1. ARTiculate Presentation – CYPNET Meeting James Hughes Mental Health Project Manager

2. Outline: -  Who are Community Focus?  What is ARTiculate?  ARTiculate’s taster sessions  ARTiculate’s project launch  Suggestions for working together

3. Who are Community Focus? Community Focus (CF) is an inclusive multi-arts centre based in Barnet and have been active for over 30 years. We work to encourage members of our community of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to participate in the arts, to gain confidence and to challenge barriers through integration and innovation. As an inclusive organisation, we are receptive to the needs of our community. We remain flexible and open to new partnerships.

4. We have developed long-standing relationships with artists of the highest calibre. Many of our artists are Royal College of Art (RCA) graduates. Community Focus 1 st Floor, Friary House, Friary Park, Friern Barnet, London, N12 9PQ  www.communityfocus.co.uk www.communityfocus.co.uk 07948 111 748 james.hughes@communityfocus.co.uk

5. What is ARTiculate?  Mental and emotional well-being/ mental health issues…

6. Young person completed registration form (or an outside agency can do that for them) and meet Mental Health Project Manager Meeting discusses issues including interests in art, how they feel ARTiculate may help their mental health, clarify expectations and provide reassurances Start their 8-session project in art - learning new skills, making new friends, working and communicating together Graduation/ Celebration Event ‘Move On and Move Up’

7. Key Partners (so far)  Barnet and Southgate College Accreditation and Social Enterprise  Eclipse Barnet (MIND in Barnet, Richmond Fellowship and Barnet Centre for Independent Living) Provision of counselling, self-help groups and mental health awareness and training courses

8. ‘Move On, Move Up’ So essentially these key partners allows ARTiculate and Community Focus to offer a wrap-round service, accreditation and social enterprise opportunities to young people. ARTiculate will also be offering: -  Mentoring Scheme (volunteering) - other ARTiculate young people  ARTiculate Youth Forum  Representation on the ARTiculate Project Steering Group  Generic promotion of opportunities to young people, e.g. volunteering with Barnet Centre for Independent Living, or education, training and employment opportunities

9. Advantages of ARTiculate’s approach For professionals: - 1.Professionals can refer too 2.You don’t need a clinical diagnosis. We work under a wide-definition of mental health issues 3.Key to ARTiculate is a group work approach and wanting to learn a new art skill 4.ARTiculate will be working with 240 young people over 3 years; through twenty 8- session projects To be attractive to young people: - 1.Is a self-referral project 2.Learn a new art skill that you chose 3.ARTiculate will be happening near you 4.Taking a ‘group-work’ approach

10. How can I sign up or sign some-one up to take part in ARTiculate?  Self-referral i.e. contact James  Professional can refer young people into ARTiculate as well  Contact James to access referral forms (they will be ready in 2-3 weeks)

11. ARTiculate Taster sessions  1 st session – Barnet Homes – “Know How” Youth Conference on the 26/07/2014. The kind of art work will be t-shirt printing  2 nd session - World Mental Health Day with the Multi- Wellbeing Services (details TBC)  Further taster sessions to be announced

12. ARTiculate Project Launch Details to follow!! Food and drink available. Different artists doing different kinds of art work. Music to be played. Event will be on Facebook and Twitter You are welcome – will be publicising soon Specific info closer to the time

13. Suggestions for working together Operational: -  Cross-refer young people  Please use me as a resource, e.g. to come to youth groups to do talks on what ARTiculate is Strategically: -  Joint funding bids  Share outcomes, e.g. engaging young people creatively using the arts  The increase focus on youth mental health, e.g. increase in the last 12 months of young people accessing A&E due to self-harm issues in Barnet  Partnership development and service ‘buy-in’, e.g. able to use youth club venues, commission ARTiculate to do a project with young people in specific areas Community Focus’ social enterprise arm - Gold Dust - www.communityfocus.co.ukwww.communityfocus.co.uk

14. Any questions??

15. James Hughes Mental Health Project Manager Community Focus 1 st Floor, Friary House, Friary Park, Friern Barnet, London, N12 9PQ -07948 111 748 -james.hughes@communityfocus.co.uk www.communityfocus.co.uk