Fabric art course gets under way
6 April 2009 Women prisoners taking part in a six-week fabric art course, run within the Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility, are “very excited and positive” about the course.
“They all want to make things for their children,” says prison arts tutor Nora West. “They’re also telling me that it’s very soothing to be able to make something with their hands.”
The course started in early April and is being held once a week. Vilani Bernard, Programmes Manager for Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility and Springhill Corrections Facility, is delighted the six-week course is happening.
“It’s a really neat concept and hopefully, the women will gain a lot in terms of life skills and a sense of pride and achievement, as well as creating work that will enhance their environment,” she says.
“Crafts can be such a rewarding occupation – whether you’re making something for yourself, for your home or to give to someone.”
Reconnecting with families and society
The course is part of a pilot programme called WAY OUT, STAY OUT: Creative opportunities for women exiting prison. To be run by Alleviate Ltd, the programme aims to help women prisoners reconnect with their families and society when they leave prison.
The programme was initiated by Amanda Levey, a registered psychologist and registered arts therapist. Although Manchester Trust has provided seed funding to set up the fabric art course, additional funding and community involvement are needed to take the programme to the next level.
“We want people to feel inspired by this project and offer their time, money, materials and knowledge,” she says. “Thanks to an earlier story, someone donated wool and materials. We’re delighted to be able to use the materials in such a valuable project.”
Supported by Pillars
It is planned that women will take part in the WAY OUT, STAY OUT programme within the prison as they move towards release. When they exit prison, the programme will be available to them but run at Pillars, which has donated their facilities and garden to enable this to happen.
Pillars is a community-based service providing support and accommodation for mothers released from prison.
If additional funding becomes available for the programme, it will integrate creative arts therapy with craft and art-making, gardening, dance and movement, and drama and rhythm.
“This pilot programme has the potential to make a real difference,” Amanda says. “It’s well-known that putting resources into women prisoners is an effective way to create changes in society and break inter-generational cycles of trauma, social problems and criminal activity.”
Other benefits of the programme include:
• making time spent in prison more productive and rehabilitative
• reconnecting mothers with their children, families and communities
• supporting the women to continue activities that may offer income generation opportunities in the creative industries
• reducing re-offending
• contributing to safer, stronger communities.
For more information about WAY OUT, STAY OUT: Creative opportunities for women exiting prison, please contact Amanda Levey (T: 09 630 7844 E: ).