RHONDDA CYNON TAF YOUNG CARERS WORKSHOPS

EXPRESSIVE ARTS

Workshop aim: Use personal experience, expressed artistically, to create inspiration to help design a poster to promote the new Young Carer ID initiative.

Group size: 10 children aged 5 – 17.

Purpose of the workshop: to include the carers in the design of a poster to advertise their new Young Carers ID card to other Young Carers within RCT.

Aim: to provide AN opportunity for youth carers to explore/ experiment with different artistic mediums in a directed way.

Outcomes: Themes and ideas from the young carers' experience were identified, which were then shared with a graphic designer to use as inspiration for a digital poster. The designs made by the young carers were then used as the basis for creating a collection of wonderful digital posters. The finalised posters are being used in a promotional campaign to raise awareness of the Young Carer ID initiative.

Scroll down to see some of the work the children produced.

Task: Introduce yourselves through clay / plasticine

(Above) When creating herself from playdough, ‘B’ chose to represent herself as an elephant.

‘They are strong, and protective. When danger comes, they surround the younger ones and keep them safe. Elephants are intelligent and know to call to humans for help, when their babies get stuck’ she said.

Task: Paint a moment when you felt good about being a carer

(ABOVE) ‘F’ painted herself as a dinosaur, where her and her little brother are protected inside the ‘warm space’, ‘safe’ from the ‘outside dangers’ represented by the rain and the thunderstorm outside.

(Above) ‘D’ also drew this image. The 3 round splashes of dark colours represent her brother’s thoughts and expressions when he is upset. During these moments, ‘D is trying to keep him calm while at the same time explaining to her brother that he cannot behave in a bad manner even when he is upset. On the bottom centre of the image, ‘D’ drew herself as a black silhouette next to her brother. He is wearing a green cape: ‘He is helping me to, we are looking after each other’ she said.

(Above) ‘D’ explained that her brother is the green heart in the centre. He is trying to escape   the black upper layer which is his autism. And the most upper green layer in the heart is ‘D’ herself.