The Emilia Project
iBUG, along with Barnet Voice (Barnet Service Users Group), the Haringey User Network (HUN) and EMU (Enfield Mental Health Users Group) contributes greatly to this European Project. We have worked very closely with Professor Peter Ryan in developing Emilia.
The mission statement of Emilia:
The EMILIA project will explore the use of lifelong learning as a means of achieving improved social inclusion of mental health service users with enduring, long term mental health difficulties. The aim of the study is to improve the way in which service users can experience greater participation and inclusion either in the delivery of services or in education and training delivery in meaningful ways which is intended to include greater social inclusion, and paid employment, however locally defined.
The project
EMILIA is a Framework 6 European Union project, funded at €3.4 million over a four and a half year period, in the thematic area of Lifelong Learning. It is the only European project funded in this area and therefore has to demonstrate that it addresses Lifelong Learning agenda in a through and comprehensive manner. Framework 6 research projects are designed to be large and ambitious, so as to develop a pan-European critical mass of research and development expertise, in a specific area (in this case mental health). Framework 6 integrated projects are required to contain significant elements of research and training and to demonstrate the efficacy of the innovation they are proposing. One of the major innovations of the EMILIA project is that it is trying to use a lifelong learning process to facilitate the social inclusion of mental health service users. In doing this it is also attempting to integrate European policy in four areas: Lifelong learning, social inclusion, employment and information technology.
To find out more, please visit www.emiliaproject.net
