In the last few months Genesis Life Projects have been trialing two combined activities on a Tuesday. Due to a lack of food provision across the city on a Tuesday, the team have been looking into how we can incorporate food into our Life Skills work, which has always happened on a Tuesday. Life Skills focuses on learning, confidence building and encouraging social engagement through courses and activities.
Reflection on Toasties and Art for All by Emma Drew
This week I went along to help out the team, which began by making toasties. There were already a number of clients chatting outside on the benches before we opened. Nathan and I made about 15 toasties to begin with, cheese toasties on white or brown bread. People sat in groups around tables or on the sofas with teas or coffees they’d made from the tea and coffee station in the main hall. Some were using phone chargers and others were chatting with one another.
There was a real community atmosphere as people welcomed newcomers by name. As a man walked toward the tea and coffee station, several seated clients greeted him before another man introduced himself to him. There was a sense of wanting to belong and get to know each other. The room was calm and friendly as people ate together.
Once the toasties rush died down, I sat on what would become the ‘Art for All’ table with my knitting project. ‘Art for All’ is a new model of Life Skills where people can drop in throughout the session and choose from a selection of creative activities, all of which were already in the cupboards. This inclusive model has attracted clients who we see at Lifeline for meals and support but have never engaged in the more formal ‘sign-up’ model of Life Skills.
A man called Chris, who I recognized from Wednesday breakfasts, came and sat next to me. He and Lee, to my right, were both concentrating on making diamond art coasters, which is a popular choice at ‘Art for All’. Until a few weeks ago, Chris had never engaged with Life Skills before. We immediately bonded over being left-handed (of which there were four of us around the creative table). We shared stories about how our mums taught us how to knit and I was asked to attend Friday’s knitting group to show Chris and Lee how to make my knitted animal decorations (an item to be sold on our Christmas market stall).
A lady called Bella sat on our table drawing a house and garden whilst Danny, sitting on the second table, painted a sunset. There were beads being sorted through, sewing projects being discussed and lots of conversations flowing.
When Sarah arrived, she announced that her embroidered tapestry she’d been working on the previous week had won a local competition and she was showing everyone photos of her certificate and flowers she’d won. She then worked on her diamond art project she’d bought with her.
While some people simply enjoyed their toasties without participating in the ‘Art for All’ activities, Gateway’s spacious environment easily accommodates everyone’s needs. Men gathered on the sofas for a chat, while other clients caught up with Jill and Nathan to talk through challenges they’re currently facing.
Over the morning there were a total of 20 clients who came. Fifteen of them engaged with ‘Arts for All’, 5 of which had never previously attended Life Skills. We are hoping this new model will encourage more people to attend Life Skills where they can interact with others and learn new skills.
The relationship building which happens during these gatherings helps clients trust our staff with sensitive issues they are carrying and helps them build a peer network of support around them. It was lovely to share in Tuesday Toasties and Arts for All.
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