Welcome to the School of Being
A Place to Belong, Create, and Recover Together
Hello and Welcome!
You’ve found your way to a special place – a community where your story matters, your creativity is valued, and your well-being is at the heart of everything we do.
The School of Being is for anyone who needs space to heal, connect, and grow at their own pace. Here, there are no labels or pressure — just kindness, gentle presence, and opportunities to share your talents or learn new ones.
On first arrival at the informal welcoming reception at the entrance to the Cafe Society meeting space you will register your membership privately, and receive an ID card fr use throughout the schools facilities and online special access.
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What Can You Expect Here?
• Creative Workshops
Experimental Mark Making, Abstract Pigment & Texture Exploration, Craft Consciousness, Projected Digital Media Projects – Adobe Creative Cloud supported or Free Movement Mark Making on Surface.
• Wellness Activities
Movement Motivation, Breathing Practises, and Eureka Moments of Epiphany and Expression
• Caring Presence Companions
Friendly visitors and participants who’ve learnt how to be present and empathically engaged
• Community Spaces
Ambient Spaces and Cloister Cushion Spaces for Rest, Contemplation, Group Meditation & Mindful Slowness
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How Do We Care for Each Other?
• We Listen, Hear and Bear Witness Together
You decide What, Why and How to share and When.
• We Respect Your Pace
There’s no rush, in letting What Will Be Will Be.
• We Honor Boundaries
Comfort, Comfidence and Contentment come first.
• We Celebrate Your Strength
Every step forward is a success.
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What is caring presence?
It is when friends gather together, who are simply and naturally there when needed but never to be disrespected or abused.
• They will witness your presence and be present in themselves
• Help you find the right help, support, direction, or tools and materials
• Share a story, a song, a poem, a thought, or just a funny coincidence
• Invite you to join in, whenever you’re ready, motivated and willing
Over time and visits you become that Caring Presence too, for yourself and others – kindness comes from connection.
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Your First Steps Here
1. Arrive and Be Welcomed
Someone will greet you, answer questions, and help you feel at ease.
2. Explore and Choose
Try out a workshop or wellness session, or simply rest in our shared spaces.
3. Connect When Ready
Meet Caring Presence companions or fellow participants — or enjoy quiet moments alone.
4. Give Feedback
Share what feels good or what could be better — we want to hear your voice.
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Important Notes
• There are no wrong feelings here.
It’s okay to feel whatever you feel.
• You don’t need to be ‘productive.’
Just showing up counts.
• Safety is everyone’s job.
If you ever feel uncomfortable, please tell a facilitator or Caring Presence.
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We Are Glad You’re Here
The School of Being is a community built on respect, creativity, and care. Thank you for bringing your unique self. We look forward to sharing this journey with you.
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For questions or support, please speak with a facilitator or Caring Presence at any time.
A Caring Presence Guide
Creating a Humane, Supportive Atmosphere
What We Mean by ‘Caring Presence‘
At the School of Being, help does not come in the form of authority, diagnosis, or intervention — it comes as a caring, emotionally present companion. Someone who notices, listens, and remains.
We refer to these individuals not as “volunteers” or “support workers,” but as companions, guides, or simply people who’ve been through it too. They hold space for others — in the workshop, on a walk, in silence, or in creative flow — with no pressure, no fixing, and no evaluation.
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Language & Tone Principles
1. Soft, relational vocabulary
• Use phrases like “join us,” “sit with us,” “let’s find out,” “you’re welcome here.”
• Avoid clinical or evaluative language (“treatment,” “client,” “case,” “progress”).
2. First-name basis – All interactions are on equal footing. There are no titles, uniforms, or hierarchies.
3. Story over status – People are valued for their lived experience and creative contribution, and not for their social, material, or financial acquisitions or self-perceived social status.
4. No forced sharing or productivity – Everyone can contributes at their own pace. Being present is enough.
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The Role of a Caring Presence
| Traditional Role | Caring Presence Equivalent |
| Support worker | Companion or co-creator |
| Therapist | Reflective listener (when appropriate) |
| Activity facilitator | Collaborative participant |
| Volunteer | Trusted peer or friend-like guide |
These individuals:
• May have overcome their own challenges and now feel ready to give back
• Are not required to take on emotional burdens — they simply show up, hold space, and model stability
• Might help set up a room, make tea, sit quietly with someone, or share a laugh over a creative project
• Are oriented through a gentle values-based guide, not rigid training or job descriptions
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Principles That Guide Their Presence
• Warmth without pressure
• Presence over performance
• Boundaries with empathy
• Humour and humanity
• Shared moments, not saviour roles
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Activities That Foster Caring Presence
These are not “interventions” but invitations to connect, co-create, or simply be together:
• Collaborative creative making (pottery, painting, collaging)
• Shared gentle movement or breathwork
• Cooking simple meals or snacks together
• Sitting quietly in a beautiful space or natural light
• Tending to a garden, library, or common room
• Journaling in silence beside others
• Hosting “silent hours” where presence is enough
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Architectural & Spatial Design Considerations
The site layout at Antiga Fàbrica de les Capses will help facilitate this culture of presence:
• Warm, quiet zones for resting and informal connection
• Nooks for one-to-one chats or co-sitting
• Open studios where people can drift in and out of activity
• Shared kitchen or café-style spaces where people feel “at home”
• Soft, human-scale lighting and acoustics to reduce overwhelm
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Suggested Manifesto or Pledge (for Caring Presence participants)
I am not here to fix you. I am here to be with you.
I bring no agenda, only time.
I offer my company, my presence, and my humanity.
I will be kind with your silence, and steady in your company.
We are both still becoming. I will walk beside you awhile.
This can be offered in printed form, shared in workshops, or reflected on during companion orientation sessions.
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Integrating “Caring Presence” Across the School
• Include Caring Presence roles in every creative and wellness strand
• Create time and space for quiet companionship in group schedules
• Invite past participants to step into Caring Presence roles when ready
• Offer simple reflection spaces, not performance reviews or assessments
• Frame Caring Presence as part of the cultural ecology — not as support staff
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Alignment with Funders & Social Innovation
Fundació “la Caixa” and NextGenerationEU place emphasis on:
• Community care and co-production — this model reflects mutual aid and dignity-based recovery
• Social inclusion through participation — Caring Presence allows those once marginalised to become re-integrated agents of connection
• Ethical innovation in social care — A relational model, not transactional or medicalised
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Caring Presence at the School of Being
A One-Page Inclusion Policy & Orientation Guide
What is a “Caring Presence”?
A Caring Presence is a person who simply shows up with kindness.
• They may sit beside someone in silence, help tidy a room, listen without fixing, or share a quiet moment during a walk or creative session.
• They are not therapists, supervisors, or formal volunteers.
• They are fellow travellers — people who’ve been through difficult things and have found their way back to steadiness.
• They offer company, not solutions.
Support, not judgment. Time, not pressure.
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How We Speak and Behave
We believe that the way we speak, listen, and act creates the culture we live in.
So we choose language that feels safe, soft, and human:
| Instead of this… | We say this… |
| “Client” | “Person” or “Participant” |
| “Volunteer support” | “Caring presence” or “Companion” |
| “Treatment” | “Time together” or “Creative session” |
| “What’s wrong?” | “How are you arriving today?” |
Core Commitments of a Caring Presence
• I offer gentle attention, not evaluation.
• I respect your pace — whether it’s slow, silent, or uncertain.
• I share this space with you, not over you.
• I hold boundaries with care and clarity.
• I never force a story, a smile, or a solution.
• I understand that being present is already doing enough.
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What You Might Do
• Sit beside someone during a creative workshop
• Greet people at the door or make tea in the shared kitchen
• Offer a listening ear — or a quiet companionable silence
• Help someone find materials or join a session
• Notice if someone looks lost and gently invite them in
• Share a laugh or a simple story from your own experience
• Reflect with facilitators about what you’ve noticed or felt
You don’t need to be an expert.
You don’t need to have all the words.
You just need to be willing — and kind.
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Boundaries Are Welcome
Caring Presences are invited to say:
“I don’t know.”
“I need a moment.”
“I can’t take this on.”
“I’m here, but I’m not here to carry everything.”
We protect the well-being of our companions as much as our participants.
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Inclusion, Not Hierarchy
Everyone at the School of Being — whether arriving for the first time or returning as a helper — is treated with equal dignity and welcome.
We don’t wear badges or uniforms.
We don’t create ranks.
We don’t believe in “them” and “us.”
We believe in us.
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For Funders and Institutional Allies
This model of care reflects the principles of:
• Fundació “la Caixa”: Promoting social inclusion, mental health, and cultural participation through human-centred models of care
• NextGenerationEU: Advancing resilient, inclusive social innovation and new approaches to community recovery after periods of trauma or disconnection
Caring Presence is an ethical design choice, not a cost-saving measure.
It is what makes the School of Being feel like a place to belong, not just a place to recover.
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Pilot Programme Handbook
School of Being – Outline
Phase I: Creative Recovery, Community Wellness & Caring Presence
1. Introduction
• Mission & Values of the School of Being
• Overview of the Pilot Programme (purpose, timeframe, target groups)
• Core Principles: Dignity, Belonging, Presence, Creativity, Non-Hierarchy
2. Site Overview
• Description of the Antiga Fàbrica de les Capses layout
• Use of each building (Creative Studio, Wellness Centre, Shared Spaces)
• Accessibility and comfort planning
• Notes on heritage preservation and adaptive reuse
3. Programme Components
A. Creative Recovery Workshops
• Description of artistic, digital, and craft-based activities
• Integration of Adobe Creative Cloud & digital collaboration tools
• Facilitator roles and workshop rhythm
B. Wellness & Gentle Movement
• Mindfulness, movement, breathing, walking
• Body-based grounding sessions
• Schedule alignment with energy levels and mood variation
C. Community Kitchen & Rest Spaces
• Communal meals and tea-making
• Spaces for quiet, non-verbal connection
• Invitation to drop-in presence
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4. Caring Presence: People Who Walk Beside
What It Is
A non-clinical, emotionally supportive, quietly responsive presence.
Who Can Participate
• Former participants who feel ready
• Locals with life experience in stress, recovery, or emotional growth
• Creatives and makers drawn to compassionate community roles
Orientation Overview
• 1–2 short gatherings to reflect on tone, language, and boundaries
• Clear expectations without pressure or obligation
• Peer co-learning, not top-down training
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Caring Presence High Sensitivity Flow
Participants arrive
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Warm welcome by staff or facilitator
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Caring Presence companion notices, greets or simply makes eye contact gently
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Workshop / Wellness session begins
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Caring Presence may:
– sit beside someone quietly
– help find materials
– assist non-verbally
– gently engage a shy participant
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After session, helps clear space or chats informally in communal area
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Optional group debrief with facilitators
Ongoing reflection + soft peer support
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5. Roles & Responsibilities
| Role | Description | Emphasis |
| Participants | Individuals engaging in creative or wellness experiences | Safety, self-direction, trust |
| Facilitators | Artists, movement guides, digital creators | Inspire, guide, hold structure |
| Caring Presence | Peers holding emotional space | Companionship, boundary-aware support |
| Coordinators | Oversee logistics and communication | Steady rhythm, access, feedback loops |
6. Schedule & Rhythm
• Weekly flow of activities (e.g. alternating creative & wellness days)
• Quiet hours and reflective time
• Monthly sharing circle (optional, participant-led)
• Flexible attendance model: consistency encouraged, not enforced
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7. Monitoring & Feedback
• Simple, low-pressure self-reflections from participants
• Facilitator logs: insights, needs, adaptations
• Caring Presence reflections (optional, anonymous, narrative-based)
• Inclusion of non-verbal and emotional data (e.g. tone, energy) in review
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8. Sustainability & Growth
• Economic empowerment via skill-sharing and monetisable workshops
• Integration of paid roles for trained participants
• Revenue from exhibitions, digital assets, or workshop services
• Social enterprise pathways aligned with Fundació “la Caixa” and NextGenerationEU social cohesion goals
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9. Appendices
• Caring Presence Pledge (in short form)
• Inclusion Policy
• Site Risk & Safety Summary
• Accessibility & Participation Framework
• Soft Language & Interaction Guidelines
• Funders & Partner Collaboration Summary