Artwork by Nectarie Chelcea
Carried by the travelling wave
Magda Cernea - psychologist / audiologist / drama therapist
Hey! Hello! Do you remember what was written on the note hanging on my doorknob since we stopped talking?… It said, “Don’t disturb me!” and I see you’ve taken it seriously! Come on! Come on! I was just kidding! I really want you to “bother” me with questions! I can’t wait to give you an answer and I’ll be sooo happy to do it! Since then I’ve become a hero in a story, carried by my travelling wave. It’s no joke, even if it looks like a figure of speech! I’m telling you honestly that’s exactly how I’ve felt and I still feel because I hope that the WaveforMe story will continue and be told for a long time from now on!…
If I had been able to choose, I would have attended all 3 online workshops proposed by the coordination team, because they all seemed interesting, but you know…. I’ve already told you… I was very upset! My school timetable only allowed me to attend one- the “Public speaking” one, which was a-ma-zing! I’ve never attended anything like this before and I’ve never felt more creative and confident than here! The workshop was full of: fun, effervescence, creativity, good mood, freedom, collaboration and trust! It was very cool!
𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝟐
𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝟐 – the second medium-length film produced by the VAR Association – it is a production that reflects the quintessence of a project dedicated to hearing-impaired teenagers and preteens (cochlear implants/hearing aids carriers) from Romania. For 10 weeks (January- March 2022) 16 youngers gathered from different regions of the country were challenged through online workshops based on play therapy techniques, percussion, puppet making and visual arts (film, drawing and photography ) to discover and value their inner resources, generating their own visions and creations. During the two months, guided by the project implementation team, they managed to create over 400 video and audio materials which went through a careful selection process in the post-production stage. Therefore, the images and sounds found in the film highlight their identity, resources, quests and wishes. Through this film, the initiators aim to promote diversity and tolerance, thus increasing these youngers’ degree of awareness and acceptance of reality. The audience have the opportunity to discover unique visions and approaches – realities seen, heard and felt by them. An honest dialogue between the creators and the wide audience.
Artwork by Nectarie Chelcea
WaveforMe community members about their experience in creative workshops
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Roxana: ”What I liked most is the fact that I started talking again. I liked very much that we worked together.”
Albert: ”First of all I gained experience. What I liked most was the activity in which we talked about the story of our lives.”
Luana: ”There are a lot of things that I have already got: creativity, sincerity, new friends and all the interesting things we have talked about.”
Maria: ”I liked the way they linked us in one single heart. It helped us to see the world differently, to understand things better.”
Alex: “Talking – the word that describes my experience the best.”
Nicola: ”This project made me happy! I liked everything. I wouldn’t change anything.”
Artwork by Maria Gîngu
WaveforMe, for you, for us!
VAR Cultural Association, Romania, with a wide experience in implementing and developing projects with a strong socio-cultural character, has launched, this year in February, the
first international project WaveforMe dedicated to promoting the creative potential of the youth with hearing impairments, cochlear implant/ hearing aids carriers.
The project was created due to the positive impact of the previous approaches. An emblematic item, “Sound Imprint” (2021), a medium -length film which captures the portraits and
presents the voices of 29 youth with hearing impairments, cochlear implant/ hearing aids, the protagonists and makers of the film, is available for free in English too.
https://www.varcultural.eu/proiecte/amprenta-sunetului/ (a project supported by the Community Foundation and MOL Romania).
VAR Cultural Association develops on 3 directions and in different stages: social, educational and cultural.
THE SOUND IMPRINT
The WaveforMe platform hosts the movie “The Sound Imprint”, the final product of the project with the same name. By means of this medium – length movie, we invite you to discover a sequence of video-poems that bring to the forefront the portraits and voices of the 29 participants – the protagonists and makers of the film. They managed to give life to authentic, unique, powerful and sensitive stories through the images they captured, through the emotions and experiences they shared. The film can be watched for free and it is subtitled in English.
Duration: 29 min
A production of the VAR Cultural Association / Romania
Launch date: July 10th , 2021
Project supported by the Community Foundation, through the MOL Programme for Children’s Health.
A film by Natalia Almași, Cristian Bogdan, Andrei Bogdan, Cristian Boboc, Ema Bota, Alexandra Brașov, Nectarie Chelcea, Nicolae Chelcea, Octavian Chiosea, Tina Casagicu, Roxana Cazacu, Daniela Cornea, Andreea Deacu, Andreea Enache. Liviu Enescu, Maria Gîngu, Nicola Ghinea, Matei Mortu, Alexandru Mocanu, Rareș Morogan, Cristina Olteanu, Andra Pop, Luana Popa, Antonia Potcoavă, Albert Sivriu, Paul Spanache, Marina Trușcă, Ana Uță, Eduard Vieru
coordinated by Vero Nica, Magda Cernea, Andra Hera, Daniela Ilinca
Partner organization: ”Ascultă Viața”, ”Audiosofia”, ”Asociația Audiologilor din România”, ”Koala RAV”, ”Perspective pentru copiii hipoacuzici”, ”Auzi, Înțelegi, Trăiești”, ”Asociația de Terapie prin Joc și Dramaterapie din România”.
Talk to Maria G, participant in the public speaking workshop
1. What made you sign up for the WaveforMe project?
The desire to meet and interact with people, who have the same company as me, pushed me to sign up for this project. It’s not the only reason, I have a lot, for example I knew I could see my dear ones, like Magda, Vero and the others. Now, from my own experience, I know that here they can teach you how to express your feelings, not only to your family but also to your friends, a step that I slowly overcame, so I was able to understand how things work in the current society.
2. What expectations did you have when you registered and what did you think you would get after participating in the workshops?
I’ve participated in many projects, but this was the BEST and most complex one, here I learned about emotions, interaction, games, etc. Anyway, I thought (honestly) that it would be one to win my heart for sure, without even trying, because I have participated in other projects carried out by the current organizers and I liked it. I thought that I would be able to achieve many goals after this, because I would know the others’ perspective towards the world, so I could improve my own, with my own ideas. And, of course, I expected it to be challenging, but the truth is that I didn’t even have time enough to finish some things because of my busy life.
photo credits: Cristian Boboc
I and My Lucky Wave
Magda Cernea - psychologist / audiologist / drama therapist
I feel tired...stressed...unpleased...bored. I’m sick of school! I’m sick of homework! I’m sick of this dizzying rhythm I live day by day! I can’t suffer it anymore! I’m going into my room, putting my headphones on and I want nothing else but listening to my favourite music and to be left alone! I feel overwhelmed by everything! School, homework, routes, tuition all the time and it goes on the same again and again. I feel like going around in a circle having no way to get out and I do not have time even for breathing. I feel I want to do something else...something I really like doing! I know I am a creative person, I have a lot of interesting ideas, I love drawing, dancing, expressing myself as I want to! I need to break out!
Talk to Alice Popa, mother of a child with a cochlear implant, clinical psychologist, president of the KOALA Verbal Auditory Rehabilitation Association.
1.What made you register your daughter for the workshops in this project?
I was attracted by the theme of the workshops and the fact that she had worked with the trainers in the project before.
2.What was the reason why you chose these workshops?
The decision belonged to my daughter, she chose themes that she likes.
3.Did it matter that they were online and that they were offered for free?
It mattered that they were online, it made it easier for her to participate, having classes in the afternoon, she doesn’t have much free time. And the fact that they were free was also welcomed.
Talk to Gál Katalin, president of the Perspectives Association for deaf children in Romania
Questions
1.What made you accept the proposal to participate as a partner in the organization of the WaveforMe project?
The quality. By participating as a partner in “The Sound Imprint” project, I had the opportunity to meet the team that is close to Magda and I am honored to have been able to participate as a partner in this project, too.
2.What is your contribution to this project?
The media coverage of the project and informing the potential participants of the opportunity to be part of this great program, as well as the presentation of the project in the magazine of our association- “Perspectives”.