The Project “LEARNING IN MOTION – OUTDOOR EDUCATION FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED ADULTS”

The association „Balta maja” is a collaboration partner of the GRUNTVIG 1 project “Learning in Motion – outdoor education for mentally handicapped adults”. The leading organisation of the project is an informal educational centre for adults “Studieframjandet” in Upssala, Sweden. The collaboration partners of the project are from several countries, which work to establish different informal educational methods to improve the life quality of the outcast risk group through the Outdoor education / outdoor technique’s / method.

In this project the direct target group is the people with mental and physical character derangements. The main aspect of the project is put on the development of the new training modulus and establishment it all together with the mental and sensor training methods. The direct target group is the association’s „Balta maja” day care centre’s mentally handicapped young adults. The informal training will help to explore this target group’s mental and physical needs. One of the innovations could be the sensor therapy’s gardens formation, the adventures camp organisation etc. In order the project would be effectively introduced, the personal, pedagogues, the immediate family must take an active part in supporting and motivating their family members with physical incapacity.

The establishment of the project in collaboration with other involved organizations from different countries is important in exchange of knowledge and experience in this work sphere. In the future there will be formed a supplement of the home page, where it will be possible to follow the course of the project’s establishment, achieved results and the results of the feedback. During the project there has been three conferences, in which was discussed about a joint Outdoor education definition’s formation and introduction of other with project connected activities.

“Outdoor Education is a method of learning with the use of all senses. It takes place out-of-doors in a natural environment or other out-door learning spaces. It is an ideal complement to the classroom and to traditional teaching methods.” The third conference is planned on August, 2005, in Latvia. 

Project partners:

Pia Furu- Backholm, FDUV, Finland;
Veroniki Karidi,UMHRI, Greece;
Sarmīte Kokina , The association „Balta maja”, Latvia; 
Ellen Abraham un Agnes Boerger, Hamburger VHS, Germany;
Jane Brodin un Peg Lindstrand, Stockholm Educational Institute, Sweden;
Kjell Hammarling, FUB -garden, Swedish National Association for Persons with intellectual Disability;
Ia Eriksson -Dobrovich, Studieframjandet,( Informal Adult Educational centre), Sweden.

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