2 groups of youngsters from very different cultural/social contexts will look at the Two Way Mirror!1st each group reflecting on their own reality and obstacles;2nd contacting with the other reality,through the documentary;3rd meeting each other, discovering common ground and conceiving the idea for a street art wall that will be painted in both communities by 2 different artists. The entire process will be documented on video with a final documentary to be displayed at the regional public Tv.

It will take place in Ponta Delgada City (289 inh/km2), São Miguel Island , Azores, Portugal.

The project idea is aimed at 2 different realities: 1 that portraits social inclusion and another characterized as a subculture, in order to address the following issues/needs: Lack of awareness towards reality and towards different social and cultural realities; Lack of interest and tolerance towards difference (e.g. different points of view, needs, obstacles, ways of living…); Social segregation, of subcultural groups; Disbelieve in the importance of civic engagement; Discouragement towards civic engagement.

Target groups: 20 Youngsters from 16 to 21. 1 group of 10 youngsters social included; 1 group of 10 youngsters from a local subculture (social and culturally excluded).
Group of beneficiaries: 10 youngsters active in political life (Political Youth spectrum). This group is not our target but it will have an important role in the outcome, namely by joining in the documentary, in order to give the outside perspective of both realities, from the perspective of those that are already engaged in civic/democratic participation and will also benefit from the process.
Audience: Outcome: Documentary – Audience is the Azorean population (243 356 inh.)
Outcome: 2 street art mural – Audience is both communities involved and the wide local community.

1: Selection of participants(3 groups of 10 youngsters each: 2 groups from different social cultural contexts (GA),1 group of political engaged youngsters (GB):2:Planning of sessions:20 sessions per GA,5 sessions with GB;Planning of documentary; Implementation of sessions/documentary; Execution of 2 street wall mural/documentary; Exhibition of documentary (regional Tv); Evaluation; Dissemination of results. The methods in the sessions will be based in non-formal education and education trough arts, in a process aimed at self-awareness, self-motivation, tolerance and empowerment for civic engagement. The documentary will be shot by a professional team. The 2 street wall mural will be executed by 2 different professional artists, portraying the same message/image from different perspectives.

Direct products from the project: 1 documentary; 2 street wall murals. Expected results: A community open to embrace difference as a part of their reality and as a vehicle for personal and common enrichment. This understanding will be reached in a transformation process throughout the project and once it is achieved it will enable the community with new tools to accept difference at many levels. It is expected that both communities, that will join the project, will be empowered to know each other and collaborate for a common development.

This idea will contribute to: 1st phase-to develop awareness and tolerance towards different realities; 2nd phase-engage with and reflect about different realities; 3rd phase-construct social bridges between different realities; 4th phase-to spread the message in the community (2 mirrored street wall mural); 5th phase-to spread the message on a regional level (documentary). Over the process participants will be empowered as active citizens, by understanding that by working together, outcomes are more inclusive and democratic.

Our wider motivation is to contribute for building bridges between communities and promoting social cohesion. In this particular idea we believe that working close by with youngsters from very different, but geographically very close, communities it will enable a process of transformation, one that can positively contribute as a reflection, on a wider range, of what can be accomplished when we look at each other over the same mirror.

Project managment expenses: 5.700€; Team for development and execution of sessions: 15.000€; 2 street wall murals: 10.000€; Documentary with translation/subtitles english: 10.000€; Consumables and office expenses: 5.000€

General feedback on the idea; Suggestions on improvements; Identification of similar ideas that would make sense to develop alongside Two Way Mirror.