After a long break due to Covid-19 pandemic we have finally met in person again!
Our second partners meeting took place on September 23-24 2021 in Messejana (Portugal) where we were hosted by Buinho Association.
All partners not only took part in project coordination and monitoring activities, but also had a fantastic opportunity to get to know our host and observe the way Buinho provides education in new technologies to adult learners in a rural area (Messejana is a village of 800 inhabitants, located in a quite remote area). We took a closer look on Buinho spaces, resources and applied methodologies. We had a chance to meet with local community and local stakeholders. And we have also discussed the very unique approach of a fablab based in rural area and observed how the educational offer for adults is created in a response to learning needs and real local problems (e.g. a project titled “Precious Plastic” focused on recycling plastic or a programme of international art residencies that apply art-based activties).
Besides of getting to know Buinho we have dedicated a big part of the meeting agenda to the management and monitoring of the project. It was particularly important since the last time we have seen each other face-to-face was on December 2019 at the kick-off meeting in Poland (we had many online meetings since then but obviously that kind of meetings have a different dynamic). The management/monitoring part of the agenda included: a workshop of evaluating fablabs’ users/learners needs (led by the French partner); working on the project manual (led by the Portuguese partner); discussion on quality of the project activities and results; project website and promotion (led by the Icelandic partner); a detailed timetable of the upcoming TPMs.
The Portuguese partner has prepared for us some additional educational events: traditional food workshop + local community dinner and a workshop “Faz Tu” which was focused on building furniture for a new makerspace in Messejana (which will be dedicated to families), led by a local designer, Mariana Costa e Silva.
The meeting was attended by 2 representatives of each partner organisation. We were also joined by the local and international volunteers of Buinho, as well as by the artists on residency.
