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Creative Expression program
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The Adolescent Creative Expression program operates from the adolescent unit at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne.
The program is based on the developmental understanding that adolescents continue to need opportunities for creative expression and recreation despite illness, disability and hospitalisation.
The program aims to provide adolescents with the opportunity to develop connections with peers while developing their social and experiential skills through participation in a broad range of creative and recreational-based activities. The program is heavily reliant upon financial sponsorship and a large team od dedicated volunteers and students on placement.
A brief description of some of the programs and activities currently being provided to adolescent impatients at the Royal Children's Hospital follows.
- Art therapy
- Sculpting & mask making
- Silk painting & 3d art
- The bedside activity program
- Computers & digital technology
- Body art
- Music therapy
Art therapy
In the hospital environment, thoughts and feelings can be intense. Creative expression through art provides an opportunity for young people to explore and express themselves through a variety of non-verbal means.
Sculpting & mask making
A variety of mediums are used in the sculpting and mask making sessions including dental plaster, chocolate, paper, leather and fabric. Adolescent inpatients are assisted in the design and creation of the mask that captures a state of mind, emotion or fantasy place.
Silk painting & 3d art
Silk painting, 3d-art program can be engaging for both young people restricted to bed as well as in group settings. Young people have been involved in the design and construction of a number of large artwork pieces that were created with the aim of being placed on display as public art pieces in the adolescent unit. Materials used include fabrics, folk art paints, paper, beads, sequences, cd & ribbon.
The bedside activity program
The bedside activity program aims to provide emotional support and distraction to young people who are unable to participate in a group setting. Activities are provided on a one to one basis and include painting, body art, 3d art, silk painting and board games. The program is heavily reliant upon our volunteers.
Computers & digital technology
A number of programs aimed at encouraging adolescents to explore their creative interests using digital technology are run. They include an adolescent video program (exploring issues relevant to young people and the inpatient experience) and a photo shop photography, art and sculpting project.
Body art
The body art program aims to provide both bedside and group opportunities for young people to have fun with the design and construct of various forms of images in the decoration of the body. The emphasis of this program is having fun and being creative and has proven to be extremely popular.
Music therapy
Young people enjoy songwriting and other musical activities as part of our music therapy program. (clare.kildea@rch.org.au).
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