were asked to place themselves on the project-role chart to see how they see their knowledge of the project and their role in it
... and the training begins!
We played Danurbanity, a board game designed to help locals living in cities by the Danube discovering the surrounding cultural and natural heritage. Anna Szilágyi-Nagy (Kultúraktív) presented the game, which was developed in the framework of the DanUrB project.
“Know your rights as an employee” – workshop led by Andreea Emina Panaitescu (Association for Education and Sustainable Development, PRO-YOUTH project partner)
A guided tour in StadtPalais – Museum für Stuttgart by Achim Laur (StadtPalais) and Dr. Ágnes Sebestyén (EFE)
Group photo on the terrace of StadtPalais
… and the view to the city
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