ME & WE: CREATIVE FOR WELLBEING

Bringing inclusiveness to Stirling Schools

We're excited to share the amazing work that's been happening at eight schools across Stirling, Scotland as part of our ME and WE: Creative for Wellbeing Programme. Artlink Central has been commissioned by Stirling Council to bring mental health and well-being support to young people with additional support needs through the power of creativity.

About the Programme

At the heart of this year-long programme are the young people in Stirling, who have been given a voice to express themselves and explore what's important to them. Through various artforms, our artists have helped them delve into themes like creative protest, civic action, citizenship and activism, resilience building, identity and sense of self, re-engagement in education, and addressing barriers in their communities.

The programme aims to support and develop the creative voice and expressions of young people and explore the things that are important to them. These activities not only act as preventative and early intervention approaches to mental health and wellbeing, but also work towards building resilience, promoting self-identity, and re-engaging young people in education.

See what we’re up to!

Each school in the program has a different focus and approach, with activities tailored to suit the needs and interests of each group of young people. At St Modans, for example, students got to create recycled decorations and outdoor scrap sculptures and even took a trip to the Reuse Hub in their community. Community artist Christine Hilditch has been leading and inspiring the students to get creative by exploring recycling.

At Ochil House, the students have been going outside to the school garden to gather materials for making natural paintbrushes and paints. With the guidance of artist Aya-Iguchi Sherry, they've also tried their hand at gelli plate printmaking using leaves from the garden and made beautiful Christmas cards.

We're so proud of the young people in Stirling for their hard work and creativity, and grateful to our talented artists for their dedication and passion in delivering this project. The art therapy, creative education, and wellbeing programme offered through the ME and WE project are helping to demonstrate the impact of art programs in schools and the importance of arts in education in Stirling and across Scotland. Stay tuned for more updates and stories!