Whether it’s painting, stitching, or working with a printing press, being creative is essential to Susan’s wellbeing – she describes it as her 'oxygen' – and she knows how it can assist others to unwind too.
A practicing artist with a Masters in Art Therapy, a former nurse and current Hireup support worker, Susan understands the need for a space where support workers can relax, connect, and express themselves.
So, she applied for a Hireup Impact Grant to host online and in-person art-making classes for fellow disability support workers. Excitingly, she won!
We recently caught up with Susan to learn more about her art-making sessions and how support workers can get involved, no matter their artistic level.
What is your project?
The project will be about connecting support workers together through art.
Art is a way of supporting people emotionally and helping with their wellbeing. I think that’s really important as a support worker because it can be quite isolating if you don’t have any other support workers to talk to.
It’s a win-win situation for everyone. I get to help people, which I love doing. You get to learn some new skills and chat with colleagues you’ve never met before.
Can you take us back to the moment you realised support workers needed something like this?
I was actually inspired by the email I'd got from Hireup regarding the Impact Grants. I thought: “This is something I can’t pass up”.
People come to art therapy as a way of connecting and healing, and I love taking people on that discovery journey.
I've called it ‘art-making’ for support workers, as opposed to ‘art therapy’, because I wanted it to be more inclusive. It’s for people to connect using art as the vehicle, but it's not going to be as deep as a one-to-one session.
What do you say to someone who hasn’t done art since school or thinks ‘I’m not creative’?
That's a really good question and a common misunderstanding. People assume they have to come to art-making as an accomplished artist, but I can squash that idea on its head right now.
If you come as an accomplished artist, you're most likely going to struggle with the art therapy environment. Art therapy is usually about expressing your inner thoughts and feelings on a page. It’s for people to come with an open mind and just go with the flow.
What actually happens in one of your sessions and why does it work so well?
People are usually very nervous to start, so I might get them to do a quick movement exercise and some mindful breathing to help ground them. I’ll do this in both online and face-to-face sessions.
We’ll also spend some time at the beginning of the session getting to know each other. I’ll work with the group to set the ground rules, such as not criticising and not offering advice.
Then, I’ll begin introducing art supplies and encourage people to have a go. If they’re using pen and paper, I’ll suggest they just put a mark on the page and go from there. Sometimes, looking at a blank page is the hardest thing to do.
It’s also not all about painting. It can be about creating collages of pictures or sewing… I’ve got so many materials.
It’s never easy to be vulnerable in a new space, but hopefully, it’s going to be a nice, warm, nurturing environment where everyone’s supportive.
What do you hope fellow support workers will take away from a session?
I hope they’ll leave with a sense of belonging, a connection with other support workers, and a sense of ease from having got something out of their body and onto a canvas.
I can usually guarantee that when people walk in the door, they will be really nervous. My expectation is that they won’t be as nervous when they leave, and they’ll have connected with something or someone within the group, even if it’s just for a fleeting moment.
I’ve never had someone who didn’t feel better after doing a session.
What does receiving an Impact Grant mean to you?
It means that I can give back to my community. I've been a support worker for ages and I just love helping people. This is just another way of being able to do that.
I find a sense of accomplishment in assisting, helping, and listening to people. I honestly don't have the words to express it, but I can draw you a picture.
Join the Facebook group to get more news about Susan's upcoming classes online and in-person in the ACT.