Art as Therapy
Barrier Breakers will develop two, Art as Therapy programmes in Sale Victoria. One programme will be for the general community and one for the indigenous community, which will concentrate specifically on indigenous art forms. In both cases, the programmes will be open to people who have a mental illness and to their families and carers. The programmes will be facilitated by local artists and supervised by a staff member from Barrier Breakers. Previous programmes in Traralgon were highly successful, with participants saying that the art had allowed them to express feelings that they otherwise would have kept bottled up, and as a result they felt calmer and more in control of their lives.

Objectives
The funds will be used to provide the equipment for a total of four programmes – one each for the general community and one for the indigenous community in the third and fourth school terms of 2018.

 Expected Outcomes
Participants will find they are better able to express their feelings and needs, and as a result be calmer and more in control. This in turn helps their families, friends and ultimately the broader community.

Barrier Breakers applied for a grant of $2,000 to cover equipment for a total of four programmes in each of the third and fourth school terms of 2018. This equipment will include paints, pencils, brushes, canvasses, paper and other media.

The UCF Board was pleased to approve this small grant application from Barrier Breakers Inc.