CASE STUDY 1 Orquestra Geração (OG) Emerged in 2007 and aimed to develop a set of actions that would help combat factors of social exclusion, such as school absenteeism or unemployment, especially in the younger classes, which constituted the great majority of the population coming from other social disadvantaged neighbourhoods and rehoused in Casal da Boba. This project focused in the action and social integration through music and it was destined primarily to young people in social and educational vulnerability situations. By 2015, OG had already extended its activities to 18 public schools or clusters throughout the country (although mostly in Lisbon); involving approximately 1,500 young people (Mota and Lopes, 2017).
Project Fundamentals The benefits of education through the study of arts and in particular through music have been widely demonstrated. Several studies have highlighted the benefits of music in education and the development of children and young people (Hallan, 2010). In general, the work on this theme emphasizes the ef-
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| The COURAGE Project
fects on cognitive development - spatial intelligence, confidence, school success and creativity - whether physical - health and well-being - or social - gains in self-esteem, social cohesion and sociability revealed by the children and young people. OG bases its methodology on the experience of El Sistema (ES) - National System of children and youth orchestras of Venezuela, created in 1975. Orquestra Geração aims to provide children from unfavourable conditions with an extensive and comprehensive educational program that will help their social integration. The OG system also aims to contribute to a more harmonious growth of children and young people by extending their life prospects and promoting social mobility through inclusion and school success as a whole. Therefore, OG also helps them gradually to build their personalities in order to prepare them to be able to choose, in the future, a profession away from marginality, crime and drugs. They achieve these goals through musical education, especially orchestra playing, since working together
