VISUALIZE is an innovative training concept for strengthening the tolerance and soft skills of young people funded by Erasmus+, Strategic Partnerships for Youth. It provides professional training to social and education professionals working with youth - educators and teachers, as well as care givers, therapists and social workers-, in the field of visual literacy, which are the so called experts of this project. It encourages tolerance and social development, as well improving academic achievement. With the use of images and discussion, young people experience various viewpoints and build on each other’s thoughts. VISUALIZE enables students to use existing visual and cognitive skills to develop confidence and experience, learning to use what they already know to figure out what they don’t know.

While participating in discussions about art, young people gain self-esteem and skills in the fields of communication, critical thinking and social development. Good citizenship is inspired through cooperation, tolerance for the views of others, sensible conflict resolution, free speech and active engagement. It also creates an even playing field among people of varying levels of education, communication skills and differing mother languages. The VISUALIZE program uses images at its core, and is therefore, well suited to serve heterogenic learning environments (inclusion, integration, transcultural affairs).

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