Founded in 2005, Association La Villa is a cultural organization in Gelos, France, dedicated to promoting non-formal education through innovative methods. The association works both locally and internationally, focusing on youth work and cultural education, with a team consisting of two permanent staff member and about 10 volunteers.

La Villa specializes in using performing arts—such as circus, theatre, dance, and music—as tools for education and inclusion. It also employs game-based learning to address issues like youth participation and mental well-being. Over the past five years, La Villa has successfully coordinated several Erasmus+ projects, including KA1 training courses and KA2 strategic partnerships. These projects have covered themes such as circus pedagogy for youth inclusion, theatre to prevent radicalization, and promoting gender equity in education.

Core Expertise:

• Circus Pedagogy: La Villa is recognized for its work in circus pedagogy, especially as a tool for inclusion. The team has developed innovative methods for working with diverse groups, including people with disabilities.
• Performing Arts in Education: The association uses performing arts to foster creativity, teamwork, and personal development, contributing to inclusive learning environments.
• Project Management: With extensive experience in managing Erasmus+ projects, the team is skilled in coordinating logistics, budgets, and international collaborations.

Association La Villa is the driving force behind the DiversAbility Circus project, which emerged from the team’s interest in working with people with disabilities. The project reflects La Villa’s commitment to making circus pedagogy accessible to all.

Association for Circus, Education and Culture – CIK is a non-governmental organization based in Slovenia, specializing in youth work and education at local, national, and international levels. CIK focuses on using circus pedagogy and social games as tools for youth development, emphasizing the importance of mental well-being for both youth and youth workers.

Circus pedagogy combines contemporary circus, theatre pedagogy, and social games, offering an engaging and creative method for personal and team development. It helps build trust, cooperation, and problem-solving skills, making it an effective tool for working with youth and marginalized groups. Social games are designed to promote self-awareness and social sensitivity, often addressing issues such as discrimination, prejudice, and intercultural understanding through interaction and reflection.

In addition to circus pedagogy, CIK prioritizes raising awareness about mental well-being. The association equips youth workers with tools to help young people maintain emotional balance through a mix of physical activities and mental care techniques.

Core Goals:

• Educating youth workers with innovative methods like circus pedagogy and social games.
• Promoting the importance of mental well-being in youth work.
• Encouraging international mobility for young people through collaborative projects.
• Creating and delivering circus pedagogy workshops for various groups, including youth centres, festivals, and schools.

Key Activities:

• Organizing and leading workshops on circus pedagogy, social games, and mental well-being.
• Working with disadvantaged youth, including those facing social, economic, and physical challenges, through social circus programs.
• Networking with international circus organizations.

CIK continues to advance the development of circus pedagogy in Slovenia, aiming to train more educators and create inclusive, creative learning environments.

TRAPITI is a civic association dedicated to enhancing youth development, social inclusion of disadvantaged groups, and improving overall quality of life through movement, art, and nature. Core values of the organization include openness, integrity, responsibility, solidarity, sustainability, playfulness, and joy.

Main Goals:

• Provide leisure, sports, and physical education activities.
• Engage in cultural, educational, and upbringing activities.
• Organize youth programs, animations, and residential events for various age groups.
• Support gifted individuals and collectives.
• Conduct training courses, conferences, seminars, and workshops.
• Facilitate volunteer activities and civic participation.
• Offer therapeutic support through various methods including animotherapy, canistherapy, movement therapy, music therapy, art therapy, play therapy, and garden therapy.
• Promote innovative educational methods in both formal and informal settings.
• Share expertise and collaborate with like-minded organizations nationally and internationally.

Relevant Activities and Experience:

TRAPITI has a strong focus on circus pedagogy, conducting workshops for diverse groups including war refugee children, ethnic minorities, special education teachers, and individuals with disabilities. The association is actively involved in developing circus groups that integrate both disabled and able-bodied participants, culminating in local festivals and performances.

LUNEnuove Cooperative, based at the Centro Armonico Terapeutico (CAT), has been providing social care and services since 2002. The organization focuses on educational, therapeutic, training, and research activities, promoting social justice, equity, and solidarity. Its approach integrates nature, animal care, and holistic well-being through various therapeutic methods.

Key Activities:

• Pet therapy and therapeutic activities aimed at young people and adults with disabilities.
• Training courses for individuals interested in the cooperative’s educational and therapeutic approaches. These focus on outdoor activities, ecology, animal care, and therapies such as music therapy, yoga, art therapy, and green therapy.
• Promoting social inclusion by providing opportunities for all community members, including disabled and non-disabled people, to engage in group activities and workshops.

LUNEnuove fosters a holistic vision of well-being, addressing physical, mental, spiritual, and relational health. It has a long-standing commitment to integrating people with disabilities into the broader community, working with schools, day centres, hospitals, and other institutions. The cooperative also runs projects that promote a healthy lifestyle, support families at risk of social exclusion, and encourage respect for nature and animals.

The Hungarian Juggling Association (HJA) is a leading platform for independent circus artists and pedagogues in Hungary, active since its establishment. The association provides a formal framework for juggling as a circus art, social intervention tool, sport, or hobby, combining creativity and educational approaches to achieve cultural, educational, and social goals.

Core Activities:

• INspiral Circus Space: A central hub for practice, artistic work, networking, and training, offering daily circus workshops, performances, and community gatherings.
• International Projects: Coordination of global events and projects, including the annual Hungarian Juggling Convention.
• Social Circus Projects: Conducting long-term and short-term circus workshops for vulnerable groups such as Roma youth, children in psychiatric care, and unaccompanied minor refugees.
• Community Engagement: Providing networking opportunities and updates through its website and Facebook group, supporting the national network of juggling clubs, and researching teaching methods.

International Presence:

HJA has been involved in over 60 international projects in its 15 years of operation. It is a member of several European professional networks and coordinates the Social Educircation European network and the Mixdoor performing art project. The association acts as an information hub for European circus developments in Hungary.

The association conducts extensive community and social circus activities, teaching over 200 individuals weekly. Its educators include qualified sport instructors, circus artists, psychologists, and social workers, with a focus on continuous professional development. HJA has organized conferences on the role of circus in social integration and education, drawing significant attention from educators and social professionals.

With a track record of over 100 projects, HJA is well-versed in project management, excelling in both coordination and partnership roles.