CLAP (Collective Learning Through Antiracist Production) is a project leaded by the Belgian non-profit organisation Média Animation in partnership with Karpos (Greece) and 4Change (Portugal).
The project is co-financed by the European Union in the framework of the Erasmus+ program.
CLAP project is above all the belief that media literacy is a formidable way of introducing civil and social competences through reflection on democratic values but also through the mobilization of media production skills. Media literacy can also engage an active participation of all, including the most vulnerable and low-literacy skilled people, and foster civic engagement for greater equity. This has long been a step taken by the three project partners, Media Animation asbl (Belgium), Karpos (Greece), 4change (Portugal). Our previous experiences of media expression projects with groups of adults have evidenced it. However, we note that much remains to be done to further promote this approach and make it more effective in the adult sector. While critical media literacy and media production are often opted in the youth field or in the school sector, it is too weak in the adult sector and let alone with vulnerable groups. For this reason, CLAP project focuses on developing critical, methodological and technical skills in relation to the media (mainly audiovisual) among educators and other adult staff. Through training modules, ready-to-use tools and resources for the animation of their groups, the CLAP project aims to make adult groups more autonomous for audiovisual media production. More competent but also more impactful. Indeed, CLAP project seeks to contribute to the fight against racism by promoting media productions which are not only produced by those affected by such discrimination but also spread them in a relevant and effective manner. For this reason, particular attention will also be paid to the visibility and communication of these productions through reflexive and strategic work, carried out by the groups themselves on how amateur media productions can be used as an opportunity of activism.
Média Animation is a non-profit organization specialized in media education, recognized as a resource center for teaching and as an association for non-formal adult education by the Belgian French-speaking Community (Wallonia-Brussels Federation).
It was granted crucial funding to implement research, information, training and educational publication and resources in media education. The association is a member of the higher council of media education of the Wallonia-Brussels federation. Média Animation has been developing an expertise in the field of media education for more than 50 years. It organizes training for animators and teachers (initial and ongoing), research, and organizes or participates in European projects. Média Animation’s educational team includes a dozen trainers specialized in media education as well as a team specialized in the production and realization of communication tools (graphics, sound, video, websites).
Here are some projects leaded by the educational team of Média Animation and related to the topics of the CLAP project:
- À Films Ouverts, a festival of films against racism and for cultural diversity. This project organized each year since 2006 is composed of two initiatives. First a short film contest against racism and for cultural diversity. This contest is open to anyone, especially amateur film makers (schools, young adults, elder people, group of activists, migrants, engaged citizens, etc.). The second initiative is a film festival gathering more than 70 screenings of full-length films and short films from the contest in French-speaking Belgium in March. Each screening is followed by a debate with the public about the issue of racism.
- Media workshops with vulnerable groups (migrants, groups of women, etc.)
- MEET (Media Education for Equity and Tolerance – https://meetolerance.eu/): a European project aiming at promoting a critical and intercultural understanding as well as an aware use of media among young citizens in multicultural public schools and democratic societies.
- Pop Modèles L’étranger au cinéma (https://popmodeles.be/) : 3 videos (FR) and analysis to explore the figure of the “foreigner” in the cinema.
Contact for Media Animation asbl
Anne-Claire Orban (ac(dot)acorban(arobase)media-animation(dot)be
