Equal Arts wins support of the Big Lottery for 5-year project
to support Care Homes in South Tyneside
Equal Arts is celebrating an award from the Big Lottery Reaching Communities fund for an ambitious and groundbreaking programme over the next five years.
The work will aim to combat the isolation and depression that affects many older people living in care homes and support care staff in creating creative, constructive environments. Based on peer-to-peer learning, it will involve professional artists working with groups of volunteer older people, passing on skills and nurturing talents that they will take into residential care homes.
Alice Thwaite, Director of Development said: “The project will concentrate on the two areas of Gateshead and South Tyneside where we have the strongest demand and networks through the Tyne and Wear Care Alliance. Part of the legacy of the project is that this model of working will be able to be rolled out to other areas in the future.
“The project will give us the rare opportunity to evaluate the long term benefits of arts projects with older people and how creative work and the involvement of volunteers can help change the culture of care homes and create less isolated communities.”
Over its five-year life the project aims to work with 45 care homes and around 45 volunteers.
Added 28th November 2011
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