Creative Journeys Report 2019

Creative Journeys 45 Well, they’ve knitted little bows to go on the dogs’ collars. They’ve got their knitting club going. They’ve knitted bits for the homeless as well, haven’t they, blankets. And, well, I’d like to start something for premature babies at the hospital. (Stage two care manager) In the other homes, examples were given of residents doing crafts together in order to then give them to loved ones. …the residents make little keyrings for their families for Christmas and things like a little calendar. (Stage two activities coordinator) We do a lot of activities…I make cards. I made my sister a birthday card... (Stage two resident) In one of the care homes from stage two, the home had previously had external arts practitioners come in and facilitate intergenerational arts participation. The residents and children from a local school made various crafts collaboratively and also produced a film animation. The care manager at the home reported how the artists provided the residents and their family members with DVDs of what they had been doing, and this was described as changing the perceptions of family members about the resident they were related to. This project therefore served as an opportunity to build relationships between residents and local school children, but also with their own family members who then saw them in a new light: …with their project, they did a DVD…the artists were lovely that they did a DVD for all of them… [Ronnie’s] son was really overwhelmed by that, and same with some of the other residents, because I gave it to their families. And to actually watch their mum or their dad doing things and they were like, “Oh, I didn’t think they were capable. I didn’t think they could do that.” So I think that’s quite good, because even some of the families go, “Oh, she won’t be able to paint,” or, “She won’t be able to knit,” or, “They can’t do that.” My God, she’s doing it, and I think that’s really good, the evidence side of things, isn’t it? Like the photos and filming. (Stage two care manager) 4.4.4 Barriers to promoting wider community relationships Barriers to the arts promoting engagement with the wider community which were identified included a lack of funding for bringing in external arts practitioners (or only having enough funding for short periods of involvement), lack of funding and appropriate transport to take residents out into the community, and sometimes the inconsistent involvement of community members within the home. This latter point relates to the time of year, so for example at Christmas time there was more involvement with the community and also when Brownies need to obtain a particular badge, which meant that involvement wasn’t always continual over the year. Further barriers to building relationships with the wider community are considered in the section on sustainability.