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Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 1
COLOURS OF LIFE
ART THERAPY GROUP PROJECT
Emmanuelle Barone
2011/2012
start of project March 2012
PLANNING & DESIGN
September 2011
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 2
CONTENTS
PLANNING & DESIGN DOCUMENT Page
Glossary 4
Acronyms 7
Project Hypothesis - Assumptions 8
To introduce the project 9
Location and setting of the project 10
Project participants 10
Important cultural, social patterns 11
Resilience aspects 13
Transpersonal and Mindfulness 14
Project factors 15
Consultative process 15
Project evaluation 16
Aims and mission statement, goals 16
Time line, tasks and objectives 18
Curriculum and activities 18
Project design 20
Specified and anticipated outcomes 20
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 3
Management information systems 21
Biases 21
Stakeholders map 22
Budget 22
Conclusion 22
APPENDICES Page
No 1 Project factors 23
No 2 Time Line, Tasks an Objectives 26
No 3 Stakeholders map 27
No 4 Budget 28
REFERENCES 29
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 4
Glossary
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Is a behavioural therapy guiding people to calm the mind and stress while consciously getting
in touch with their lives and values through awareness. It teaches us skills to handle painful
thoughts and feelings, and gives us tools to clarify what is important and meaningful to us.
Developing Mindfulness is a major component of ACT (Harris 2009:2).
Appreciative Inquiry
Community assessment, research and development exercises involving community
participation and ownership. This is a change strategy and approach highlighting people’s
strengths and resources (Tesoriero, Barone & Umbers 2006:48-53).
Art Therapy
Arts forms are powerful and universal means of communication. Art therapy can help us
understand who we are, as creating from within, expressing feelings, ideas, events that words
cannot. The process of creating art work opens the door to the subconscious self-expression
through use of symbols, archetypes and interpretations (Fincher 2010; Malchiodi 2007). This
can help us process issues and traumas we are unable to articulate or identify. Art Therapy
can help grow and let go from previous traumas without having to re-experience the events.
Consultative Process
Consultation and discussion between individuals and within groups. Decision making process
between people toward change in order to accomplish some specific purpose. This involves
sharing and interaction of thoughts and feelings in a spirit of love and harmony (Kostoe
1985:9).
Culture
Set of values, norms, customs and habits related to a given group, Culture can be associated
with countries, states, regions, groups, organisations, companies and corporations.
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 5
Discourses
Set of ideas, concepts and practices. These modes of thinking relate to institutional
frameworks such as politics, religion, law, psychiatry, sociology and social work. Discourses
usually convey values and norms according to a society’s dominant beliefs. They preset ways
of thinking that can influence other ways of thinking. These features can create and/or
perpetuate, and/or change power structures imposed to specific groups in society.
Ethnocentrism
Judging another culture in terms of what is valued and ‘normal’ in one’s own culture. An
ethnocentric approach imposes one’s own culture as superior in comparison to other cultures.
Gender
The notion of gender refers to a socially constructed distinction between men and women in
terms of behaviours, societal en economic roles, and sexual identity in a particular society.
Gender is the social construction of masculinity and femininity and is influenced by
discourses.
Mindfulness
Is an awareness process about the present moment. It is paying attention to your life in the
present instant, leaving the mind aside, reducing stress and anxiety due to thoughts about the
future and the past (Harris 2009:8).
Participatory Rural Appraisal:
Community assessment, research and development techniques including drawings and
diagrams used in rural areas, illiterate and cross-cultural contexts (Tesoriero et al 2006:54).
Resilience
When used in psychology, resilience is an ability to cope and recover from stress, misfortune
and catastrophe. It is also used to indicate a characteristic of resistance to future negative
events.
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 6
Transpersonal Art Therapy
Use of Transpersonal psychology frameworks through Art Therapy. Both approaches have
similar thoughts exploring the sense of Self in a non-intrusive way, respecting the person as
the expert in her/his life. Both privilege the subconscious beyond the ego.
Transpersonal Psychology (Walsh & Vaughan 1993:2-4)
Born from Humanistic psychology, Transpersonal psychology is the psychological study of
experiences in which the sense of identity and sense of self extend beyond one’s perception
of her/his individuality and ego in a world of forms, to explore and encompass wider aspects
of humankind, life, psyche and soul.
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 7
Acronyms
ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
AI: Appreciative Inquiry
NGO: Non-governmental organisation
PRA: Participatory Rural Appraisal
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 8
Project Hypotheses – Assumptions
Being a refugee or asylum seeker almost always means one has experienced multiple losses,
family members, friends, safety and security, country of origin, cultural roots, a familiar
environment, a dream or idea of future, confusion of identity, and maybe loss of self.
For this project it is claimed that people from refugee and asylum seekers background are not
helpless and dependant victims of the circumstances but are the expert in their own life and
possess resilience through their strengths and capacities.
For this project it is assumed that people’s participation will be an essential factor towards
achieving goals and objectives. This implies principles of reciprocity from the project team,
the latter having to be flexible, adapting and listening to people’s needs and schedule, and
sometimes improvise, for the project to be delivered in the appropriate way.
It is assumed that the consultative process involved in the project will support participants in
their exploration of the self through art work making.
It is assumed that participants will take ownership of the project and toward their own
curriculum.
It is assumed that participants will feel safe, respected and listened to during all activities
involved in the project.
It is assumed that the PRA and AI methods used in the modules delivery will support sense of
respect and sharing of narrative.
It is assumed that it is important to value differences and use them as positive resources in a
consultative framework.
If we were able to support people with refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds to participate
to the project and share their skills and knowledge.
If we were able to support people on their journey of self-discovery through art making.
If we could achieve inclusive consultative work between the various stakeholders.
If we were able to implement the project within a transportable framework for further
development in other states and/or countries.
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 9
If we were able to assist the process of change for people from refugee and asylum seeker
backgrounds toward harmoniously developing their sense of self and identity in Australia,
notion of citizenship and belonging.
If we were able to open the doors and accompany people from refugee and asylum seeker
backgrounds on the path toward building bridges from the past to the future.
To introduce the project
Considering that
“most individuals who face adversity have more positive outcomes than one
might predict based on the risk factors in their lives” (Waller 2001:291),
the Colours Of Life project takes a strength-based approach, moving beyond a deficit-based
approach. This to highlight people’s resilience and life skills, empowering participants to
share stories and reinforce a sense of self and identity, involving the discovery of one’s
strengths towards improving families’ well being, safety and security, the remarkable
achievements of human beings in trying circumstances.
Through art work and privileging the subconscious, the project explores positive
manifestation of life in the face of great struggle, with humanity and human spirit.
Art can be said to be – and can be used as – the externalised map of our
interior self (London 1989).
The delivery process of the project is an exchange of culture and knowledge, acknowledging
that people are the experts in their own life while passing their stories on to their peers. Each
participant involved in the project acts as teacher and student, and the one most able to share
her/his knowledge with another group member.
Location and setting of the project
The project takes place at STTARS premises, on Hawker street in Bowden SA.
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 10
The project is free of charges for participants. Costs are covered by STTARS.
The location ensures a safe environment for all participants.
The room allocated for the activities is large and has windows providing light and sense of
space. The room is large enough to give enough space to 10 people working on art work
activities.
Refreshments are provided for each session, and lavatory facilities are on site and easy to
access.
Art material and mediums used are all safe and user friendly. All material and mediums are
provided by STTARS.
According to funding, participants might have the opportunity to visit art places and art
exhibitions as part of the project. Transportation might be provided in some cases.
Project is set through 1 session of 3 hours per week, during an average of 42 weeks.
Each session implies art theory, art work making, sharing experience or art work process,
discussion involving consultative work.
According to funding, visiting artists and tutors might be giving sessions on specific topics.
According to funding, discussion about participants being given the possibility to exhibit
their art works at STTARS premises and/or an Art Gallery if they wish to.
Project participants
The project is run in partnership by Siamak Fallah, Emmanuelle Barone and Matt Seabrook.
The maximum number of participants per session is 8 people, plus interpreters and
facilitators.
The project is open to all STTARS clients, survivors of Torture and Traumas, men and
women, from any background and religion.
To ensure safe environment, it will be clearly explained to every participant that STTARS
has no political and religious affiliation and if they want to participate to the project they will
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 11
be alongside people from different gender, backgrounds and religions. Participants will be
asked to sign information and consent forms highlighting the fact that the project sessions and
activities at STTARS or in visited places, are non-political and non-religious grounds in a
sense that it is a space where everyone is respected as a person and ensured a safe
environment.
Participants will be free to attend any session at any time and any day, as often as they want.
Participants are not bound to any commitment to the project and can leave at any time.
Participants own the art works they have created.
Important cultural and social patterns
Persecution and flight, asylum and resettlement, racialisation and alienation, all
woven into essentialist discourses of nationhood construct me as a refugee
(Kuwee Kumsa 2006:230).
To uphold a successful project which develops intervention that work best for specific groups
within a specific context and according to their culture, it is critical to fully understand the
contexts, problems, causes, and factors, as well as assessing and evaluating external cultural
influences which impact on people, and then on the whole project (Guerin 2005: 137-142;
Green & Kreuter 2005:282).
Cultural and social patterns have to be considered because of their strong influence on how
the project is understood, received, negotiated, delivered and accepted by the participants.
It is then essential for workers to understand these patterns and their influence and be
culturally competent in their practice; the person’s life experiences, stories, history and
environment make them unique (Barone 2007:60).
It is often difficult for people immersed in one interaction system to understand a radically
different system. Western workers can have specific expectations that are not part of the
social system in any clients’ groups and communities. Expectations on how people in
communities should react, be interested or motivated, be ‘grateful’ or ‘happy’.
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 12
Western discourses impose stereotypes and labels on people from refugee and asylum seeker
backgrounds and these impact on their lives in Australia.
Amongst people from refugee and asylum seeker background is the story of both
psychological and physical traumatisation through having suffered, endured or witnessed
extreme acts of horror/and/or cruelty (Kinzie 2007:194-195). Traumas are not merely from a
single stress or traumatic event but rather from a prolonged series of losses and traumatic
events (Kinzie 2007:197) that impact on the physical health and mental health.
The trauma response is complex and depends on various factors such as the type and duration
of trauma, the person’s personality, her/his coping assets, culture, supportive or non-
supportive environment. Trauma does not end when the person arrives in the host country but
take on different features through new difficulties such as economic problems, cultural
dissonances, discrimination, rejection, and ostracism (Kinzie 2007:197).
People with refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds in Australia face various levels of issues
and psychosocial stressors impacting on their life:
- Language barriers;
- High rate of unemployment;
- Reduced work opportunities in the community;
- Economic issues;
- Traumas;
- House overcrowding;
- High rate of health problems;
- High rate of mental distress;
- Isolation;
- Alcohol and drug misuse;
- Domestic violence;
- Various family situations listed in the definition of child abuse;
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 13
For the purpose of this project, workers’ use of reflecting practice is essential to avoid
ethnocentrism. Critical reflection supports workers in recognising and analysing socially
constructed barriers to client’s empowerment and to adapt their framework accordingly. The
consultative approach will be inherent part of the project for workers as well.
Resilience aspects
Patterns of resilience are important considering that, according to the theories of resilience,
people can build strengths through difficult experiences and challenges (Barone 2007:8).
Resilience and vulnerability are compatible characteristics. People are able to develop
strengths while being in an oppressed position (Edwards & Ribbens 1998:10; Freire 1972:25-
27). Resilience is associated with adaptation, evolution, and survival (Konner 2007:307) as
the art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings
(Okakura Kakuzo cited in Stokes 2002:81).
For the purpose of this project, some resilience patterns and factors have been identified
(Barone 2007:13-16):
- Survival in challenging environment;
- Necessity to survive to protect dependents;
- Ability to confront hardship - ability to cope with hardship;
- Ability to thrive, not just survive, after great difficulties;
- Enduring and overcoming traumatic events and great difficulties;
- Adaptation – Evolution;
- Transforming adversity and hardship into wisdom and compassion;
- Making meaning of suffering;
- Clear sense of reality - Acceptance of reality;
- Developing meaning in life - Strong values that life is meaningful;
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 14
- Strong problem solving skills - ability to grab opportunities and to improvise;
- Internal locus of control – self-reliance – determination;
- Risk taking – taking control of own life and destiny;
- Strong sense and meaning of self – Sense of self-worth;
- Building bridges from present day hardship to a better constructed future;
- Significant supportive person as role model or helping during hardship;
- Strong spirituality;
To support this approach, the Appreciative Inquiry method (AI) is a strength perspective tool
that supports people to discover and identify their own strengths and therefore ‘power’ in
their own life. The project activities will, at time, use the AI approach in the delivery,
focusing on - and highlighting participant’s strengths and resilience.
Transpersonal and Mindfulness
Throughout western discourses, economic and social expectations, messages given by the
media, it could be said that our mind has evolved to think negatively (Harris 2009:101).
Mindfulness is a tool of defusion from those negative thoughts that hassle us when telling us
what to feel, to think, to critic, to say, how to behave, what to remember and what to forget, if
we are good, if we are bad, ugly, pretty, happy or sad (Harris 2009:100). Transpersonal
approaches will tell us that our thoughts are constructed by what we perceive as our reality in
the world of forms through functions of the human brain. The mind is an entity as such, its
epistemology controlled by the ego, the materialistic “I”.
The mind does not shine by its own light.
It too is an object, illuminated by the Self...
But the Self is boundless.
It is the pure Consciousness that illumines the contents of the mind...
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Egoism, the limiting sense of “I”, results from the individual intellect’s
attributing the power of conscious to itself.
(Patanjali cited in Walsh & Vaughan, 1993:14).
Transpersonal approaches aim to go beyond the ego, privileging the subconscious, reaching
the soul while exploring the psyche. The transpersonal aspect of the project will guide
participants into discovering their Self and Soul from their subconscious through the channel
of art making. They will explore possibilities and strengths they possess, opening the doors to
new perspectives and options in their lives. Ultimately, transpersonal approach in this project
aims toward healing and wholeness.
Mindfulness is the tool used to access the present time and therefore leaving room for the
subconscious to express through art work. The art making process is a mindfulness exercise
as such in a sense that the participant is focused on the process taking place at the present
time.
Project factors – Appendix 1 (Dwyer, Stanton & Thiessen 2004:20-21)
Predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors (Green & Kreuter 2005:12-17,147-149)
impact on people and project from the very beginning. It is important to identify the factors
impacting on the whole process. This working strategy can help to recognize and use the right
tools and methods with the right people at the right time and the right place. Knowing what
kind of intervention work best for specific group of people within specific contexts and
according to the culture (Green & Kreuter 2005:256) will support the project towards greater
success.
Consultative process
Consultative approach is powerful in strengthening existing supportive relationships. It
would be very beneficial to use the power of these relationships to support the project
delivery in group sessions. People do things for each other in a sense of cooperation,
exchange and respect.
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 16
The project team works in collaboration with participants in a consultative way, valuing
people’s knowledge, culture, resources, skills and processes (Ife 2002:211-215).
The project team will work on developing a sense of trust and safety along the whole project.
For consultative process it is essential for participants to feel free to ‘speak from the heart’.
Set of rules created by participants regarding principles and procedures amongst the group
will be clarified at the beginning of the project and in sessions with new participants. These
will address respect, trust, confidentiality, understanding of the project, expectations from
participants, purpose of the project toward self discovery, definition of art as being part of
each of us, concept of reality, how we acquire knowledge, the concept of several truths within
one reality.
Project evaluation
The evaluation is included in the planning phase (Dwyer et al 2004:171-173).
An ongoing project evaluation is seen as essential (Dwyer et al 2004:173-174). This will
reinforce the capacity for the project team to adapt to changes and needs which will develop
all along the project. This is important in terms of reciprocity and accountability.
The ongoing evaluation is made with traditional scientific methods of measurements such as
measuring achievements of tasks and objectives, numeric counts and standardized measures
(Kettner, Moroney & Martin 1999:129), as well as critical reflection and assessments of
issues and situations through group discussions, staff meetings, and developing relationships
with participants.
Feedback and evaluation report will be given quarterly to STTARS.
Aims and Mission statement, goals
Lifted by the principles of social justice (Ife 2002:205-207), the primary aim of the project is
to ascertain if this intervention contributes towards improving mental well being, sense of
self, hopes and dreams for the future for people from refugee and asylum seeker
backgrounds.
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The mission involves special commitment to disadvantaged, marginalized and vulnerable
groups in communities.
Colours Of Life aims to give people the right to participate individually and collectively, and
to promote collaborative intervention with communities rather than imposing dogmatic
methods (Guerin 2005:137,142).
Education means empowerment, enlightenment, and raising consciousness…it
can lead to self-awareness and critical thinking about oppressive social
situations (Freire 1972:13).
Colour Of Life aims to support participants to:
- Developing one’s identity through the process of sharing and disseminating
information and knowledge to other group members and project team; i.e. “I define
who I am and want to share with others about me and my story”;
- Identifying one’s own strengths through learning about themselves and what they
achieve in their lives;
- Guiding participants along the exploration of their Self and Soul from their
subconscious;
- Empowering participants to achieve goals while they become helpers within the
project and assist each others’ development;
- Facilitating reconciliation with the past towards an hopeful future;
- Increasing self-worth through talking about themselves, personal experiences and
achievements;
- Increasing awareness and supporting commitment towards learning;
- Developing people’s mindfulness skills to reduce PTSD and anxiety;
- Developing technical and conceptual skills such as art skills, life skills, English skills;
- Focus on supported participation; people are the experts in their own lives;
- Enhancing communication between participants within their cultural group;
The project hopes creating changes within the communities towards capacity building,
community ownership to their problems and their solutions (Green & Kreuter 2005:310)
while supporting human rights, access, participation, acceptability, affordability (Ife
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 18
2002:213), strengthening a sense of being part of the Australian Community and ‘citizenship’
amongst people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.
Time Line, Tasks an Objectives – Appendix 2
The time line, task and objectives list starts xxxxx 2011.. Each tasks and objectives are
monthly, or weekly, evaluated depending on their achievement and results. If necessary,
changes will be planned depending on, and adapted to, the ongoing evaluation.
Curriculum and activities
Various concepts, notions and strategies will be involved throughout the curriculum such as:
- Concepts of safe and unsafe;
- Concepts of happiness and unhappiness;
- Notions of personal identity;
- Building on past experiences for the future;
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 19
- Being a ‘Citizen’ in Australia;
- Being a world citizen;
- Learning about art;
- We are all artists in a sense that art making is everyday life and expression;
- Art as means for expression and communication;
- Learning about myself through art work;
- Relationships;
- Wellbeing and health;
- Nutrition for the body and for the soul;
- Trust and Networks;
- Strategies for being and keeping safe;
- Persistence;
- Resilience strategies;
- Problem solving strategies;
- Service providers;
- Rights and responsibilities;
- Empowerment through self discovery;
With the participants:
- Art sessions;
- Participatory Rural Appraisal activities;
- Appreciative Inquiry activities;
With partnership team:
- Monthly evaluation meetings;
- Monthly meetings to review and amend time line, tasks and objectives;
- Assessment and evaluation to be made by xxxxxxx after each PRA and AI activities;
- Consultation meetings with partner agencies members (if any);
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 20
Project Design
The inputs elements of the project are:
- The participants, people with refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds;
- The Artist Siamak Fallah;
- The workers from the funding organisation STTARS;
- The amount of funding available;
- The staff from partner agencies participating to the project (if any);
- The visits to art exhibitions or art places (if any);
- The locations for activities and workshops;
The throughputs elements of the project are:
- All activities such as art sessions, PRA and AI exercises, visits of specific art places
(if any);
- Analysing of data;
- Delivery of the different modules;
- Quarterly evaluation;
- Quarterly reports;
The outputs elements of the project are:
- The attendance of participants to art sessions and activities;
- The participation of people to PRA and AI activities;
- The participants taking part into the development of curriculum;
Specified and Anticipated Outcomes
The tasks given in the Time Line, appendix X, are specified outcomes.
In addition to them, and compared to status at the beginning of the project, anticipated long
term outcomes are:
- To have more people with refugee background …
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 21
- To help prevent …
- To improve …
- To improve people’s awareness about …
- To improve people’s awareness and commitments towards rights and responsibilities;
- To improve quality of life;
Management Information Systems
The data and information gathered will be stored by STTARS workers in a locked cabinet at
STTARS premises. STTARS workers running the project will be the only persons to have
access to this confidential information. A report including information and statistics will be
written and given when required.
Minutes or notes are taken for each team meeting.
Notes are taken, with authorisation and support of local participants, during each PRA and AI
activities, each workshop and program delivery session.
Notes and Minutes are taken in English language and will be translated into participants’
languages if required.
Evaluation report of the process, tasks and objectives, is discussed monthly.
Biases
Considering the cultural environment, the project team is aware of several biases such as:
- Expectation of the participants;
- Gender;
- Concept of art being only for ‘artists’ and not as every day life experience;
- Language barriers;
- Logistic for participants, transportation;
- Family commitments for participants;
- Difference of interpretations of realities;
- Values of participants;
- Specific needs and priorities for participants;
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 22
Stakeholders Map – Appendix x
It is essential to be able to work with key stakeholders and executive people in a way that
considers everyone’s agenda. Stakeholders involved in the project can change the direction of
the project through even small discussion, action or wishes (Dwyer et al 2004:31-33).
It is crucial to gain the support from people having significant position at political and
community level. Government’s representatives and Community Councils (if involved in
some phase of the project) are key stakeholders as well as the consumers who bring
contribution to the project. That is why it is important to manage expectations in the right
direction and at the right level, keeping them transparent, realistic and achievable, as people
can get disillusioned and then loose motivation and commitment to the project.
Budget – Appendix x
Conclusion
Changes and restructuring of the initial project may occur, as well as addition of new
concepts and programs, as this belongs to the very core of this project, to evolve and grow
according to the participants’ needs and development.
This project is a pilot project that can be transportable at national and international levels.
Bringing together Transpersonal Art Therapy (as Transpersonal psychology and Art therapy)
with AI, Mindfulness, ACT, Consultative process and Art teaching is a new blend in working
with people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.
STTARS employees are committed to deliver the project according to the Code of Ethics and
the Code of Conduct, within STTARS vision and mission, envisaging a world in which
human rights are respected and violations are never tolerated, enabling survivors of torture
and trauma to lead secure, productive and fulfilling lives.
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 23
Appendix 1
Projects factors
Following Green & Kreuter (2005:12-17) strategies, important factors to consider and
involve in the frame of the Colours Of Life Project are:
Predisposing factors:
- People’s knowledge
- People’s art skills
- Attitudes
- Motivation
- Beliefs
- Values
- Perceptions
- Culture
- Confidence
- Capacity
- Education
- Resilience
Reinforcing factors:
- Attitudes and behaviours about art
- Attitudes and behaviours of participants
- Cultural environment
- Structure of relationship
- Social system and norms
- Clients demand
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 24
Enabling factors:
- Availability of financial resources, local and external funding
- Availability of social capital
- Commitment, participants’ and team’s commitment
- Accessibility
- Referrals
- Rules and laws
- Skills, participants’ and team’s skills
- Political context and policies
- Participants’ expertise
- Workers’ expertise
- Consultative work structures
Internal project factors:
- Organisation commitment
- Managing stakeholders
- Decision-making structures
- Consultative structures
- Plan and design
- Realistic goals
- Defining appropriate strategies
- Sustainable outcomes
- Managing resources, human resources and funding
- Leadership skills
- Managing changes
- Adaptability
- Cross-cultural intervention
- Ethno sensitive intervention
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 25
External project factors (which are interrelated to cultural patterns):
- Economical factor
- Inaccessibility to resources (geographical and economical factor)
- Social factors within the communities
- Traumas and mental distress, mental illness
- Violence and abuse
- Alcohol and drug misuse
- Families hierarchy
- Political factors within and outside the communities
- Individual factors
- Biological factors
- Peers’ pressure
- People’s conditions of living
- People’s fear of unknown
- People’s values
- People’s health beliefs
- People’s expectations
- People’s wishes and dreams
- People’s attitude toward change
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 26
Appendix 2
Timeline schedule are re-evaluated quarterly
Tasks
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 27
Appendix 3
Stakeholders Map
Stakeholders Important To be aware of / to consider
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 28
Appendix 4
Budget
Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 29
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the life of refugee women from Middle Eastern backgrounds resettled in metropolitan
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Edwards, R & Ribbens, J 1998, ‘Living on the edges – Public knowledge, private lives,
personal experiences’, in Feminist dilemmas in qualitative research – Public knowledge and
private lives, eds J Ribbens & R Edwards, Sage Publications, London, pp.1-23.
Freire, P 1972, Pedagogy of the oppressed, Penguin Education, Ringwood, VIC.
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Guerin, B 2005, Changing communities and societies, viewed 7 August 2006,
<http://catalogue.library.unisa.edu.au/cgi-bin/scandoc.cgi?app=2&folder=2975&doc=1>.
Harris, R 2009, ACT made simple, New Harbinger Publications Inc.,Oakland.
Ife, J 2002, Community development – Community-based alternatives in an age of
globalisation, 2nd
edn, Pearson Education Australia, NSW.
Kettner, PM, Moroney, RM & Martin, LL 1999, Designing and managing programs – An
effectiveness-based approach, 2nd
edn, Sage Publication Inc., California.
Konner, M 2007, ‘Trauma, adaptation, and resilience: A cross cultural and evolutionary
perspective’, in Understanding trauma – Integrating biological, clinical and cultural
perspectives, eds LJ Kirmayer, R Lemelson & M Barad, Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, pp.300-338.
Kostoe, JE 1985, Consultation: A universal lamp of guidance, George Ronald, Oxford.
Kuwee Kumsa, M 2006, ‘Refugee voice – “No! I’m not a refugee!” The poetics of be-
longing among young Oromos in Toronto’, Journal of Refugee Studies, vol.19, no.2, pp.230-
255.
London, P 1989, No more second hand art, Shambhala Publications Inc., Boston.
Stokes, G 2002, Acceptance – Wisdom from around the world, MQ Publications Limited,
London.
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Tesoriero, F, Barone, E & Umbers, A 2006, Healthy districts project – Report of stage 1,
University of South Australia, Adelaide.
Waller, MA 2001, ‘Resilience in ecosystem context: Evolution of the concept’, American
Journal of Orthopsychiatry, vol.71, no.3, pp.290-297.
Walsh, R & Vaughan, F 1993, Paths beyond ego – The transpersonal vision, eds, Penguin
Putnam Inc., New York

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Colors of Life 2011

  • 1. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 1 COLOURS OF LIFE ART THERAPY GROUP PROJECT Emmanuelle Barone 2011/2012 start of project March 2012 PLANNING & DESIGN September 2011
  • 2. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 2 CONTENTS PLANNING & DESIGN DOCUMENT Page Glossary 4 Acronyms 7 Project Hypothesis - Assumptions 8 To introduce the project 9 Location and setting of the project 10 Project participants 10 Important cultural, social patterns 11 Resilience aspects 13 Transpersonal and Mindfulness 14 Project factors 15 Consultative process 15 Project evaluation 16 Aims and mission statement, goals 16 Time line, tasks and objectives 18 Curriculum and activities 18 Project design 20 Specified and anticipated outcomes 20
  • 3. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 3 Management information systems 21 Biases 21 Stakeholders map 22 Budget 22 Conclusion 22 APPENDICES Page No 1 Project factors 23 No 2 Time Line, Tasks an Objectives 26 No 3 Stakeholders map 27 No 4 Budget 28 REFERENCES 29
  • 4. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 4 Glossary Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Is a behavioural therapy guiding people to calm the mind and stress while consciously getting in touch with their lives and values through awareness. It teaches us skills to handle painful thoughts and feelings, and gives us tools to clarify what is important and meaningful to us. Developing Mindfulness is a major component of ACT (Harris 2009:2). Appreciative Inquiry Community assessment, research and development exercises involving community participation and ownership. This is a change strategy and approach highlighting people’s strengths and resources (Tesoriero, Barone & Umbers 2006:48-53). Art Therapy Arts forms are powerful and universal means of communication. Art therapy can help us understand who we are, as creating from within, expressing feelings, ideas, events that words cannot. The process of creating art work opens the door to the subconscious self-expression through use of symbols, archetypes and interpretations (Fincher 2010; Malchiodi 2007). This can help us process issues and traumas we are unable to articulate or identify. Art Therapy can help grow and let go from previous traumas without having to re-experience the events. Consultative Process Consultation and discussion between individuals and within groups. Decision making process between people toward change in order to accomplish some specific purpose. This involves sharing and interaction of thoughts and feelings in a spirit of love and harmony (Kostoe 1985:9). Culture Set of values, norms, customs and habits related to a given group, Culture can be associated with countries, states, regions, groups, organisations, companies and corporations.
  • 5. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 5 Discourses Set of ideas, concepts and practices. These modes of thinking relate to institutional frameworks such as politics, religion, law, psychiatry, sociology and social work. Discourses usually convey values and norms according to a society’s dominant beliefs. They preset ways of thinking that can influence other ways of thinking. These features can create and/or perpetuate, and/or change power structures imposed to specific groups in society. Ethnocentrism Judging another culture in terms of what is valued and ‘normal’ in one’s own culture. An ethnocentric approach imposes one’s own culture as superior in comparison to other cultures. Gender The notion of gender refers to a socially constructed distinction between men and women in terms of behaviours, societal en economic roles, and sexual identity in a particular society. Gender is the social construction of masculinity and femininity and is influenced by discourses. Mindfulness Is an awareness process about the present moment. It is paying attention to your life in the present instant, leaving the mind aside, reducing stress and anxiety due to thoughts about the future and the past (Harris 2009:8). Participatory Rural Appraisal: Community assessment, research and development techniques including drawings and diagrams used in rural areas, illiterate and cross-cultural contexts (Tesoriero et al 2006:54). Resilience When used in psychology, resilience is an ability to cope and recover from stress, misfortune and catastrophe. It is also used to indicate a characteristic of resistance to future negative events.
  • 6. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 6 Transpersonal Art Therapy Use of Transpersonal psychology frameworks through Art Therapy. Both approaches have similar thoughts exploring the sense of Self in a non-intrusive way, respecting the person as the expert in her/his life. Both privilege the subconscious beyond the ego. Transpersonal Psychology (Walsh & Vaughan 1993:2-4) Born from Humanistic psychology, Transpersonal psychology is the psychological study of experiences in which the sense of identity and sense of self extend beyond one’s perception of her/his individuality and ego in a world of forms, to explore and encompass wider aspects of humankind, life, psyche and soul.
  • 7. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 7 Acronyms ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy AI: Appreciative Inquiry NGO: Non-governmental organisation PRA: Participatory Rural Appraisal
  • 8. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 8 Project Hypotheses – Assumptions Being a refugee or asylum seeker almost always means one has experienced multiple losses, family members, friends, safety and security, country of origin, cultural roots, a familiar environment, a dream or idea of future, confusion of identity, and maybe loss of self. For this project it is claimed that people from refugee and asylum seekers background are not helpless and dependant victims of the circumstances but are the expert in their own life and possess resilience through their strengths and capacities. For this project it is assumed that people’s participation will be an essential factor towards achieving goals and objectives. This implies principles of reciprocity from the project team, the latter having to be flexible, adapting and listening to people’s needs and schedule, and sometimes improvise, for the project to be delivered in the appropriate way. It is assumed that the consultative process involved in the project will support participants in their exploration of the self through art work making. It is assumed that participants will take ownership of the project and toward their own curriculum. It is assumed that participants will feel safe, respected and listened to during all activities involved in the project. It is assumed that the PRA and AI methods used in the modules delivery will support sense of respect and sharing of narrative. It is assumed that it is important to value differences and use them as positive resources in a consultative framework. If we were able to support people with refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds to participate to the project and share their skills and knowledge. If we were able to support people on their journey of self-discovery through art making. If we could achieve inclusive consultative work between the various stakeholders. If we were able to implement the project within a transportable framework for further development in other states and/or countries.
  • 9. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 9 If we were able to assist the process of change for people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds toward harmoniously developing their sense of self and identity in Australia, notion of citizenship and belonging. If we were able to open the doors and accompany people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds on the path toward building bridges from the past to the future. To introduce the project Considering that “most individuals who face adversity have more positive outcomes than one might predict based on the risk factors in their lives” (Waller 2001:291), the Colours Of Life project takes a strength-based approach, moving beyond a deficit-based approach. This to highlight people’s resilience and life skills, empowering participants to share stories and reinforce a sense of self and identity, involving the discovery of one’s strengths towards improving families’ well being, safety and security, the remarkable achievements of human beings in trying circumstances. Through art work and privileging the subconscious, the project explores positive manifestation of life in the face of great struggle, with humanity and human spirit. Art can be said to be – and can be used as – the externalised map of our interior self (London 1989). The delivery process of the project is an exchange of culture and knowledge, acknowledging that people are the experts in their own life while passing their stories on to their peers. Each participant involved in the project acts as teacher and student, and the one most able to share her/his knowledge with another group member. Location and setting of the project The project takes place at STTARS premises, on Hawker street in Bowden SA.
  • 10. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 10 The project is free of charges for participants. Costs are covered by STTARS. The location ensures a safe environment for all participants. The room allocated for the activities is large and has windows providing light and sense of space. The room is large enough to give enough space to 10 people working on art work activities. Refreshments are provided for each session, and lavatory facilities are on site and easy to access. Art material and mediums used are all safe and user friendly. All material and mediums are provided by STTARS. According to funding, participants might have the opportunity to visit art places and art exhibitions as part of the project. Transportation might be provided in some cases. Project is set through 1 session of 3 hours per week, during an average of 42 weeks. Each session implies art theory, art work making, sharing experience or art work process, discussion involving consultative work. According to funding, visiting artists and tutors might be giving sessions on specific topics. According to funding, discussion about participants being given the possibility to exhibit their art works at STTARS premises and/or an Art Gallery if they wish to. Project participants The project is run in partnership by Siamak Fallah, Emmanuelle Barone and Matt Seabrook. The maximum number of participants per session is 8 people, plus interpreters and facilitators. The project is open to all STTARS clients, survivors of Torture and Traumas, men and women, from any background and religion. To ensure safe environment, it will be clearly explained to every participant that STTARS has no political and religious affiliation and if they want to participate to the project they will
  • 11. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 11 be alongside people from different gender, backgrounds and religions. Participants will be asked to sign information and consent forms highlighting the fact that the project sessions and activities at STTARS or in visited places, are non-political and non-religious grounds in a sense that it is a space where everyone is respected as a person and ensured a safe environment. Participants will be free to attend any session at any time and any day, as often as they want. Participants are not bound to any commitment to the project and can leave at any time. Participants own the art works they have created. Important cultural and social patterns Persecution and flight, asylum and resettlement, racialisation and alienation, all woven into essentialist discourses of nationhood construct me as a refugee (Kuwee Kumsa 2006:230). To uphold a successful project which develops intervention that work best for specific groups within a specific context and according to their culture, it is critical to fully understand the contexts, problems, causes, and factors, as well as assessing and evaluating external cultural influences which impact on people, and then on the whole project (Guerin 2005: 137-142; Green & Kreuter 2005:282). Cultural and social patterns have to be considered because of their strong influence on how the project is understood, received, negotiated, delivered and accepted by the participants. It is then essential for workers to understand these patterns and their influence and be culturally competent in their practice; the person’s life experiences, stories, history and environment make them unique (Barone 2007:60). It is often difficult for people immersed in one interaction system to understand a radically different system. Western workers can have specific expectations that are not part of the social system in any clients’ groups and communities. Expectations on how people in communities should react, be interested or motivated, be ‘grateful’ or ‘happy’.
  • 12. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 12 Western discourses impose stereotypes and labels on people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds and these impact on their lives in Australia. Amongst people from refugee and asylum seeker background is the story of both psychological and physical traumatisation through having suffered, endured or witnessed extreme acts of horror/and/or cruelty (Kinzie 2007:194-195). Traumas are not merely from a single stress or traumatic event but rather from a prolonged series of losses and traumatic events (Kinzie 2007:197) that impact on the physical health and mental health. The trauma response is complex and depends on various factors such as the type and duration of trauma, the person’s personality, her/his coping assets, culture, supportive or non- supportive environment. Trauma does not end when the person arrives in the host country but take on different features through new difficulties such as economic problems, cultural dissonances, discrimination, rejection, and ostracism (Kinzie 2007:197). People with refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds in Australia face various levels of issues and psychosocial stressors impacting on their life: - Language barriers; - High rate of unemployment; - Reduced work opportunities in the community; - Economic issues; - Traumas; - House overcrowding; - High rate of health problems; - High rate of mental distress; - Isolation; - Alcohol and drug misuse; - Domestic violence; - Various family situations listed in the definition of child abuse;
  • 13. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 13 For the purpose of this project, workers’ use of reflecting practice is essential to avoid ethnocentrism. Critical reflection supports workers in recognising and analysing socially constructed barriers to client’s empowerment and to adapt their framework accordingly. The consultative approach will be inherent part of the project for workers as well. Resilience aspects Patterns of resilience are important considering that, according to the theories of resilience, people can build strengths through difficult experiences and challenges (Barone 2007:8). Resilience and vulnerability are compatible characteristics. People are able to develop strengths while being in an oppressed position (Edwards & Ribbens 1998:10; Freire 1972:25- 27). Resilience is associated with adaptation, evolution, and survival (Konner 2007:307) as the art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings (Okakura Kakuzo cited in Stokes 2002:81). For the purpose of this project, some resilience patterns and factors have been identified (Barone 2007:13-16): - Survival in challenging environment; - Necessity to survive to protect dependents; - Ability to confront hardship - ability to cope with hardship; - Ability to thrive, not just survive, after great difficulties; - Enduring and overcoming traumatic events and great difficulties; - Adaptation – Evolution; - Transforming adversity and hardship into wisdom and compassion; - Making meaning of suffering; - Clear sense of reality - Acceptance of reality; - Developing meaning in life - Strong values that life is meaningful;
  • 14. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 14 - Strong problem solving skills - ability to grab opportunities and to improvise; - Internal locus of control – self-reliance – determination; - Risk taking – taking control of own life and destiny; - Strong sense and meaning of self – Sense of self-worth; - Building bridges from present day hardship to a better constructed future; - Significant supportive person as role model or helping during hardship; - Strong spirituality; To support this approach, the Appreciative Inquiry method (AI) is a strength perspective tool that supports people to discover and identify their own strengths and therefore ‘power’ in their own life. The project activities will, at time, use the AI approach in the delivery, focusing on - and highlighting participant’s strengths and resilience. Transpersonal and Mindfulness Throughout western discourses, economic and social expectations, messages given by the media, it could be said that our mind has evolved to think negatively (Harris 2009:101). Mindfulness is a tool of defusion from those negative thoughts that hassle us when telling us what to feel, to think, to critic, to say, how to behave, what to remember and what to forget, if we are good, if we are bad, ugly, pretty, happy or sad (Harris 2009:100). Transpersonal approaches will tell us that our thoughts are constructed by what we perceive as our reality in the world of forms through functions of the human brain. The mind is an entity as such, its epistemology controlled by the ego, the materialistic “I”. The mind does not shine by its own light. It too is an object, illuminated by the Self... But the Self is boundless. It is the pure Consciousness that illumines the contents of the mind...
  • 15. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 15 Egoism, the limiting sense of “I”, results from the individual intellect’s attributing the power of conscious to itself. (Patanjali cited in Walsh & Vaughan, 1993:14). Transpersonal approaches aim to go beyond the ego, privileging the subconscious, reaching the soul while exploring the psyche. The transpersonal aspect of the project will guide participants into discovering their Self and Soul from their subconscious through the channel of art making. They will explore possibilities and strengths they possess, opening the doors to new perspectives and options in their lives. Ultimately, transpersonal approach in this project aims toward healing and wholeness. Mindfulness is the tool used to access the present time and therefore leaving room for the subconscious to express through art work. The art making process is a mindfulness exercise as such in a sense that the participant is focused on the process taking place at the present time. Project factors – Appendix 1 (Dwyer, Stanton & Thiessen 2004:20-21) Predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors (Green & Kreuter 2005:12-17,147-149) impact on people and project from the very beginning. It is important to identify the factors impacting on the whole process. This working strategy can help to recognize and use the right tools and methods with the right people at the right time and the right place. Knowing what kind of intervention work best for specific group of people within specific contexts and according to the culture (Green & Kreuter 2005:256) will support the project towards greater success. Consultative process Consultative approach is powerful in strengthening existing supportive relationships. It would be very beneficial to use the power of these relationships to support the project delivery in group sessions. People do things for each other in a sense of cooperation, exchange and respect.
  • 16. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 16 The project team works in collaboration with participants in a consultative way, valuing people’s knowledge, culture, resources, skills and processes (Ife 2002:211-215). The project team will work on developing a sense of trust and safety along the whole project. For consultative process it is essential for participants to feel free to ‘speak from the heart’. Set of rules created by participants regarding principles and procedures amongst the group will be clarified at the beginning of the project and in sessions with new participants. These will address respect, trust, confidentiality, understanding of the project, expectations from participants, purpose of the project toward self discovery, definition of art as being part of each of us, concept of reality, how we acquire knowledge, the concept of several truths within one reality. Project evaluation The evaluation is included in the planning phase (Dwyer et al 2004:171-173). An ongoing project evaluation is seen as essential (Dwyer et al 2004:173-174). This will reinforce the capacity for the project team to adapt to changes and needs which will develop all along the project. This is important in terms of reciprocity and accountability. The ongoing evaluation is made with traditional scientific methods of measurements such as measuring achievements of tasks and objectives, numeric counts and standardized measures (Kettner, Moroney & Martin 1999:129), as well as critical reflection and assessments of issues and situations through group discussions, staff meetings, and developing relationships with participants. Feedback and evaluation report will be given quarterly to STTARS. Aims and Mission statement, goals Lifted by the principles of social justice (Ife 2002:205-207), the primary aim of the project is to ascertain if this intervention contributes towards improving mental well being, sense of self, hopes and dreams for the future for people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.
  • 17. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 17 The mission involves special commitment to disadvantaged, marginalized and vulnerable groups in communities. Colours Of Life aims to give people the right to participate individually and collectively, and to promote collaborative intervention with communities rather than imposing dogmatic methods (Guerin 2005:137,142). Education means empowerment, enlightenment, and raising consciousness…it can lead to self-awareness and critical thinking about oppressive social situations (Freire 1972:13). Colour Of Life aims to support participants to: - Developing one’s identity through the process of sharing and disseminating information and knowledge to other group members and project team; i.e. “I define who I am and want to share with others about me and my story”; - Identifying one’s own strengths through learning about themselves and what they achieve in their lives; - Guiding participants along the exploration of their Self and Soul from their subconscious; - Empowering participants to achieve goals while they become helpers within the project and assist each others’ development; - Facilitating reconciliation with the past towards an hopeful future; - Increasing self-worth through talking about themselves, personal experiences and achievements; - Increasing awareness and supporting commitment towards learning; - Developing people’s mindfulness skills to reduce PTSD and anxiety; - Developing technical and conceptual skills such as art skills, life skills, English skills; - Focus on supported participation; people are the experts in their own lives; - Enhancing communication between participants within their cultural group; The project hopes creating changes within the communities towards capacity building, community ownership to their problems and their solutions (Green & Kreuter 2005:310) while supporting human rights, access, participation, acceptability, affordability (Ife
  • 18. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 18 2002:213), strengthening a sense of being part of the Australian Community and ‘citizenship’ amongst people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. Time Line, Tasks an Objectives – Appendix 2 The time line, task and objectives list starts xxxxx 2011.. Each tasks and objectives are monthly, or weekly, evaluated depending on their achievement and results. If necessary, changes will be planned depending on, and adapted to, the ongoing evaluation. Curriculum and activities Various concepts, notions and strategies will be involved throughout the curriculum such as: - Concepts of safe and unsafe; - Concepts of happiness and unhappiness; - Notions of personal identity; - Building on past experiences for the future;
  • 19. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 19 - Being a ‘Citizen’ in Australia; - Being a world citizen; - Learning about art; - We are all artists in a sense that art making is everyday life and expression; - Art as means for expression and communication; - Learning about myself through art work; - Relationships; - Wellbeing and health; - Nutrition for the body and for the soul; - Trust and Networks; - Strategies for being and keeping safe; - Persistence; - Resilience strategies; - Problem solving strategies; - Service providers; - Rights and responsibilities; - Empowerment through self discovery; With the participants: - Art sessions; - Participatory Rural Appraisal activities; - Appreciative Inquiry activities; With partnership team: - Monthly evaluation meetings; - Monthly meetings to review and amend time line, tasks and objectives; - Assessment and evaluation to be made by xxxxxxx after each PRA and AI activities; - Consultation meetings with partner agencies members (if any);
  • 20. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 20 Project Design The inputs elements of the project are: - The participants, people with refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds; - The Artist Siamak Fallah; - The workers from the funding organisation STTARS; - The amount of funding available; - The staff from partner agencies participating to the project (if any); - The visits to art exhibitions or art places (if any); - The locations for activities and workshops; The throughputs elements of the project are: - All activities such as art sessions, PRA and AI exercises, visits of specific art places (if any); - Analysing of data; - Delivery of the different modules; - Quarterly evaluation; - Quarterly reports; The outputs elements of the project are: - The attendance of participants to art sessions and activities; - The participation of people to PRA and AI activities; - The participants taking part into the development of curriculum; Specified and Anticipated Outcomes The tasks given in the Time Line, appendix X, are specified outcomes. In addition to them, and compared to status at the beginning of the project, anticipated long term outcomes are: - To have more people with refugee background …
  • 21. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 21 - To help prevent … - To improve … - To improve people’s awareness about … - To improve people’s awareness and commitments towards rights and responsibilities; - To improve quality of life; Management Information Systems The data and information gathered will be stored by STTARS workers in a locked cabinet at STTARS premises. STTARS workers running the project will be the only persons to have access to this confidential information. A report including information and statistics will be written and given when required. Minutes or notes are taken for each team meeting. Notes are taken, with authorisation and support of local participants, during each PRA and AI activities, each workshop and program delivery session. Notes and Minutes are taken in English language and will be translated into participants’ languages if required. Evaluation report of the process, tasks and objectives, is discussed monthly. Biases Considering the cultural environment, the project team is aware of several biases such as: - Expectation of the participants; - Gender; - Concept of art being only for ‘artists’ and not as every day life experience; - Language barriers; - Logistic for participants, transportation; - Family commitments for participants; - Difference of interpretations of realities; - Values of participants; - Specific needs and priorities for participants;
  • 22. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 22 Stakeholders Map – Appendix x It is essential to be able to work with key stakeholders and executive people in a way that considers everyone’s agenda. Stakeholders involved in the project can change the direction of the project through even small discussion, action or wishes (Dwyer et al 2004:31-33). It is crucial to gain the support from people having significant position at political and community level. Government’s representatives and Community Councils (if involved in some phase of the project) are key stakeholders as well as the consumers who bring contribution to the project. That is why it is important to manage expectations in the right direction and at the right level, keeping them transparent, realistic and achievable, as people can get disillusioned and then loose motivation and commitment to the project. Budget – Appendix x Conclusion Changes and restructuring of the initial project may occur, as well as addition of new concepts and programs, as this belongs to the very core of this project, to evolve and grow according to the participants’ needs and development. This project is a pilot project that can be transportable at national and international levels. Bringing together Transpersonal Art Therapy (as Transpersonal psychology and Art therapy) with AI, Mindfulness, ACT, Consultative process and Art teaching is a new blend in working with people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. STTARS employees are committed to deliver the project according to the Code of Ethics and the Code of Conduct, within STTARS vision and mission, envisaging a world in which human rights are respected and violations are never tolerated, enabling survivors of torture and trauma to lead secure, productive and fulfilling lives.
  • 23. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 23 Appendix 1 Projects factors Following Green & Kreuter (2005:12-17) strategies, important factors to consider and involve in the frame of the Colours Of Life Project are: Predisposing factors: - People’s knowledge - People’s art skills - Attitudes - Motivation - Beliefs - Values - Perceptions - Culture - Confidence - Capacity - Education - Resilience Reinforcing factors: - Attitudes and behaviours about art - Attitudes and behaviours of participants - Cultural environment - Structure of relationship - Social system and norms - Clients demand
  • 24. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 24 Enabling factors: - Availability of financial resources, local and external funding - Availability of social capital - Commitment, participants’ and team’s commitment - Accessibility - Referrals - Rules and laws - Skills, participants’ and team’s skills - Political context and policies - Participants’ expertise - Workers’ expertise - Consultative work structures Internal project factors: - Organisation commitment - Managing stakeholders - Decision-making structures - Consultative structures - Plan and design - Realistic goals - Defining appropriate strategies - Sustainable outcomes - Managing resources, human resources and funding - Leadership skills - Managing changes - Adaptability - Cross-cultural intervention - Ethno sensitive intervention
  • 25. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 25 External project factors (which are interrelated to cultural patterns): - Economical factor - Inaccessibility to resources (geographical and economical factor) - Social factors within the communities - Traumas and mental distress, mental illness - Violence and abuse - Alcohol and drug misuse - Families hierarchy - Political factors within and outside the communities - Individual factors - Biological factors - Peers’ pressure - People’s conditions of living - People’s fear of unknown - People’s values - People’s health beliefs - People’s expectations - People’s wishes and dreams - People’s attitude toward change
  • 26. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 26 Appendix 2 Timeline schedule are re-evaluated quarterly Tasks
  • 27. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 27 Appendix 3 Stakeholders Map Stakeholders Important To be aware of / to consider
  • 28. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 28 Appendix 4 Budget
  • 29. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 29 References Barone, E 2007, Resilience amidst dominant discourses: an exploration of factors affecting the life of refugee women from Middle Eastern backgrounds resettled in metropolitan Adelaide, University of South Australia, Adelaide. Dwyer, J, Stanton, P & Thiessen, V 2004, Project management in health and community services – getting good ideas to work, Routledge, London. Edwards, R & Ribbens, J 1998, ‘Living on the edges – Public knowledge, private lives, personal experiences’, in Feminist dilemmas in qualitative research – Public knowledge and private lives, eds J Ribbens & R Edwards, Sage Publications, London, pp.1-23. Freire, P 1972, Pedagogy of the oppressed, Penguin Education, Ringwood, VIC. Green, LW & Kreuter, MW 2005, Health program planning – An educational and ecological approach, 4th edn, McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., NY. Guerin, B 2005, Changing communities and societies, viewed 7 August 2006, <http://catalogue.library.unisa.edu.au/cgi-bin/scandoc.cgi?app=2&folder=2975&doc=1>. Harris, R 2009, ACT made simple, New Harbinger Publications Inc.,Oakland. Ife, J 2002, Community development – Community-based alternatives in an age of globalisation, 2nd edn, Pearson Education Australia, NSW. Kettner, PM, Moroney, RM & Martin, LL 1999, Designing and managing programs – An effectiveness-based approach, 2nd edn, Sage Publication Inc., California. Konner, M 2007, ‘Trauma, adaptation, and resilience: A cross cultural and evolutionary perspective’, in Understanding trauma – Integrating biological, clinical and cultural perspectives, eds LJ Kirmayer, R Lemelson & M Barad, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp.300-338. Kostoe, JE 1985, Consultation: A universal lamp of guidance, George Ronald, Oxford. Kuwee Kumsa, M 2006, ‘Refugee voice – “No! I’m not a refugee!” The poetics of be- longing among young Oromos in Toronto’, Journal of Refugee Studies, vol.19, no.2, pp.230- 255. London, P 1989, No more second hand art, Shambhala Publications Inc., Boston. Stokes, G 2002, Acceptance – Wisdom from around the world, MQ Publications Limited, London.
  • 30. Emmanuelle Barone - Colours of Life Project – STTARS – 2011/2012 Page 30 Tesoriero, F, Barone, E & Umbers, A 2006, Healthy districts project – Report of stage 1, University of South Australia, Adelaide. Waller, MA 2001, ‘Resilience in ecosystem context: Evolution of the concept’, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, vol.71, no.3, pp.290-297. Walsh, R & Vaughan, F 1993, Paths beyond ego – The transpersonal vision, eds, Penguin Putnam Inc., New York