The original wording of the key competence:
‘Competence in cultural awareness and expression involves having an understanding of and respect for how ideas and meaning are creatively expressed and communicated in different cultures and through a range of arts and other cultural forms. It involves being engaged in understanding, developing and expressing one’s own ideas and sense of place or role in society in a variety of ways and contexts.’
Suggestions for use in European youth programmes:
It is almost impossible not to be confronted with this competence during international projects. Meeting with other cultures and their way of expression is in the heart of these projects. Participants have to learn how to deal with these different cultures, languages, traditions with openness and willingness. That often leads to reflection upon and new insights about own culture. In many projects different forms of creative and artistic techniques and approaches are used to express oneself. In other projects participants are actively involved in organising cultural and/or artistic events (such as festivals, exhibitions etc.)
Questions that can help participants to reflect:
- Did you meet any new forms of cultural expression during your project? If yes, how did it influence you?
- What forms of cultural expression are practiced in your community? How would you describe them?
- Did you learn new ideas or methodologies for working with art and culture? How and from whom did you learn?
- How willing were you to get involved in new forms of cultural experience?
- When were you able to use different media and forms of expression (e.g. verbal, drawing, body) to express yourself in different situations?
- In which context did you use creative and artistic methods?
- Did you get more self-confident in this area? In what way?
- What did you learn from the partners in the project about culture?
- What do you still want to learn in this field?