Using Dance for Health: a short online free course March 2022

 

WWTP Dance for People Living with Parkinson’s CPD - Photo credit Paul Whittaker

Following a strong first course in July 2021 Coleg Sir Gâr, Rubicon Dance and Wales Wide Training Programme have run a successful second short course in Arts and Health Awareness which was online and free to those who are eligible for PLA funding (Personal Learning Account) through Welsh Assembly Government.

 

The course ran throughout March 2022 and was mainly on Tuesday afternoons on Zoom. To be eligible for PLA funding participants were required to attend all sessions.

The aim of the course was to raise awareness of the current context of health and wellbeing in the arts (dance focus) in Wales as a possible future career direction.  The course was targeted at those who have been negatively impacted by the economy to gain higher level skills or are earning under the average income.

 

The course had a number of guest speakers including Simone Joslyn, Head of Cardiff Arts & Health Charity, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Paul Whittaker and Tamsin Griffiths, Four in Four Arts (Arts and Mental Health), Sharon Teear and Anwen Davies, Rubicon Dance (Stroke and Dance) and Heidi Wilson, (Dance for People Living with Parkinson’s). An additional element to the course in March will be Evaluation sessions led by Dr Susanne Burns.

 

From a participant in 2022's course....

“I just want to say a huge thank you for the PLA funding, as this course has taught me so much about Arts and Health. I feel really lucky to have been given this opportunity and these experiences. It is amazing that Tracey managed to tailor the course to each individual – from practitioners to fundraisers, we were all able to gain so much.

 

The evaluation sessions were excellent. I have attended quite a few training events and conferences but never before encountered such a collaborative and sensitive approach to training. Dr Susanne Burns took a great deal of time to ‘listen’ to practitioners’ needs and experience. It was really powerful to attend training that introduced a more realistic balance between the practitioners’ judgements and the academic necessity for research validity which so often fails to tell the whole story. It was very empowering giving as it did permission to all practitioners to be confident in the validity of their reflections.   

Thank you so much for putting together this amazing training. It’s such a privilege to have participated”.

 

Tracey Brown, Mentoring, Training, Development Leader at Rubicon Dance:

“Rubicon Dance and Wales Wide Training Programme are thrilled to be able to work with Coleg Sir Gâr once again to offer a second course in the evergrowing area of arts and health across Wales. There is a clear need for recent graduates who have the potential and interest in this area of work plus those who are currently working in dance and the arts but not necessarily in arts and health to come together and be inspired by and learn from experienced practitioners, artists and policy makers. On completion of the course people will be sign-posted to further training and development through Wales Wide Training Programme.”

Claire Mackerras, Rheolwr Cyfadran y Diwdiant Creadigol, Chwaraeon a Gwasanethau Cymdeithasol

Faculty Manager of Creative Industries, Sport and Community Services, Coleg Sir:

“This is an amazing opportunity for practitioners to study part time courses around their existing responsibilities. This continued professional development allows them to use dance and the arts for physical activity and as a creative art form, to make a vital contribution to the health and wellbeing agenda. This exciting new development in our partnership with Rubicon and WWTP provides a vehicle to raise skill shortages currently facing priority sectors”.

 

For further information on the Arts and Health Awareness Course please contact [email protected].