Engagement

at Republic Festive Fete

As part of our Tea & Tech programme, which offers digital literacy workshops for older adults, we conducted two sessions for Tower Hamlets residents at Republic’s Winter Fete.

A print using the gyotaku technique.

The programme commenced with an initial steering session during which the two facilitators, Melissa and Lottie, discussed various workshops to develop an engaging experience for the participants. The resulting programme featured: gyotaku (fish printing), orizomegami (folded dyeing), paper marbling, stencil making, relief printing, spray painting, and bookbinding. Each workshop was process-led and allocated two hours. The initial segment of each workshop provided an introduction to the technique and its context; in this instance, many of the workshops drew inspiration from traditional Japanese practices. Following this structured introduction, participants were encouraged to explore and develop their own interpretations of the techniques. Melissa and Lottie fostered a collaborative environment, encouraging participants to communicate and assist one another, thus cultivating a dynamic culture of co-facilitation.

Coil-binding the men’s output.

With these challenges being varied and sometimes complex, Engage Here finds bespoke solutions to deliver workshops free at the point of use, in community settings that make sense for people using them. The facilitators who deliver our workshops have experience working with lots of different kinds of vulnerable people, but importantly are practicing creatives themselves, who deliver workshops with the mentality that there is no expected outcome. They instead strive to foster an enjoyable and safe art practice, that is repeatable and inspiring for participants beyond their time with us.

The programme concluded with a bookbinding session, providing participants with the opportunity to self-publish their work and encapsulate their creative journey in a tangible document. Employing accessible coil binding, participants could continue adding to their books as they further explored the learned techniques. To gather feedback on workshop outcomes, a creative activity was implemented at the end of each session. Participants cut out question prompts from a sheet of paper and placed them into pouches that visually represented their responses. This innovative feedback method provided a unique and engaging way to assess the program's impact.

A foam block print celebrating winter.

By providing free, engaging art activities at the Men’s Cabin, we directly addressed the high risk of social exclusion faced by low-income older residents in Tower Hamlets. The process-led, collaborative workshops, such as gyotaku, orizomegami, and relief printing, not only fostered communication and connection among participants but also provided a preventative measure against the detrimental health effects of loneliness. By offering a space for creative expression and social interaction, we’ve created a vital resource for men vulnerable to loneliness.

Paper marbling in progress.

The positive impact observed, including the fostering of co-facilitation among participants and the creation of a supportive community, demonstrates the project's value. We are actively seeking further funding opportunities to ensure the continuation of these workshops and hope to continue again in the autumn.

This project has been made possible by The Canary Wharf Group Community Grant programme.