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"Dreams Academy" Project was initiated in 2008 by Vodafone Turkey Foundation together with UNDP and Alternative Life Association. The aim is to help physically handicapped individuals recover from social exclusion and be more dynamic and productive.
For disadvantaged young people who suffer from "social exclusion" due to their physical and/or psychological impairments and economical insufficiency, art offers the biggest chance for self-expression, generating new ideas and gaining active and equal participation in the society.
In Dreams Academy project, young people suffering from a physical / mental disadvantage, hearing and visual impairment, chronic illness, poverty and deprivation are provided free-of-charge workshops which include music, rhythm, dance, movie-video, photograph-taking, DJ, instrument playing, painting, and designing.
Primary aim of the Academy is to help disadvantaged people overcome the barriers in social life through art and generate substantial and long-lasting solutions to improve the quality of their lives. A natural education environment is created for young people that shall contribute to their self-development by promoting certain values such as; recognizing and accepting what is different, adapting to differences, problem-solving, being productive and creative.
A "pioneer" model of social entrepreneurship, Dreams Academy is a great example of equal and active participation to social life through a brand-new life journey. With the slogan "No Boundaries for Art and Artists", the Project has touched the lives of 500 young people, so far.
"Social Inclusion Band" (a music band performing with handicapped and socially disadvantaged members) and theatre group "Dreams Company" are two good examples of "social change through art".
Dreams Company was formed to create an alternative stage for physically and socially disadvantaged young people who have the ambition of becoming an artist and who want art to be a part of their lives. It already proved that disadvantaged young people can do great things in performing arts if they are trained.
Dreams Academy's "Social Inclusion Band" is a voluntary music band bringing together different musicians for one common goal. Universal and boundless power of the art forms the basis of the Social Inclusion Band. The members voluntarily take part in the Project to support variety and help disadvantaged groups become a part of the social life. Each performance is delivered by a different artist playing different music. So, the team refreshes itself and gets everybody involved. Students who are trained in Dreams Academy join other groups of musicians and perform with Social Inclusion Band in the concerts. SIB creates awareness. It invites responsible artists to be a part of the change. SIB is where world cultures meet. It builds bridges between countries and cultures. The band claims that social change can be promoted using art and disadvantaged groups can prove to be successful if they are given the chance to do so. The aim is to integrate the disadvantaged groups into society with the help of the music.
For more information, please visit www.duslerakademisi.org and www.dreamsacademy.org
