The Schools Wellbeing and Arts Project, commissioned by Somerset County Council’s Public Health Team, uses the Creative Arts to help children and young people recover from the impact of the pandemic.
The pandemic had a dramatic impact on children and young people’s cognitive development and mental health. Those with additional needs were amongst the hardest hit. Spaeda have partnered with artists and schools across Somerset to help children and young people navigate their journey to recovery.
Using art and creativity as a therapeutic tool, Bolder and Braver seeks to empower young learners with additional needs, giving them opportunities to reflect as well as new skills to raise their aspirations and better equip them for living their best adult life.
Creative input from artists is used to spark the imagination, helping staff and learners take creative risks and produce high quality artistic outcomes. Underpinning the creative exploration, an enterprise theme, led by the schools, aims to help young people understand the relationship between products and costs, employability skills and earned income.
To provide a solid foundation Bolder and Braver has included training for teachers and support staff to boost skills and confidence in leading art projects with young people across the 12 partner schools. Staff reflect on the impact of the Bolder and Braver training here:
I needed a day like today to feel inspired and enthusiastic again
Today has been a wonderful mindful day, which after a busy & tough half term will have a positive impact on my resilience & concentration over the rest of the term
Just what I needed! One of the most difficult weeks ever – but the best Friday
Inspired creativity through the therapeutic nature of the activities. Enabled ‘slowing down’ and being ‘in the now’
With artists Lucia Harley, Rich Tomlinson and Liz Gregory continuing to visit schools to inspire students this term, we are already beginning to see the impact and legacy of Bolder and Braver. Take a look at how the project has been progressing so far.
Bolder and Braver was devised in partnership with SEN.se and builds on the learning from their ‘pop up shops,’ providing a platform to showcase outcomes and achievements through Young Somerset’s Bold and Brave shop in Taunton. We are incredibly grateful to both these partners for their collaboration and inspiration. You can find out more about our project partners here:
SEN.se https://www.sen-se.org.uk/
Young Somerset https://www.youngsomerset.org.uk/pages/category/bold-brave