Successes

ASPEN FUTURES: A Research on the cultural inequalities of women and its solutions

This research constituted the first part of the project (October 2009-March 2010). A team of ten researches from different background worked together finding creative ways to investigate cultural barriers and women’s prospective on culture.

The broad aim of the research, conducted using a comprehensive range of qualitative methods (focus group, participant observation, participatory photography) was to work with and reach migrant and refugee women across the region analysing and promoting their evolvement with local culture.

All the findings of the research have been conveyed into a report and a selection of the final portfolio of images has been used as part of a Refugee Awareness Training Day to engage the participants in a discussion about issues of cultural inequality. The images will continue to be used for advocacy purposes in a postcard campaign, on the Aspen Culture Project website and in inclusion in the NERS Refugee Awareness Training package.

The use of participatory photography was involved the whole research process allowing to create a visual representation of the analysed issues. Participatory Photography (PP) is a participant focused process that is generally used for one of three primary aims: for education, therapy or research in advocacy projects.  

A team of ten volunteers-researchers were trained to implement their literacy in photography and develop facilitating skills. The researchers were given one of three predefined themes to focus on: museums and galleries, food and festivals.  A cultural visit and focus group with the wider BAME community was organised around each theme: a visit to an art gallery, a meal and activities at a salsa cafe and the opportunity to take part in Chinese New Year celebrations. The researchers took an increasingly active role during the visits, from leading icebreakers to facilitating the focus groups. During the project, the female volunteers acquired facilitating and research skills, increasing their level of knowledge and expertise with positive outcomes in terms of self-esteem and better prospects in education, employment and volunteering.

A broad spectrum of different barriers for accessing cultural spaces was indentified and the results in terms of cultural inequalities have been grouped together into three key categories:

1. Physical Barriers (money, time, weather, language)
2. Social Barriers (peer pressure, scarcity of exchange with the hosting  community, lack of social network, lack of a family system able to support them, lack of representation, lack of awareness of the existing crèche facilities, prejudices and stereotypes)
3. Personal Barriers (lack of confidence, perception of culture)

Some possible solutions to overcome the cultural inequalities were also suggested at various steps including the availability of more information, facilities and spaces and opportunities for the integration.

Photo by Mandana Mashayekhi, Aspen Culture Project

The Aspen Culture Digital Stories Project

The Aspen culture project (from the North of England Refugee Service) has been working closely with the Culture Shock project of the Tyne and Wear Museums to create a programme for women of refugee, asylum seeking, migrant and indigenous communities living in the North East (Tyneside and Tees Valley). The women created Digital Stories which explained their home culture, their experience in the UK, or something else of significant importance to them over an eight week session period. They were trained to use equipment in order to write their stories, record them and put together photos for the visual part of the project. The project aimed to break down race inequalities in society, helping women gain confidence and skills as well as communicating with others in similar situations and raising awareness within the UK about immigration issues. After two months of working together, the group of women have significantly gained in confidence; they can now speak easily to each other; and have gained technical skills which will help them in their future employment. They have also learned a lot about each other’s cultures, how their traditions are perceived in the UK and how they can be involved in British culture. These fantastic stories will be used in the transportable training package that the Aspen Culture team of volunteers and staff are producing for the end of March.

The Culture Shock project works with different groups of people from all over the North East to create Digital Stories. They are aiming to collect one thousand stories from groups of people young and old and of many different nationalities. All these stories will have been inspired by artifacts from Tyne and Wear Museums, and will celebrate culture and diversity.

The stories, the aspen women created were based on topics such as music, family, religion, traditional art and food. The women used objects from Tyne and Wear Museums as images and inspiration for their stories, as well as photos of their families, their countries and traditional items from their culture. Some stories used audio as the narration of their experiences in the UK and some explained a specific time which inspired a memory of their country. Each story was a unique expression of its author’s feelings about their identity, but all shared common features of culture and hope for their life in the UK.

The project is a very hopeful way of attempting to bring the community closer and to help society to be more understanding of each other. The simplicity of the films is a great way of helping people to understand the issues faced by asylum seekers and refugees in everyday life in Britain. It also provided an open space for the women to share their feelings and experiences without judgment, giving them the freedom to include whatever information they choose and know that the sessions were a safe environment for self-expression.

The women also improved their skills in English in order to create their stories. They helped each other to understand things and to express themselves in the most effective way. The workers and volunteers involved in the project were there for support when it was needed, but the women learned successfully to work individually and with each other in creating their short films.

After speaking to the participants of the project after finishing their stories, we believe the women are more confident and have gained considerably from their experience. They have commented that they have made invaluable friendships and developed useful technical skills. One of the women told us that she was very shy at the beginning of the project, but as time went on, she found herself speaking to the group in a much more relaxed way and expressing herself through her story without embarrassment. She also commented that the project was an opportunity for her to think about her family and remember important parts of her youth. Another of the women commented that she was so happy to share her story with others because it was based on a very important part of her culture – music. She also had her first opportunity to sing in her own language for other people to enjoy.

 By Emma Dolan and Yara Waked

The Aspen Culture Project Tea and Coffee Party

April saw the to launch the group-work phase of the Aspen Culture Project, and in the Tees Valley area it was decided that a celebration event centred around the different cultural preparations of tea and coffee – something that is common in nearly all cultures although carried out in very different ways.

Women from the local  Iranian, Chinese, Eritrean, Zimbabwean, Guinean and British communities in the area all brought along tea, coffee and refreshments to share with each other, and we were treat to a traditional Eritrean coffee ceremony with traditional dress, music and dancing.

The event was a real success and really set the tone for the start of the second phase of the project – women working together to understand and appreciate all cultural practices with each other.

Taste different cultures event

The Aspen Culture Project organised another exciting cultural event on the 18th of August.

The ‘Taste different cultures event’ was aimed at launching the Aspen Recipe Book, Aspen volunteers from Tyneside had Tees Valley are working toward the creation of a collection of recipes from the local and migrant communities of the region incorporating an artistic element.

During the event-which took place in Brunswick Methodist Church in Newcastle- the Aspen Culture Project volunteers did some live cooking and brought along traditional food from their countries. The attendees had a chance to try different dishes from all the continents, enjoy music, henna tattoos, networking and learn more about the work done by the Aspen Culture Project.

The ‘Taste different cultures event’ was centred on food as a mean to bring different cultures together, but it was also an opportunity to present to the public the exhibition ‘Britain to me is....’ Twenty-two Aspen volunteers from different backgrounds created textiles work around nature and identity and their experience of live in the UK during a 3 day residential organised in Northumberland in July. The exhibition-which will be presented next time in NERS Tees Valley on the 28th of August- displays the produced artworks, each of whose focuses on a different topic (including love, life, freedom, femininity, safety, Britain, time) together with a description prepared by the authors themselves.

Over 60 people including volunteers, colleagues from NERS and other organisations, local provisions, NHS agencies and member from the local and the new communities attended the event leaving enthusiastic feedbacks.

Thank to all that contributed to the success of the day!!!

The Aspen Culture Team