When I started my job at the library in May 2019, the dementia project had already kicked off. And even though I wasn't involved at that moment, I loved to hear from my colleagues Matthias, Isabelle, Stan and Hans how the sessions were going. This valuable project, which later got the name Forgotten Orchestra, was a perfect example of how a public service and the library could contribute to an inclusive town.
It wasn't until July 2019 that an unforeseen turn of events got me involved in the Erasmus+ project I Improve. The Ostend project leader at that time left the library and there hadn't appointed a successor yet. At that time they asked me to temporarily step in and attend the C7 meeting in Stockholm. I acquainted myself with the project as quickly as possible and a month later I was on a plane to Sweden with our director Martine and her right hand woman Gretel. This C7 meeting was a learning week that brought all partners together to present the projects they had been working on. The ideal introduction to the I Improve project.
I Improve is all about learning. Learning from each other, learning from external partners, learning from the participants of our projects. Every partner got the chance to explain the methodologies they used, to highlight the pros and cons of these techniques and to offer a glimpse of the future of their project. It was an utterly informative week in which the working methods weren't just explained, but put into practice as well.
Besides the individual projects, our mutual learning partnership I Improve was also discussed. Every partner has their responsibilities within this project and got the chance to inform the partners on their progress. This included the website, usage of social media and the permanent evaluation.
Our Swedish host Intercult used this learning week to introduce us to some cultural organisations in Stockholm. Personally, I thought it was very interesting to see how culture and cultural participation are being handled abroad.
The least I can say is that the learning week was an unexpected and surprising experience for me. I have to admit it took a leap of faith and it wasn't in the slightest what I expected when I started working at the library. In the best possible way, of course. The project and our partners made a big impression on me. I Improve emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning and international partnership.