News
The Creative Well, a new integrated pilot initiative, has been launched in Naas, Co. Kildare. The aim of this programme is to develop a social model for supporting wellbeing and mental health through the arts and within the context of local communities. Long term mental health service users often suffer from feelings of social isolation which prevents them from engaging in meaningful activities within their community. However few of the programmes available to service users provide avenues for connecting with others outside of the mental health system.
The Creative Well offers free, daytime arts workshops open to all adults in the community and a key objective is to ensure a mix of population. Therefore participants have opportunity to learn about the arts, develop skills, and also to connect with others in their locality. The pilot programme will run for ten weeks and following evaluation, it is planned to facilitate further programmes in other areas in County Kildare.
The Creative Well is an initiative of Kildare Arts in Health in partnership with HSE Kildare West Wicklow Mental Health Services, Kildare County Council Arts Service, HSE Health Promotion, Kildare County Mental Health Association and Nás na Riogh Housing Association.
For more information contact Nicola Dunne by e-mailing nicoladunne@kwaras.ie.
