Bridging Worlds

Bridging worlds

Erasmus+ KA2 “Bridging world” project
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European Commission, or JSPA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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This project brings together deaf and hearing young people. We learn sign language together, doing arts, playing games, and other fun and learning activities. We made this project to work together, make friends, create inclusive spaces, discover and learn more about Deaf culture and Deaf communities in our countries.

1st project result - Inclusive event toolkit

We believe that events should be more inclusive, during our project we made different local events where deaf community could communicate together with hearing community, we develop easy to read guidelines. This will help you to organize your own inclusive events, and if you are youth worker in little town and you know that there lives this one deaf family, be sure to invite them and be prepared to make inclusive environment for them! We believe in inclusive spaces, and we want you to be our ambassador by downloading this and spread the word the values of inclusive spaces.

Inclusive event toolkit

Learn how to create accessible and engaging
experiences for Deaf and Hearing participants

Save it for free

2nd project result - Interviews

Interviews made with young people facing different participation barriers sharing their challenges in daily life

Bridging world Interviews

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCQ_d0NOF4g; Paulis Kalniņš deaf artist; 6:28; Editor's note: The estimated amount of gold left in Earth’s crust is 55,000 tons, not 55 tons as the video states. Business Insider regrets the error. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBaeWBCuhyQ; Emilija Balode deaf model; 4:23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI-zJ8bTK0A; NAME SURNAME; 5:10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v439vNdsC4; Why central banks are experimenting with blockchain; 2:44; Business Insider spoke to economist Garrick Hileman, from the University of Cambridge, about central banks experimenting with blockchain technology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9rbAUBePHc; Richard Sherman Is All-In On Cryptocurrencies, But Doesn’t Think His Grandmother Should Invest; 5:06; NFL cornerback Richard Sherman is a paid spokesperson for COBINHOOD, a cryptocurrency exchange with no trading fees. But Sherman's involvement with cryptocurrency started years ago when he started accepting bitcoin for merchandise on his website. Sherman sat down with Business Insider's Sara Silverstein to discuss his view of cryptocurrency. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-Trs5DgJgY; Should You Buy Bitcoin?; 2:25; Bitcoin has been soaring in value at times, but crashing at others. Lauren Lyons Cole, a certified financial planner and senior editor at Business Insider, explains the risks of investing in cryptocurrency. Following is a full transcript of the video.
Lauren Lyons Cole: I'm Lauren Lyons Cole. I'm a certified financial planner and a senior editor here at Business Insider.
Bitcoin isn't new, but in 2017 it was all the rage. Starting out in January around a $1,000 and climbing to $20,000 in one year is enough to make anyone take a second look at bitcoin.
But here's the thing about bitcoin, it reveals a very basic investing principle that we all fall prey to and that's that investors tend to be irrational. When bitcoin is sailing high, everyone wants to buy in. But as soon as it starts crashing, people freak out and they start selling. Successful investors buy low and sell high, but our natural instinct is to feel more comfortable buying when things are good and more comfortable selling when things are bad.
If you're new to the bitcoin craze and you're thinking about investing, the first thing you have to do is figure out what it is. If you can't explain what bitcoin is to your mom or your neighbor and why you're investing in it and why you think it's a good investment, then it's too soon for you to put your money in.

Project timeline

First meeting in October 2024

in Latvia, Riga.

Exchange of good practice in February 2025

In Italy, Turin

see how was it

Working locally with community

making different events together with deaf and hearing communities

Making an inclusive toolkit with partners

toolkit creation

Youth Gathering/Erasmus+ training in October 2025

in Greece, Thessaloniki

see how was it

Working locally and making interviews

writing our first Erasmus+ projects, publishing toolkit, disseminate project results

Evaluation meeting in February 2026

in Greece, Thessaloniki

to be continued...

we never stop work on inclusion and people awareness about deaf community.

Explore some of events that we have done locally to get inspired:

Yaht trip in Latvia

Together we were talking about mental health and role of our emotions

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Nancy Rourke Exibition in Italy

The event featured a meeting with deaf artist Nancy Rourke, who presented her artistic journey and unveiled, for the first time, a permanent artwork she had been working on for over a month.
Sign & Create in Latvia

Combine creativity and language through an engaging art-based activity where participants will choose a word, learn its sign, and then create an artwork or drawing to represent it.
It’s a fun way to connect with sign language while celebrating values through visual storytelling.

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Creative workshop using visual storytelling and non-verbal expression in Greece

Participants shared their experiences to bridge the gap between hearing and non-hearing youth, promoting solidarity and inclusion. This activity provided a stage for participants to showcase their learning while strengthening community connections.
Theatre intensive in Latvia

Inclusive theatre group ceated in Riga for showing a little performance where deaf and hearing communities were working together to create it

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Soft Skills for Inclusion in Italy

specialized workshop dedicated to foreign deaf and hearing individuals, aimed at bridging linguistic and cultural gaps through universal communication strategies.
Managing the Daily Routine in Italy

The workshop addressed the common challenges faced by the deaf community when interacting with public institutions and workplaces. Thanks to our LIS-Italian interpreting services and the use of innovative digital accessibility tools, participants shared experiences and learned new methods for time management and independent living.

Website
Runway, make-up and body workshop in Latvia

At this workshop participants were welcomed to explore beauty categories of ballroom culture, try out runway walk, learn more about make-up and face and discover body love and how to love yourself through body appreciation
Storytelling evening in Greek Sign Language

Participants shared narratives through a "story salad" game, creating a safe space for hearing and non-hearing youth to connect and bridge the gap between communities.
Erasmus+ projects lab in Latvia

We had 4 informative getherings to continue writing projects that we started in Thessaloniki meet and made a new ones!
Together we submitted 2 new Erasmus+ projects together with deaf community!

Instagram
Accessible cooking in Italy

The events, part of the cooking workshop at the day centre for deaf people with multiple disabilities, involved preparing a meal together. Before cooking, participants took part in LIS and simplified Italian training, using visual aids to learn the recipes.
Easter film screening and discussion in Greece

To promote inclusion and visibility for Deaf artists, we hosted an Easter film screening. The event used non-formal education to engage participants and spark interest in sign language culture. We concluded with a round-table discussion between hearing and non-hearing youth to foster solidarity and build a stronger community.

Project partners

VISUAL WORLD (Greece)

The Visual World holds lectures, organizes seminars and workshops, and is invited to educational institutions to provide information on issues related to Sign Language and the rights of the Deaf. Through its members, it actively participates in national and European
organisations focused on Sign Language and Deaf rights. In addition, the enterprise actively engages in crafting proposals for programs, leveraging its expertise in accessibility issues and the specific needs of the Deaf community.

3D Friends (Latvia)

3D Friends primary goal is to implement the ideas of youth through various projects and initiatives, to find opportunities that support ideas, to be creative and innovative, and to explore and use every given possibility that lies before fulfil organisation’s objectives.
Topics of our 3D Friends projects:
Social art projects
Inclusion
Mental health and wellbeing
Active youth engagement
Europe values promotion

Associazione Ergon a favore dei Sordi (Italy)

Ergon is the Piedmont’s social organisation working to respond to the protection, health and
wellbeing needs of Deaf, hard of hearing, deafened and DeafBlind (D/deaf) especially in low resource and complex humanitarian settings.
We work to ensure that D/deaf can live safely and without fear of stigma, discrimination, and abuse in the communication mode of choice; Sign Language, sign supported spoken language, community ethnic sign, aural method and Tactile Sign Language.