Pilot Pen and Tonic
In 2007 Pen and Tonic was awarded an Awards for All grant to run a pilot project for community practitioners to explore the health benefits of writing.
Some of the areas explored were:
- Creative and relevant ways of using writing and storytelling within our communities and the communities we work with.
- The growing evidence that writing benefits mental and physical well being.
- Ways in which skills and knowledge can be shared in relation to using writing for health for ourselves and the people we work with.
- The importance of supporting writing for health facilitators in the community i.e. through supervisory and mentoring support.
The pilot group consisted of experienced group workers with little or no experience of using writing in their work – just a genuine interest, an open mind and the curiosity to find out more.
Other projects
Pen and Tonic ran a series of workshops based at Newcastle Carer’s Centre. There are plans to develop more writing for health projects with carers in 2008.
As part of Newcastle’s Healthy Cities initiative, Pen and Tonic ran a series of workshops hosted by the Elders Council of Newcastle. The theme of the workshops was ‘Dignity in Care’. The aim was to produce writing from older people for them to read at a ‘Dignity in Care’ conference organized by Healthy Cities in April 2008. Pen and Tonic are exploring other ideas for writing for health projects with older people for 2008.
Supervision and Mentoring
Pen and Tonic are currently supporting two community workers to develop writing for health in their work through the Community Champions scheme funded by The Scarman Trust.
Express yourself, don’t stress yourself
‘I enjoyed today. It has opened my mind to the possibilities of writing for health.’ (Member of Newcastle Elders Group)
‘When we write for health we can begin to deal with things bit by bit. Pen and Tonic have given me the confidence to get a buzz out of what I write.’ (Member of Carer’s Group)
‘I now really understand how to use writing for health to explore my professional development as a community worker.’ (Community Champion)