Dwelling in positivity or how art fosters resilience
Dwelling in positivity: supporting separated migrant children to thrive through online arts-based practices.
Weathering the storm. Dwelling in positivity. These names refer to different phases of the University of Stirling’s Separated in Scotland research project on supporting separated migrant children in times of crisis. We were invited to become one of the project partners and the words that spoke to us and really convinced us to get involved were these: The uniqueness of this project is that it draws on the fragility of children’s experiences to fill a gap in all our knowledge and experiences, and adopts a creative approach with the potential to shape practice in the UK and internationally.
We are nothing if not versatile at the Hands Up Project. While initially it wasn’t clear exactly what our role would be, we drew on the experts amongst our pool of volunteers including storytellers, remote theatre experts, artists and ESOL tutors. We found a rapper and a photographer and, above all, within our community, we found empathy and energy coupled with a sense of fun.
First sessions using remote theatre techniques teetered on the edge of that “oh my god is it going to work?” moment and then hurtled through, gathering momentum along the way, breaking through barriers and allowing us to laugh and share.
Scheduling and timetabling problems, a barrage of emails, moments of doubt, and indeed crises, including Covid and the war on Gaza, almost defeated some of us, at least temporarily. But then came the children’s words - spoken and written, and the images and feelings that accompanied them, stories of high hopes and shattered expectations.
Only three of the Separated in Scotland researchers were native English speakers. Three of the artists were immigrants, one a refugee. Polish, Vietnamese, Greek, African-Arabic, Portugese and Kurdish words hopped around the room with us. The weekly catch-ups and the snapshots of lives unfolding through art often surprised and delighted everyone in the room.
COVID-19 is likely to be only one of many crises that separated migrant children have experienced in their journeys to and since arrival in the UK. Refugee children in Palestine may have lived through four wars in their short lives. The lockdown has increased isolation and made access to vital support services more difficult - sometimes impossible - for everyone.
Here at the Hands Up Project we have witnessed, time and again, how drama has boosted children’s self-esteem, supported them through the expression of sadness and pain and carried their message to the wider world. Children have become poets, actors, playwrights and youth ambassadors. Art can take children to the other side of their own fragility and help them to discover the power and resilience that lies within.
At the beginning of the collaboration, it wasn’t exactly clear what our role would be. By the end, we had no doubt whatsoever. We’d like to thank the University of Stirling for inviting us to be a part of Separated in Scotland and the artists, volunteers and children who took the leap of faith with us.
Images used in this post were taken by children participating in the project with photographer Paulina Czyz.
You can find more information on the Separated in Scotland website below.