Alternative Routes to Success (ARTS) is a creative arts project designed to address the barriers to social and economic participation faced by people who are disadvantaged through disability, mental health issues and/or life limiting health problems. It will address lack of confidence, reduced motivation and a lack of appropriate qualifications. By bringing together best practice from organisations across Europe with a wide range of knowledge and experience in these areas, ARTS will explore how the arts can be used to overcome these barriers by providing accessible routes to learning and employment based on equality. The objectives of the project are to: • give recognition to the achievements of people who are disadvantaged through disability through the development of a framework for a new and innovative accreditation tool which is accessible, relevant, transferable and equal to mainstream qualifications. • develop the evaluation and self-evaluation techniques required to measure and recognise skill development • provide training for adult education staff which will improve their skills and competencies • raise the profile of disadvantaged adults locally regionally and nationally The project will target adults who have learning disability, mental health issues and/or life limiting health problems with the learners on the project being the adult educators who work with them. The project will adopt a methodology whereby all participants will work together through a series of creative arts workshops and activities gaining practical experience and knowledge. Learners will work with their groups in their own institutions, exploring and developing ideas generated. The project will involve disadvantaged people at its core and will involve learning processes which grow from an exploration of their differences and experiences. In order to develop an accreditation framework we must first explore evaluation methodologies that allow people to see what they have learned through creative explorations. The main vehicle for these explorations will be the transnational learning activities which will take place in each partner country. Each meeting will explore a different strand of evaluation and accreditation and will involve a combination of seminars, practical creative workshops, skill shops, focused conversation and evaluation. The project will indirectly reach approximately 890 people (of which approximately 325 will have special needs) and will result in: • A framework for developing an accreditation which recognises the learning disadvantage adults in the arts. The accreditation framework will form the basis for development of a qualification that is accessible, relevant and equal to mainstream qualifications. The framework will be published on-line, and will be available in the languages of all partners and through their websites. In UK the framework will be adopted and accredited through One Awards (Open College Network) complementing an approach currently being developed to by the organisation to increase their capacity to offer lifelong learning to people. • A toolkit of resources and techniques available on DVD and online that will enable arts workers, disability workers and others to learn and develop techniques for evaluating, and facilitating the self-evaluating, of skills learned through practical arts activity, in such a format they can be measured and recognised. The project will impact on a variety of levels: • enabling disadvantaged adults to be more active both within the partner organisations and within their communities • creating new opportunities for both learners and staff through the learning of new skills and working practices • developing the confidence and self-esteem of disadvantaged people, increase their motivation and understanding of what they can achieve. • adding value to the existing work of the participating organisations through exploring best practice, inspiring learning and motivating staff and learners and through the development of a European accreditation which will raise their profile within the local and regional community • challenging preconceptions of disadvantaged people The project will embed new approaches in the partner organisations which will, through dissemination, cascade through other organisations bringing about longer term benefits to disability and arts organisations and disadvantaged people, and influencing policy makers.