JOINING EFFORTS was a collaborative interactive theatre project with partners from Armenia (Theatre for Changes - the leading partner of the project), Bulgaria (Theatre Tsvete) and the UK (Child-to-Child Trust). It was aimed at supporting on-going efforts to reduce prejudice against children with special needs, as well as help mentally or physically disabled children to enjoy a full and decent life. The project was comprised of several collaborative stages, which took place in Armenia and Bulgaria from January - August 2012.     

Within the frames of the project young interactive theatre artists produced a 35-minute collaborative interactive-educational bilingual play "FIND ME" (in Armenian and Bulgarian) that is dedicated to the promotion of the rights of disabled children.  

In June 2012 the play successfully toured in Armenia and in Bulgaria with 10 presentations in 10 different child oriented institutions in Yerevan, Gyumri, Sofia and Varna reaching over 1200 schoolchildren aged 7-13.    

Child-to-Child training in Yerevan in February 2012

The project culminated in a handbook on interactive-educational theatre published in 3 languages - English, Armenian and Bulgarian, which provides basic information on interactive-educational theatre as a tool to promote the rights of children with disabilities.

The handbook was distributed by project partners among amateur theatre groups, teachers from inclusive schools and child oriented centers, as well as NGOs and cultural organizations working with/for children with disabilities in Armenia, Bulgaria and the UK. 

The project was supported by the European Cultural Foundation, the European Youth Foundation, Street Theatre Workshop Trust (UK) and the Child Development Foundation (Armenia).