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New Approach to Community archaeology announcement. - BAJR - 26th August 2010
http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/content.php?213-On-The-Edge-New-Approaches-to-Community-Heritage
Great Day seminar [FONT="]Friday 17th September 2010[/FONT]
[B]On The Edge: New Approaches to Community Heritage[/B]
Embedding community heritage projects within existing NGO social care programmes is key to the success of such heritage projects. Heritage is not and cannot be a stand-alone solution to deep-rooted social problems, what it offers the NGO is an additional option to consider when developing their engagement strategies. The community heritage project co-run by the Heritage Service, Gloucester City Council and the Gloucestershire Emergency Accommodation Resource (GEAR) used the technical expertise of the Heritage Service and the facilities and resources of GEAR's day centre and the active involvement of GEAR staff to jointly run and manage the project. The heritage of Gloucester was used as a framework around which a programme comprised of archaeological excavation; documentary research and art exhibition was designed in order to raise self-esteem within its participants. The long-term aim of the project, as part of GEAR's wider programme, was to help the participants use that newly generated self-confidence to move towards more sustainable tenancies, personal relationships and enhanced employment and education prospects.
Many groups at risk of social exclusion are not part of national or regional programmes designed to address their issues, the individuals within them are at particular risk. The needs of such groups are the same as those represented by NGOs but their ability to initiate anti-exclusion programmes is lessened. An example of how this can be addressed can be seen in the support offered by the Heritage Service to projects initiated by a Gloucester based aphasia group, (aphasia is a disorder that impairs the expression and understanding of language as well as reading and writing, develops suddenly and is commonly associated with people who have had a stroke or head injury). The Heritage Service, upon instruction from the aphasia group, created and provided “discussion boxes”. That acted as a focus around which the group could improve their language skills and thought processes; but perhaps most importantly as a venue where they could meet and interact. The increased confidence engendered by this allowed the group to develop an exhibition and especially to talk to members of the public about aphasia.
Read all about it here:
http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/content.php?213-On-The-Edge-New-Approaches-to-Community-Heritage