Jacqui's Story
Jacqui has lived at one of our Hackney mental health care homes since 2014.
Jacqui’s service offers 24/7 support for 24 customers living with severe and enduring mental health conditions. It provides person-centred support with a strong focus on an improvement in their quality of life. The customers experience many challenges in life however they make slow but steady progress through enrichment and partnership working.
Their achievements are celebrated together at each step of the process at the service. A highlight for customers are their twice-weekly art sessions run by a local artist John Close.
Jacqui, pictured with her artwork is one of our customers that takes part each week.
“I really like living at here. It is quite modern, clean and bright and the staff are really nice. They help me to live on my own outside of a hospital. I am able to do my own washing, cleaning and manage my money. It is better than another hostel I used to live in.
I started going to the art regularly about 18 months ago.
I really like it. It has helped me feel more confident and I’m better at concentrating for longer now.
In the future I’d love to see my pictures displayed in a proper art gallery or museum like the one I’ve been to in Whitechapel.”
Noriko, Service Manager:
“It is amazing to see the difference in Jacqui and our other customers who attend the art sessions.
Jacqui (for example) attends these sessions and has gone from only being able to focus for a short time (when she started joining the group five years ago) to producing complete pictures of her own (one of which she is pictured with). She gained not only the painting skill, but also the confidence to challenge herself and great sense of achievement.
The home is now decorated with many paintings from this workshop. The display of their success at home promotes the positive environment, where we all get inspired to take the first step forward. This makes the service inclusive and innovative.
I’m so proud of all of the customers who get involved with this and grateful for the support we get for the project.”
If you’d like to support our art project contact [email protected]
See also
