The InCASA project, an innovative Erasmus+ initiative focused on enhancing accessibility to the Camino de Santiago for young people with disabilities, officially kicked off its activities with a productive meeting in Vigo, Spain. Held from May 21st to 23rd, 2024, this key event brought together project partners from across Europe to align their visions, establish workflows, and set the foundation for a successful collaboration.
A Warm Welcome to Vigo
Hosted by Clictic, the meeting took place in Vigo, a beautiful city in the Pontevedra province, known for its coastal charm and cultural significance. The meeting’s venue was Clictic’s office on Rúa Coruña. Participants were provided with practical information to navigate Vigo, including details on transportation from nearby airports (Vigo, Porto, and Santiago de Compostela), local bus services, taxi information, and hotel recommendations.
Day 1: Project Foundations and Work Package Introductions
The first day, May 22nd, was packed with insightful sessions. The day started with a warm welcome from Clictic, followed by project partners introducing themselves. A highlight of the morning was an expert view provided by Javier Pitillas, Manager of the Discamino Association, offering valuable insights into the existing efforts and needs concerning accessibility on the Camino de Santiago.
Fundación Docete Omnes (FDO), the project coordinator, presented a detailed project plan, outlining the project’s aims, structure, and Gantt Chart, providing a roadmap for the collaborative work. The rest of the day was dedicated to Work Package (WP) introductions, with partners delving into the first ideas, milestones, and organization of work.
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WP2 – Pathfinder Research (led by Viva Femina): Partners discussed conducting desk research, focus groups, and surveys to gather crucial information on accessibility challenges and needs of individuals with disabilities undertaking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.
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WP3 – Compass Web App (led by Clictic): Clictic outlined the development stages for the web app, including planning and analysis, design and prototyping, development, and testing.
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WP4 – Journey Bluepring & Chronicles (led by FDO & Ofensiva Tinerilor): There were detailed sessions on the e-learning platform’s aims, content, and structure, as well as discussions on the Learning, Teaching, Training Activities (LTTA), including dates, program, and organization of work.
The afternoon sessions also included important discussions on dissemination and communication plans, where EIA – Ensino e Investigacao e Administracao S.A. presented proposals for the systematic dissemination of the project and its results, including social media, regular press releases, website, and logo. Partners also focused on finding synergies and fostering cooperation to effectively develop WPs and other project activities. The day concluded with a Q&A session, and a dinner at Maridaxe & Praza Eirado do Costal, Cangas, Pontevedra, for partners to network and build connections.
Day 2: Project Management, Quality, and Next Steps
The second day, May 23rd, began with a summary of Day 1 by FDO, ensuring all participants were aligned. Key discussions and decisions were made on project management and reporting, including a presentation of the Project Management Handbook, financial management, project repository, communication channels, and Project Management Group (PMG).
Ofensiva Tinerilor (OT) led discussions on the monitoring, quality, and evaluation plan, including GDPR compliance, to ensure project quality and ethical implementation. The meeting also included first ideas on research and focus groups, with discussions on structure, organization, content, participant recruitment, and dates.
Partners also discussed the project launch in each country, focusing on recruiting participants and stakeholders, and fostering cooperation between partners to maximize project impact. The meeting concluded with a summary of action items, future tasks, and deadlines, including the next online meeting date (June 12th, 2024) and the schedule for upcoming Transnational Project Meetings (TPMs).
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Next online meeting: June 12th, 2024
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TPM 2 (online): October 3rd, 2024
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TPM 3 (in-situ, Arad, Romania): March 11-14, 2025
The kick-off meeting successfully set the stage for the InCASA project, fostering collaboration, and outlining key activities to achieve its goal of an accessible Camino de Santiago