Staff Development Thumbs Up

These are the raddest people I know working in the disability industry. This is just a drop of all the people working for Thumbs Up.

Thumbs up is a parent led organisation that celebrates the unique individual and supports them into having meaningful life and educational experiences as a vocational service. 

We had a session celebrating the staff and achievements of participants over the last year.

The was goody bags, music making sessions, gifts of words and meaningful exchange for what has been and what is yet to come.

I deliver both song and drama sessions at Thumbs Up, it is always a delight to spend time creating with the staff and breathing some action into the staff training week.

“It’s the most interaction we have had all week. It’s great to be up out of chairs and moving around and getting creative.

Katrina”

Grief Workshops at MIX

Sometimes it is hard to express ourselves in times of grief and creativity is the best platform for that.

Over several sessions at both Upper Hutt MIX and Lower Hutt MIX we took time to celebrate the lives of very dear friends and the lasting impact they have had on their hearts and minds within the MIX communities.

In one of our sessions we created a tribute to one of our friends favorite mediums "Wool".

This was created with memories being weaved in by a working song Dear Firend.

Dear Friend, dear friend

Let me tell you how I feel

You have give me such pleasure

I love you so.

In our other workshops we celebrated by making songs and building a rich tapestry of our favourite memories dedicated to our lost friend.

Aranui Music & Drama

Aranui formerly known as Park Road are a delightful day service as part of Idea Services Wellington. We have been working together since 2013.

When I first started we developed a weekly drama program including members from Alpha another day service providing opportunities for drama .

In 2015 I just so I wanted to change concept from drama to music efficacy reach for the participants in to make it more accessible

This is been incredibly successful with creating friendships and opportunities for song/instruments interaction with members of the group who previously declined to engage.

Some of our past projects have included:

• Multicultural variety show
• Our favourite songs
• Walk together
• Sing it out Loud Library Sessions

Hospital Sing 2016

I was delighted to be invited to lead some sessions with Julian and in Julian's absence with Community Music Junction at the Hospital.

We were generously sponsored by the Wellington Community Choir to run these sessions at the Hospital on Wednesdays around lunchtime. They were free tor anyone to come and spontaneously sing. 

They were a great deal of fun. We hope to see another arts project go back into the atruim.