In warm August days, we went to Kastelec, to the hospitable Park Istra, to get to know each other better, exchange good practices and establish good working relationships for our project activities in the following months. The central topic was the preparation of a draft program for organizations, or the innovative program, as we called it.

We started with a workshop organized by PiNA and aimed at getting to know each other, as well as establishing trust and communication between the participants.

The Norwegian non-governmental organization Culture break boarders then presented their experiences with the use of art. They held two intensive workshops, where they presented, how they work in their field and introduced us to the theoretical starting points of their method.

Cona b.p. conducted the Clayfulness workshop and presented their research in working with clay and the possibility of using clay for various purposes; to strengthen coping skills, problem solving skills and encourage reflection.

Nomed took care of an interesting evening program, presented us with various possibilities of participating in activities involving children, and also organized a few walks and trips to the nearby area with content related to environmental protection.

After the training, the Norwegian non-governmental organization Culture break boarders provided us with extensive feedback on what they learned from us, what we created together and how they can use the knowledge and experience gained in their further work. We briefly summarize some of the key points conveyed by Frode and Lise.

Frode Barth:
“I met new people and was able to share and discuss different experiences. Both human and professional. I believe in networking and that through interaction between different people, cultures and approaches, you can gain excellent development values and work methods.

I especially enjoyed modeling the clay. The design had value in itself. I experienced being able to shape clay in a way I had never experienced before. It was a meditative and beautiful experience to be able to create with my own hands, focused and in harmony, focusing only on the process.”

Lisa Bjarkli:
“During the Clayfulness workshop, I experienced two different types of rapture: in one, I felt peace, rest and a deep calmness of mind. On the other hand, I felt admiration, joy for life and inner connection with the group.”