Outreach programme brings expressive arts therapy to Hong Kong secondary schools
Therapists and social workers help participants write, paint, sing and act to share their emotions and deal with stress
Therapy comes in many forms. The experience can be colourful, poetic and even theatrical.
An expressive arts therapy programme featuring a diverse range of creative projects, including painting workshops, writing classes, music and drama performances, has been implemented at dozens of local secondary schools by a charitable organisation to train youngsters to use art as a tool for expression and communication.
Through this “Art to Heart” school outreach programme, the registered expressive arts therapists and social workers who lead the activities seek to help at-risk adolescents develop emotional competence and achieve self-healing.
The pilot scheme is operated by the Changing Young Lives Foundation. From 2015 to 2016, the programme served a total of 126 secondary school pupils from different racial, learning and family backgrounds.
Art therapy project helps lift spirits in Hong Kong
The foundation will continue with the arts therapy programme with funds from Operation Santa Claus, the annual fundraising campaign jointly organised by the South China Morning Post and RTHK.