Community Outreach
If you are an organisation based in the South East of England interested in any of our outreach courses or workshops, please get in touch to discuss your requirements.
In particular, housing associations or any organisations with customers/residents who are elderly, (including those with dementia and other age-related illnesses) adults with SEN and poor mental health or any scheme looking to offer a social creative opportunity for participants to come together.
We are able to offer a fully funded provision in some areas
For more information on all our outreach programmes contact t.reid@creative-communities.org.uk
Creative Wellbeing Programmes
Creative Communities currently offers a variety of Creative Wellbeing programmes for adult learners. We work in partnership with different organisations to identify learners who are most in need of our courses and devise provision to run in a variety of different to community schemes and centres across West Berkshire.
We are fully inclusive and cater for everyone, including those with special educational needs, adults with mental health challenges, adults with age related illness (including Dementia) parents who may be struggling and vulnerable older learners who may be isolated in rural communities.
Our courses are designed to improve mental, emotional, physical and social wellbeing, with an emphasis on therapeutic art practices, improving physical and mental health by connecting them with other like-minded people and providing a safe and supportive space for engaging with others.
Our courses are set up to run for specific groups in venues such as schools, family hubs, mental health facilities, housing association schemes, care homes, daycentres and community spaces. Courses are arranged on a group-by-group basis and tailored to the needs of the individuals. Most of our courses are free of charge for provider and participant (funding dependent), however some courses/ workshops do carry an additional charge for materials, such as Flower Arranging, however in all cases we work to keep fees as low as possible.
All our courses are delivered by fully qualified and experienced lecturers, who have practical skills, knowledge and experience in their subject area. All our tutors are fully DBS checked and undergo regular lesson observations and mandatory training.
Partnerships
We currently work in partnership with the following organisations:
Sovereign Network Group (SNG)
We work in partnership with SNG to deliver Art for Wellbeing yearlong courses in 6 of their Housing for Older People Schemes (HOPS), and a programme of chair based physical activities called ‘Staying Active’ in 5 HOP schemes located in West Berkshire.
Art For Wellbeing is delivered at:
- York House, Reading
- Blands Court, Burghfield
- Gilbert Court, Thatcham
- Great Barn Court, Thatcham
- Speenhamland Court, Newbury
- Carnarvon Place, Newbury
Staying Active (seated Dance or Fitness) is delivered at:
- York House, Reading
- Trafalgar Court, Theale
- Gilbert Court, Thatcham
- Speenhamland Court, Newbury
- Carnarvon Place, Newbury
West Berkshire Council (WBC)
We work in partnership with WBC’s adult community learning team to deliver a range of programmes including family learning, mental health and confidence building courses and a range of courses devised for older adults in care homes and daycentres.
The Reconnect Programme
The Reconnect Programme runs in council run residential care homes and day centres across West Berkshire. Courses are delivered over 10 weeks, either weekly or fortnightly (depending on preferences). The aim of our courses is to improve mental, emotional and physical wellbeing, through self-expression, working towards a shared goal and the development of fine motor skills and memory function, as well as the all important social aspect – alleviating loneliness and inactivity.
We currently deliver courses in the following West Berkshire schemes:
- Willows Edge care home – Art for Wellbeing
- Birchwood care home – Art for Wellbeing
- Greenfields Daycentre – Art for Wellbeing
- Hungerford Resource Centre – Chair based Dancing
- The Phoenix Centre – Art for Wellbeing
- Occasional Flower Arranging workshops delivered on a rota basis
The following courses and workshops are on offer for each scheme to choose from:
Words and Pictures
Words & Pictures
This course is unique in its design with the objective being to encourage learners to tell their life stories through images and words.
Each learner will be given an A3 sketchbook and each session we will cover a different element of their lives and key events in their past.
The sessions will be learner led, with some sessions based around discussion and storytelling, with other sessions based on creativity.
This course uses language and artistic techniques to explore reminiscence, self-expression, and reflection.
By the end of the course the learner will have produced their life story to treasure and share with friends and family.
Reminiscence Through Creativity
This course uses images, scents, music and discussion to encourage learners to relate to something from their past.
There will then be an art activity for learners to make a creative record of their recollections and reminiscence.
Each session will be themed and we will involve the learners in choosing the themes at the start of the course, these might include things such as landscapes, seascapes, sport, food, familiar architecture, animals, trees, flowers, cars, boats, and seasonal images.
Learners will be able to select themes that interest them and in this way we hope this course can appeal to everyone.
Art
A more traditional Art course with a variety of different techniques covered. This course will also include an element of Art history.
Over the duration of the course learners will discuss the work of different famous artists from the modernist movement and then explore the techniques that would have been used by that artist. Learners will also extend their exploration to similar modern techniques that were not known in that time period.
Sessions will include:
• The Colour Wheel
• Pencil Sketching
• Pastel Drawing
• Watercolour painting
• Acrylic painting
• Collage
Subjects explored will be traditional subject matter such as:
• Portraits
• Landscapes
• Still Life
• Wild Life
• Abstract
Craft
This course will cover a range of different crafts, skills, and techniques. At the start of the course the tutor will discuss preferences with the group and devise the course accordingly.
Each week a different skill/ technique will be covered. Some projects will be individual tasks and others will involve working together as a group. This course is excellent for developing fine motor skills.
Craft sessions will include, but are not limited to:
• Crochet
• Wreath making
• Card making
• Paper crafts/ paper flowers
• Needle felting
• Wire work
• Beading
• Jewellery Making
• Macrame
• Flower pressing/ botanical printing
• Wool craft/ Pom Pom making
Music and Movement
This chair based gentle movement course is comprised of dance and exercise activities where learners are encouraged to feel the mood/tone of the music and move their bodies (gently) according to the tempo.
Sessions will start off slow and gentle with gestural performative movement being encouraged.
As the tempo increases (slightly) participants will be encouraged to free style in their chairs and if the music is familiar and if they would like to, a sing along to the music will be encouraged.
Flower Arranging
A one-off, 2 hour workshop delivered by a specialist Flower Arranging lecturer.
This will be a seasonal workshop and, as such, will include seasonal flowers and foliage.
Learners will work together as a group to create one stunning arrangement which can be placed in the home or day centre for everyone to enjoy.
Depending on the time of year, the tutor may also work with the group on creating small hand tied arrangements or little individual wreaths or posies