restart

RestART aims to empower victims of domestic violence through art. Women victims of domestic violence in Cyprus, will participate in a series of interactive workshops during which they will be guided by art mentors, to explore the dimension of self- empowerment through arts and storytelling with the intent of transforming their personal narratives from victims of violence into advocates empowered for their own positive futures. Engaged in structured art activities led by local artists, the women will be inspired toward an understanding of personal and societal forces contributing to their relationships with the world and will articulate these insights through arts raising awareness and encouraging dialogue to inspire positive social change. At the same time the project will engage with civil society capacity building through various activities including a good practices seminar indented to train both art mentors directly involved in the project as well as civil society organizations’ staff and volunteers working with vulnerable groups. Thus, the project has a strong focus on the empowerment of vulnerable groups and capacity building of civil society in Cyprus.

The Active Citizens Fund (ACF) in Cyprus is supported through a €1.5m grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway under the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021, aiming to contribute to reducing economic and social disparities and strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation between the beneficiary states and the donor states. ACF Cyprus recognises the fundamental role the civil society sector plays in ensuring democratic governance, human rights and social cohesion and focuses on the following two main objectives: strengthening civil society and active citizenship and empowering vulnerable groups in Cyprus.

The Fund Operator for the Active Citizens Fund in Cyprus is the NGO Support Centre in consortium with GrantXpert Consulting. For more information, visit www.activecitizensfund.cy

ROOM FOR ART organized a seminar on good practices for the utilization of Art as a tool for empowering vulnerable groups in general and victims of domestic violence in particular. The seminar took place on December 10, 2022 (9.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.) at the Center for Visual Arts and Research – CVAR. The seminar was organized in collaboration with the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO) within the framework of RestART.

The key-note speakers/workshop facilitators, were: award-winning author and creative writing teacher of Central Saint Martins London, Elise Valmorbida (Creative writing and storytelling – workshop), Catrine Gangstø, Painter and Founder and CEO of Peacepainting in Norway (Painting as a tool for empowerment – good practices) and Xanthi Michael, Clinical Psychologist and officer of the Center for Immediate Assistance and Counseling Support for Victims of Violence of SPAVO together with Niki Lympoura, Psychologist and Οfficer at SPAVO (The experience of violence and the role of SPAVO - ways of approach, challenges of professionals, good management practices). The seminar was addressed by Prof. Mary Koutselini, is Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment of the University of Cyprus.

The seminar was addressed to staff, volunteers and collaborators of civil society organizations, teachers, and persons who support vulnerable groups.

The Seminar was coordinated by Erato Ioannou, writer and Founder and Chair of the Board of Room for Art.

Results:

Session 1:

Sharing Good Practices with Catrine Gangstø Founder and CEO of Peacepainting Foundation Norway (Session and QA)

Catrine Gangstø, Painter and the Founder and CEO of Peacepainting contributed her valuable experiences in over 19 countries as an artist leading intuitive painting workshops encouraging people to express themselves via painting and poetry and as a curator of art exhibitions where these paintings and poems are showcased, influencing, thus, individuals and especially decision makers.

Catrine talked about how these workshops and exhibitions lift people’s voices and show that they are worth being listened to, how Peacepainting gives voice to people from all walks of life, including minorities, refugees, immigrants and victims of violence.

Peacepainting’s experience and expertise in utilizing art as a tool for empowerment showcased a valuable paradigm to all organizations and individuals working with vulnerable groups.

Session 2:

Creative writing and mindfulness to empower vulnerable people

Award-winning author-teacher Elise Valmorbida has devised this unique workshop for CSOs and teachers who work with vulnerable people. The aims? To understand and embody some of the vital links between mindfulness and creativity. To nurture mindful creative writing as a form of self-expression and as a tool for enhanced wellbeing. To share best practice—insights gleaned from 20+ years of teaching creative writing—so that CSOs and teachers will know how to guide exercises, what to encourage, what to avoid, and what to expect. Our session will be a combination of activities and discussion.

Session 3:

The perspective of Psychology with Xanthi Michael, Help Centre & Counselling Officer from Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO) together with Niki Lympoura, Psychologist and Οfficer at SPAVO (Session and QA)

During this session, Xanthi Michael and Niki Lympoura shared valuable insights from their work experience with victims of domestic violence at SPAVO. Additionally, they presented SPAVO’s role and they discussed ways of approaching victims of violence, the challenges for professionals, and good practices.

The kickoff meeting for RestART took place in Nicosia as scheduled, on 11 July 2022. After productive discussions, the meeting, managed to achieve its goals and set the foundations for effective project management, which is instrumental to the project’s success.

During the various sessions listed in the meeting’s agenda, the two partners:

· Appointed the Steering Committee for project implementation.
· Discussed their respective obligations on the basis of the Partnership Agreement which specifies all the administrative and financial details of the partnership, as well as the time schedule of events and.
· Elaborated on the implementation of the Training workshop, which is scheduled to take place December.
· Agreed to update Risk Analysis in the case of unexpected circumstances in order to proceed immediately with a mitigation plan, taking into consideration that victims of domestic violence are a vulnerable group of extremely high risk and that is why measures should be taken to protect their identities especially during the various communication and dissemination activities.
· Agreed to provide information on the project to the widest possible audience at the appropriate national, regional and/or local levels.

Participants on behalf of the Project Promoter, ROOM FOR ART:

Erato Ioannou - Chair of the Board and Project Manager

Participants on behalf of the Partner (P), Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO):

Dr Antri Andronikou – Director

Iro Michael – Head of Help Center

Xanthi Michael – Officer

Marilena Ioannou - Officer

Results:

The kickoff meeting managed to deliver all required results as described above and also managed to provide a deeper understanding of the project and its objectives and strengthened commitment on behalf of partner representatives.

ROOM FOR ART is organizing a seminar on good practices for the utilization of Art as a tool for empowering vulnerable groups in general and victims of domestic violence in particular. The seminar is organized in collaboration with the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO) within the framework of RestART, a project which benefits from a grant under the Active Citizens Fund Cyprus programme, funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, through the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021.

The key-note speakers/workshop facilitators, are: award-winning author and creative writing teacher of Central Saint Martins London, Elise Valmorbida (Creative writing and storytelling – workshop), Catrine Gangstø, Painter and Founder and CEO of Peacepainting in Norway (Painting as a tool for empowerment – good practices) and Xanthi Michael, Clinical Psychologist and officer of the Center for Immediate Assistance and Counseling Support for Victims of Violence of SPAVO together with Niki Lympoura, Psychologist and Οfficer at SPAVO (The experience of violence and the role of SPAVO - ways of approach, challenges of professionals, good management practices).

The seminar is addressed to staff, volunteers and collaborators of civil society organizations, teachers, and persons who support vulnerable groups.

The seminar will take place on December 10, 2022

9.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.

at the Center for Visual Arts and Research – CVAR

285 Ermou Street, Nicosia

In order to attend the seminar, it is necessary to register at the following link, or via e-mail at info@roomforart.eu , no later than December 5, 2022. Places are limited.

8.45 - 9.00 Registration

9.00 - 9.15 Welcome Address - Prof. Mary Koutselini, Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment

9.15 - 10.20 Sharing Good Practices *, with Catrine Gangstø Founder and CEO of Peacepainting Foundation Norway (Session and QA)

10.20 - 10.30 Coffee break

10.30 - 13.00 Creative Writing and Mindfulness to Empower Vulnerable People *,

with award-winning writer-teacher Elise Valmorbida (Workshop and QA)

13.00 - 14.00 Light Lunch

14.00 - 15.45 The Perspective of Psychology *, with Xanthi Michael, Help Centre & Counselling Officer from Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO) together with Niki Lympoura, Psychologist and Οfficer at SPAVO (Session and QA)

15.45 - 16.00 Concluding Remarks

* Click for more information

Prof. Mary Koutselini, is Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment of the University of Cyprus. She is Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, and the President of the Cyprus Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA). She is also the Coordinator of 20 International, European, and National Research programs in the areas of her specialization and an active member in various national, European, and international academic associations and editorial boards of scientific journals.

She served as Head of the Center of Learning at the University of Cyprus, of the Department of Education and as external evaluator of Universities, Research, and academic staff in Cyprus and overseas. She also participates as an expert in national and international working groups and advisory boards and networks.

She has authored 15 books and more than 200 articles and invited chapters in scientific refereed journals and books.

Elise Valmorbida has published journalism, poetry, short stories, three non-fiction books and four novels including The Madonna of the Mountains (Faber), which was translated into several languages and won Australia’s biggest literary award in 2019. The Madonna of the Mountains was The Times ‘summer pick’ and ‘best new paperback’, an Edward Stanford Awards nominee, and one of the Walter Scott Prize 'Academy Recommends' List. For her work as script consultant, producer and author of SAXON: The Making of a Guerrilla Film, Elise won the Edinburgh International Film Festival Trailblazer award.

Her latest non-fiction work, The Happy Writing Book: Discover the Positive Power of Creative Writing, is inspired by her 20+ years of experience as writer-teacher. Elise teaches creative writing with Central Saint Martin’s, Guardian Masterclasses, Arvon Foundation, Faber Academy, as well as international literary festivals and community-building organisations.

She has a firm belief that creative writing can deepen your appreciation of life, and empower you as an agent of positive change in the world. There’s more info at www.elisevalmorbida.com and you can follow her on instagram: @elisevalmorbida

Niki Lympoura is a graduate from the Department of Psychology of the University of Cyprus. After graduation she completed an MSc degree in Abnormal and Clinical Psychology at Swansea University. Her research interests during her academic career were focused in different aspects of aggressive behaviour.

After the completion of her bachelors degree she participated in the Erasmus+ placements programme where she attended a practical internship at Ianos rehabilitation centre for addicts in Thessaloniki.

Since April 2022 she has been working with the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family.

Xanthi Michael specializes in Clinical Psychology. Through her undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Crete and the University of Nicosia, respectively, she participated in clinical psychology programs in various settings where she provided psychoeducation, evaluation, individual therapy, parent counseling, play therapy, and support.

Xanthi has worked at the Youth Board of Cyprus, within a number of programs where her contribution ranged from creative activities for children and parental counseling, to counseling and support to adolescents. Later on she joined the Center for Clinical Psychology and Mental Health Studies as a Clinical Psychologist for adults and children. Xanthi also worked at the Medical School of St George's University of London at the University of Nicosia as a Problem Based Learning and Communication Skills Tutor.

She currently works at the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO) as an officer of the Help Center for Immediate Assistance and Counseling Support for Victims of Violence. Within the framework of her duties, she actively participates in European research programs. She is also active as a trainer of professionals on issues pertaining to domestic and gender-based violence.

RestART

PROJECT

RestART - Empowering victims of domestic violence through art