New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Initiative category

Identify the award category for which this initiative is being submitted
Prioritising the places and people that need it the most

Email user
lorraine.polidano@gov.mt

Basic information
Initiative title
Sharing Lives

Full initiative Title
Sharing Lives - Sharing Experiences

Please provide a short, catchy description of your initiative to be used in communication towards the public.
Sharing Lives offers opportunities where volunteers and persons with disabilities, from 18yrs and over, especially those who have little or no support, to
share experiences, create social interactions and befriend persons with disabilities. The service's befriending aspect will help initiate dialogue and collaboration between persons with disability and mainstream society.

What was the geographical scope of your intiative?
National

Where was your intiative implemented?
Member State(s) and Western Balkans
Malta

If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
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Does your initiative address mainly urban or rural issues?
It addresses urban-rural linkages

Does your initiative refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Has your initiative benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
Yes

Which fund(s)?
ERASMUS

Here you can provide more details about the name of the specific programme, strand/action line as relevant, and the year
This year, Sharing Lives celebrated its 5th year of operations within Agency Sapport - Malta. Since its launch in April 2017, the service strived to create new opportunities for our service users where they socialize with others, have fun and experience new things. The service offers service users the possibility to have a social contact, engage in groups activities with their peers and participate to cultural, sports and other non formal educational programmes. Sharing Lives is motivated by the belief that people with disability have a right to live a full life.

A total of 194 activities were organized throughout 2022; ranging between 3 to 4 activities for every week of the year. On the other hand, we had 12 service users who benefitted from social contact with volunteers. As per previous years, Sharing Lives continued to offer varied activities such as a Summer live-in, seasonal parties, boat trips, pottery, voluntary work, visits to historical sights, well being sessions and so on. In collaboration with other NGOs and volunteers, we also managed to develop long-term programmes involving art, drama and sports such as rugby and rowing. Sharing Lives has collaborated with both public and private entities namely; the Brian Foundation, Inspire, Spark 15, RMJ, University Rowing Club, MFA, Scissors Sisters, YMCA, Sedqa and Agenzija Zghazagh. The youth group keep their a weekly meetings. In the process we have established a strong collaboration with Agenzija Zghazagh and also developed a formative programme on sexuality which was delivered to the 12 members of the youth group. With Community services we organized a number of activities during the year including a Summer Live in. .

Throughout 2022, Sharing Lives worked with 42 volunteers, out of which 33 remained active. This is another record for sharing lives. These add to a total of 127 volunteers since when the service started. A pilot project is also being conducted targeting volunteers on short term basis between the age of 16 and 20 to create together with people with disability an activity. Volunteers come from all walks of lives including young students, foreign volunteers, professionals and pensioners. The service also offered a placement to local students conducting Masters in Humanitarian Aid and Psychology. It also hosted on short term Erasmus+ student on internship.

What marked in particular this year, is Sharing Lives involvement in European projects and in other related training and networking opportunities for our staff. We have obtained successfully from EUPA, the Quality Label to lead projects, support and host volunteers under the European Solidarity Corps. Consequently, we have started implementing our first ESC project by hosting two volunteers. ESC opened up the possibility to Sharing Lives to recruit volunteers on long term basis to support the service’s efforts. Moreover, the volunteers offered to fresh ideas and concepts for creative programmes we could embark on. Another first for Sharing Lives, was the participation of 8 service users and 2 volunteers in week long youth exchange in Logorno, Spain. Here, the service users tackled the theme of integration and used theatre as a tool for expression and active citizenship.

Sharing Lives received 96 new referrals during 2022. Moreover, we now have 200 active service users with Sharing Lives. Again, on both counts the numbers show an increase from last year. The youth trend persists with67% of active service users being young people under the age of 35 years old.

Future Plans:
The steady demand in service shows clearly that Sharing Lives is reaching its goals and making the impact desired among service users and in the community. To respond to the demand Sharing Lives will start an exercise for restructuring to be able to be more efficient in the delivery of service and reach out to more service users. We intend to continue extending our network of collaborators both local and foreign. With our European partners, we currently waiting for approvals for a number applications for youth exchanges under the Erasmus+ Programme which are meant to be implemented next year. In order to reach out to more young people, Sharing Lives will also be working on creating a youth club where young people with disability can meet up with other peers and volunteers and engage in non-formal activities.

Has your initiative won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Does your initiative has a minimum level of maturity? The minimum level of maturity is exemplified by stakeholder/ initiative promoter commitment to implement the initiative in practice and a clear methodology /approach.
No

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As a representative of an organisation
Please provide the contact details for the project promoter (the individual or representative of the organisation authorised to represent the project)
- Name of the organisation(s): Agency Sapport
  Type of organisation: Public authority (European/national/regional/local)
  First name of representative: Lorraine
  Last name of representative: Polidano
  Gender: Female
  Nationality: Malta
  Function: Services Manager
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Triq Patri Gwann Azzopardi
  Town: St.Venera
  Postal code: SVR 1614
  Country: Malta
  Direct Tel: +3562256 8295
  E-mail: lorraine.polidano@gov.mt
  Website: https://sapport.gov.mt/en/Pages/default.aspx
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: https://www.facebook.com/sapport.malta
In case my initiative is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my initiative in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
Social Media

Description of the initiative
Please provide a summary of your initiative
Everyone looks forward to spending some quality time with one's friends. Friendship is a relationship of reciprocal enduring affection, esteem, and trust between two or more people. It is a type of informal relationship, based on equal power of influence on each other without any pre-set social rules. As opposed to formal relationships based on clearly set roles and the social rules that go with them. Friendship is a simple thing, slow growing, often taken for granted, yet an essential element that colors life with meaningful experiences. A key aspect of socialisation and the embodiment of various values such as solidarity and communal belonging. For such relationships to evolve spaces need to be available and accessible that allow informal relationships to evolve. Spaces where individuals feel understood and comfortable being themselves without any formality.

Imagine if your only connections outside the family are solely your school teachers and care professionals. Imagine if you cannot leave your house alone to go to the local club or a restaurant. A dull life focused on one’s specific needs (mainly that surround the disability) whilst neglecting others (especially emotional and social needs). Unfortunately, this is the reality for many people with disability that are often seen as children and someone has to take care of them and supervise their every action. As professionals, we have met numerous people with disability longing for friends. To be able to be youths or adults, have fun and socialise with their own peers. Even for a short amount of time to have some coffee with a friend.
Sharing Lives is a service within Agenzija Sapport that with the help of volunteers organises activities and programs with people with disability to create spaces for friendship, targeted towards positive social experiences like youth groups for youths with disability; music concerts, artistic, cultural, and sport programs and other leisurely activities.

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with 5 key words.
Inclusion

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
Experiences

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
Networking

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
Creativity

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
Connections

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of sustainability and how these have been/will be met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
Sharing Lives aims to:
• Facilitate access to events / activities in the community.
• Enhance the social network of people with disability
• Initiate dialogue and collaborations between people with disability and mainstream society.

In order to achieve the above aims Sharing Lives operations focuses on:
• Reaching out to persons with disability who would benefit from this specific service.
• Reaching out to volunteers followed by a professional approach when recruiting such volunteers.
• Provide volunteers with continuous training, monitoring and supervision.
• Assess service users and volunteers followed by a matching process.
• Collaborating with NGOs and institutions to achieve the above.

The service outcomes envisaged are:
• The promotion of social inclusion,
• Easier access to activities/events within the community.
• Developing meaningful relationships and engage with peers.
• Developing relationships based on equality and collaboration
• Act as a stepping-stone for persons with disability to have access to more opportunities.
• Facilitate the integration of persons with disability within the community.
• Creating awareness, challenging stereotypes and reduce stigma of persons with disability.

This initiative can be exemplary as it reaches out to the community, creating opportunities, listen to the person and support the person in reaching his/her wishes and dreams. In the past 5 years, Sharing Lives, collaborated with several local organisations, private entities to create new experiences, challenge stereotypes, and bringing the best out of the individuals. Sharing a common humanity!

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
"Sharing Lives is something nice, because it allows us to meet and help each other. Apart from the youth group, we did a clean up, crafted a crib together and carried out voluntary work with horses. I feel very good during these activities. I enjoy it. I even enjoyed the time we sang. This was when we donated the crib that we did together to the priests. I really enjoyed it. Such experiences make you satisfied when you help people. I enjoy it that we meet with friends. It's something really special that every week we have something different to do. I learnt a lot of things. I learnt about photography, about the importance of recycling, how to take care of our environment" This is a testimonial by Jonathan Calleja, 28, Service User.
"I started volunteering with the Sharing Lives service in June 2021. Sharing Lives gave me the opportunity to meet new people with new abilities and I have learned a lot thanks to them, by sharing our ideas, talking about ourselves and our experiences. We did not let the pandemic stop us from doing what we love the most, but we juggled around it to make things possible and that is the experience that Sharing Lives wants to deliver. Looking forward to more activities, lessons and fun" This is a testimonial by Nicole Bartolo, 25, Volunteer.

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
One of the main principles we work with is Inclusion. This is reached by a number of elements:
* Tapping resources/events in the community and through engaging in discussions with the relevant organisations, and make sure that these events are physically accessible and also adaptable reflecting the needs of various disabilities.
*Sharing assets, knowledge and experience with various organisations and professionals.
* Connecting organisations and people. This can be proven by having build working relationship with organisations that have never worked with persons with disabilities and now they are organising events and initiating projects for persons with disabilities themselves.
*Listening to service users preferences, giving them a choice
*Encourage service users to take their own initiatives and take risks, explore new things and invest in their self-development.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the initiative and civil society have been/will be involved in the initiative and what has been/will be the impact of this involvement on the initiative
The service outcomes envisaged are:
• The promotion of social inclusion,
• Easier access to activities/events within the community.
• Developing meaningful relationships and engage with peers.
• Developing relationships based on equality and collaboration
• Act as a stepping-stone for persons with disability to have access to more opportunities.
• Facilitate the integration of persons with disability within the community.
• Creating awareness, challenging stereotypes, and reducing the stigma of persons with disability.

The above are the service's main outcomes. The success of this service is seen by the satisfied participants, being volunteers and service users, the increase in demand, and also in having other organizations reaching us to do joined activities.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the initiative.
The service was proposed by professionals involved in the field of disability who through their experience noticed that there were something missing in the quality of life of people with disability. As we opened up the doors to the general community we started to collaborate with volunteers and private entities and non profit organizations that contributed significantly into designing programmes and activities where persons with disability can be empowered and live their life to the full. The service has spaces where person with disability can self advocacy, contribute back to society through voluntary work and take charge of of their own social activities through committees and social group.

By time the service became more popular, a snowballing effect was noticed. Not only the demand for the service increased by person with disability but also connection and collaborations with other entities started to increase. Since we have been participating to training abroad and doing networking we have also been collaborating with other organization outside our shores in creating youth exchanges and other impactful projects giving our service users the possibility to interact with their European peers and have an experience abroad.

The stakeholders involvement in service gave the service relevance and achieve a greater impact not only to service users per se but to the general community as we strive to make people with disability and their needs visible and work towards a more inclusive society. In this manner we not only share resources and knowledge but the experience is richer for every individual involved.

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your initiative. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was
A number of professional from different fields are involved in Sharing Lives such as social workers, occupational therapists, executives with social science background and youth workers. Their respective professions provide insight and approaches that makes it possible to utilize various tools and offers a comprehensive service to the service user. Thus , the service users can be supported emotionally and practically also in their personal development in learning new independent living skills and social skills in an informal setting.

The fact that the service involves volunteers that come from all walks of life and disciplines opens up doors and opportunities which the professionals in their capacity would not be able to reach on their own. A volunteers' hobby, talent, passion is often a source of inspiration to create a unique programmes and activities for our service users.

For all this to happen there is a lot of time invested in communication between the different disciplines, the volunteers and the service users. The service is motivated by a shared belief in the strength that the every individual including the service users. This in itself empowers everyone involved to strive for more. All this offers space where learning and growth is valued. As we work toward our goals we humbly recognize that we are all human beings, equally seeking connection with other and fullfil our dreams which reflects the quality of our lives.

Please highlight the innovative character of the initiative, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the initiative
AS highlighted in previous sections, Sharing Lives works with the potential that every individual brings into the service. This brings a lot of energy to the service, space for creativity but also entails that we adapt and evaluate our work on a regular basis. There is always something new going on. Moreover, the service serves as stepping stone to open new opportunities in the community for people with disability. It supports other organizations to be better equipped to offer a service to people with disability. It also assists people with disability and their parents to come together to organize themselves to continue making use of a service beyond the involvement of the service. In sustaining these initiative's and collaborations is also combating prejudice and challenging stereotypes and mentality associated with persons with disability.

The service is that there is a place for everyone. Sharing resources This in itself inclusion

Please describe which elements of your initiative could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and contexts. This may involve, for example, aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings, etc.
The elements taht can be replicated from the service could be:
- Networking
-Evidence Based Approach
- Community Organization
- Open mindedness
- Evaluation and Discussion
- Space for Creativity
-Professional Methodologies
-Informal Education
-Expertise in Disability field

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your initiative.
Sharing Lives uses the following methodologies/approaches in delivering it service:
-Community Development Theory
-Social Work Assessment
-Risk Assessment
-Project Management
-Community Organization

Please explain what kind of global challenges the initiative addresses by providing local solutions
From our experience lack of inclusion, stereotypes and prejudice towards people with disability has always been a great barrier for our services users to achieve a full life and this is not just a local problem but though networking we have also noticed that such challenges are across the globe. Accessibility in its wider definition is another global challenge along with transportation and issues of overprotectiveness.

The solution that Sharing lives offers to these challenges are on various levels. We are not only working with the community to think differently about accessibility and the potential of people with disability but we are also working on one to one basis. It wasn't always easy and we did encounter a number of challenges and mishaps along the way however, we believe in our values and principles and keep on striving. Our success stories gives us motivation to continue pushing further. Its about changing one person at a time.

Moreover, the service has a number of professionals that have been long involved in the disability field in and in community development that lend their skills in order to achieve the goals of the service. Moreover, our committed volunteers also stand witness to the change that we have been creating in the community.

Please detail the scope of progress in the implementation of the initiative. This can include already demonstrated results/outputs related to the chosen Prizes category, and the already achieved benefits from the initiative for direct and indirect beneficiaries. This can also include a development plan of the initiative, with a particular attention to the steps envisaged in the year following the application, and including envisaged results and benefits from the initiative
As explained, Sharing Lives offers a variety of programmes in the categories of art, music, sport, culture, leisure, voluntary work and self advocacy.
One project in particular was 'Rhythm of Life' which was a project initiated by volunteer from two other local organizations namely YMCA and Youtheme Foundation to deliver workshop where people with disability were introduced to electronic music. The project spanned over the period of 8 months and the person with disability practice on DJ equipment, produced a track and also organized a rave party which they called Power Pie. The event hosted 100 attendees and it was so successful that we had organized similar dance party along the years . Moreover, Sharing Lives continued to collaborate with YMCA on similar projects, they opened up their services to people with disability and we were able to transfer skills and resources. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcS4r7k9iXU

"Sharing Lives is something nice, because it allows us to meet and help each other. Apart from the youth group, we did clean up, crafted a crib together, did voluntary work with horses where we did a lot of things on the day. I feel very good during these activities. Such experiences makes you satisfied. I love making new friends. It’s something really special that every week we have something different to do. I learnt a lot of things. I learnt about photography and how to take photos. For example, although I know how to do a crib from recycled material I feel that I also learnt more about recycling and so on. I learnt about the importance of recycling, that we can recycle many other things because you can invent many different things. - Jonathan, 28 years old, Service User

"I have learned to see the world in a different way." Malina, 22, Volunteer

The vision forward is to continue creating unique opportunities and meet the ongoing demand for the service.

Please provide documents that demonstrate the maturity level of the initiative and commitment to implement the initiative in practice (e.g.: evaluation report, final or mid-term initiative report, certification, publications, building permit, grant agreement, letter of support, partnership agreement, etc.)
Web link
Web link
- https://sapport.gov.mt/en/Pages/Sharing-Lives.aspx
If relevant, please describe how your initiative contributes to developing new competences, especially in the context of the European competence framework on sustainability.
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Please attach at least 6 high resolution images or visual representations of your initiative to your application.
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload or write below.
- Sharing Lives Presentation2023.pdf
By submitting your application you confirm that you are the copyright owner of the images provided and that they can be used by the European Commission for the purposes of promoting the New European Bauhaus on all platforms (websites, print, social media and other).
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes

By submitting this application, I declare that I am not related to the entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and subject to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU)1, and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05), which are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed initiative has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes

By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the initiative and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary
Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their initiatives, initiative, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted initiative, initiative is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes