Hope4more’s Art focused intervention programme aims to improve the long term prospects of children with anxiety or similar conditions at risk of school refusal, through the delivery of a structured Art and Design programme along side counselling service.
Pupils will attend 1 session per week in a dedicated facility away from the pupils normal education setting. The programme is designed to follow a lesson plan similar to a btec foundation level. When a child becomes close to school refusal families often find themselves in crisis. The impact is on not just the young person, but the whole family. We will use art as the calming therapy, whilst showing the young people how to use their designs on products, and produce a basic website. We have a qualified counsellor on site during the sessions and will allow the young people to have access to them by prior arrangement.
We have met with schools, Reasheath, Motherwell, a number of school refusers, PCSO’s (who have agreed to visit and do a session on internet safety), CVS, and various artists – who have agreed to give talks on how they made a career from art or design.
The project is not just about art, it is showing the young people how they can gain additional skills outside of the school environment. By attending the course they will feel less isolated due to having social interaction in group. They should grow in confidence as I am yet to see anyone have their design on a product not feel proud of their achievement.
