From April 7–11, 2025, the third edition of the international project “In Someone’s Shoes” was organized under the Erasmus Blended Intensive Programme. This year’s event brought together European participants, offering a rich educational and workshop program.
Project Participants:
- 24 students and 8 academic teachers from countries such as Belgium, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Spain, Romania, and Portugal.
- 7 partner universities, including:
- Odisee in Brussels, Belgium
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia
- University of Rijeka, Croatia
- Veleučilište Ivanić-Grad, Croatia
- Masaryk University, Czech Republic
- Catholic University of Valencia, Spain
- University of Maia, Portugal
- 11 Polish volunteers who supported the event’s organization.
- 5 social organizations:
- Fundacja Aktywnej Rehabilitacji FAR (Lower Silesia Region)
- Fundacja Moc Pomocy
- Wrocław Vocational Activity Facility
- MiserArt – A Creative Zone in the Labyrinth of Exclusion
- Altix
- Special guests who contributed to the project:
- Alicja Andruszko
- Kamil Otowski
- Wojtek Makowski – Ruchem do Zmian
Program and Participant Experiences
Over five intensive days, participants had the opportunity to “step into the shoes” of individuals with disabilities by engaging in practical exercises and workshops simulating daily challenges. They experienced architectural, communicational, social, and technological barriers while learning about innovative solutions supporting people with limited mobility or other impairments.
A key aspect of the program was fostering empathy and raising awareness about the realities of living with disabilities, enriching the participants personally and professionally.
Guest Lectures
The event also featured inspiring lectures delivered by experts from partner universities, including:
- “Hiking is an enjoyable activity for people with disabilities” – Petra Krstičević, Veleučilište Ivanić-Grad, Croatia
- “Mental health of young figure skaters and Figure Skating for disabled” – Barbora Ševčíková, Masaryk University, Czech Republic
- “Disability, sexuality, and human rights – let’s talk about you and me” – Alice Pereira, University of Maia, Portugal
- “Blind person or person with low vision, audio description” – Sandra Santiago, University of Maia, Portugal
- “Sensory-motor integration of children/adults with autism” – Costescu Elena and Dunca Adriana, Apollonia University of Iasi, Romania
Organization and Coordination
The Erasmus Team organized the event under the leadership of:
- Aneta Stosik, Associate Professor, Vice-Rector for Development and Cooperation with the Environment
- Katarzyna Olszewska, PhD – Project Leader
- Monika Ilecka-Folcik, McS
The “In Someone’s Shoes” project is a unique initiative combining education, integration, and practical experience. It supports participants’ social and professional development while fostering greater awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities.
Media:
Photoreport, mgr inż. Monika Ilecka-Folcik
