ADD/ADHD News
ART WITH HEART launches SQUIRREL CLUB
An online workshop for young people with ADHD.
Art with Heart is an arts organisation based in Salford, Greater Manchester, who created and produced Declaration, a show about Creative Director Sarah's road to ADHD diagnosis, which toured the UK in 2017 and again in 2018. The show received critical acclaim, "by bringing the challenges of ADHD to the stage so vividly, Art with Heart are single-handedly widening our understanding of one of the most misunderstood mental health issues out there" Rory Bremner, comedian and impressionist.
Now Art with Heart has developed Squirrel Club, a digital creative workshop for young people 8+ to personify their ADHD by creating a character, helping them to express key characteristics around their diagnosis and reframe them in a positive way. The workshop was originally developed as an in-person experience, which ran alongside the tour of Declaration and helped young people to communicate the symptoms of their ADHD, "The ADHD workshop Art with Heart ran for the young people at ADHD Norfolk had a huge impact. We had a mother in tears because her son went into the workshop hating ADHD and came out at the end loving it." Andrea Bell, founder of ADHD Norfolk.
Squirrel Club has been reimagined for the pandemic, allowing participants to engage with the project from home. To attend, parents and carers simply need to sign up to the event (link below) to receive a downloadable video with activities that can be completed in their own time. After completing the activities, they can book onto a Zoom with Sarah for the chance to explore their character and what it means in relation to their ADHD - valuable for both the young person and parent/carer.
The video has been created to work flexibly for participants and includes a guide for parents/carers, so they can inform themselves on what to expect before beginning the session. There are clear pause points throughout the video, allowing the young person to participate at their own pace. Presented by Sarah, the video includes a set of friendly and engaging squirrel animations, creating a fun experience with tasks that can help young people to communicate about their ADHD.
Parents/carers can sign up to Squirrel Club now, and book follow up calls throughout November and December.
Sarah Emmott, Creative Director, says: "when I was learning to talk about my ADHD, I found that creating a character was a clear way to communicate my symptoms in a way that other people understood. Squirrel Club is a chance for young people to develop a similar way of communicating, helping them to reframe their ADHD and hopefully serve them long into the future. It also helps parents and carers to understand their young person's ADHD better"
Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/squirrel-club-tickets-127856306655
Website link: https://www.artwithheart.org.uk/portfolio/squirrel-club/
Art with Heart
Art with Heart is an arts company based in Salford who design and deliver theatre performances, workshops and people-led creative projects with community groups, arts organisations and schools across the UK. www.artwithheart.org.uk
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