Last week, partners of the WellHome project gathered in Norway for the second in-person transnational meeting, hosted by our Norwegian partner FØNIX. This meeting marked an important milestone in the development of one of the project’s core elements: the WellHome training programme.
The meeting focused primarily on the advancement of the training pathway led by the Italian organisation MeM. This programme introduces an innovative and human-centred approach to interior design education, starting from personal introspection before moving into the practical design of living spaces. Rather than beginning with technical solutions, WellHome places people and their lived experiences at the heart of the learning process.
From self-reflection to spatial design
The WellHome training programme is built as a progressive learning journey that guides participants from reflecting on how they inhabit spaces to actively designing environments that support wellbeing. Through a strong learning-by-doing methodology, participants are encouraged to explore the emotional, physical and social dimensions of living spaces before translating these insights into practical design solutions.
This approach aims to train educators and future interior designers who are capable of creating environments that enhance physical, emotional and social wellbeing. A distinctive feature of WellHome is its strong commitment to inclusion: the training is specifically designed for people with learning difficulties linked to disabilities or mental health challenges, offering them a meaningful opportunity for both personal growth and professional development.
Improving tools and learning experiences
During the meeting in Norway, project partners worked collaboratively to refine the training tools and learning materials. Special attention was given to ensuring that the resources are engaging, practical, replicable and adaptable to the diverse needs of participants across different countries.
Partners also discussed how to integrate design and fabrication activities through Fab Labs, reinforcing creativity while fostering technological and digital skills. By combining hands-on making with reflective learning, the WellHome programme supports participants in developing both confidence and competence in real-world design contexts.
Next steps: training of trainers and pilot phase
The next key milestone will take place in November in Italy, where a training of trainers session will be organised ahead of the pilot phase. In each partner country – Spain, Latvia, Norway and Greece – ten participants will be trained to apply the WellHome methodology in real spaces designed for vulnerable groups.
This phase will be crucial in testing the effectiveness of the training programme and adapting it further based on real-life experiences and feedback.
