Enhancing skills and wellbeing of older people through fun and gentle creative arts activities
IROKO Theatre Company is delighted to announce that it has received a grant of £39,238 from The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, one of the Mercers’ Family of Charities, towards our ‘Forever Young’ project.
‘Forever Young’ will use creative arts activities as vehicles to enhance the emotional wellbeing and skills of isolated and/or lonely older people from different cultural backgrounds and some of whom have mild/moderate dementia. The project will take place in the London Boroughs of Newham, Redbridge and Barking and Dagenham.
Activities include
- Oral Storytelling skills development workshops
- Traditional African group music-making and gentle movement workshops
- African bare-hand clay modelling, arts and crafts workshops
- Museum of London Docklands’ ‘Memories of London’ workshops
- Festive Sharing Days/Weekenders: picnics, celebratory events, etc.
Workshop Album
Partners:
- Museum of London Docklands
- Manor Park Neighbourhood Team
- North East London NHS Foundation Trust (Older Adult Mental Health Team)
- Redbridge Central Library (Celebratory Projects and Health & Wellbeing)
- Alzheimer’s Society Newham
- Arthritis Self-help Support Network
- Dagenham Park School
- The Big Friendly Coffee
Training
‘Forever Young’ will provide skills development opportunities for 10 older people through intensive workshop programme that will enable them to acquire oral storytelling performance skills, as well as to enhance their confidence and self-esteem. Successful participants in the programme will each receive IROKO’s National Open College Network accredited certificate.
Five representatives from partner organisations will also be trained in IROKO methodology in working with older people.
Volunteering opportunities
‘Forever Young’ will provide volunteering opportunities for 10 older people as project volunteers/participants.
