Creative mentoring
I have inherited a particularly treasured thing from my parents and grandparents - I have a beaming smile, which is hard to switch off. It will come as no surprise, therefore, that I have had the nickname Smiler since primary school.
Sure life has been tough and like many people I have had to cope with various difficulties over the years, but my cheery nature and positive disposition has been a great help to me and I feel it is something I can share with others.
Through my creative mentoring programme, I work with groups of people, not necessarily artists/makers, who feel they are at a bit of a crossroads or just a bit stuck. Spending a few hours or a full day with them, as individuals or as part of a small group I share various ways in which they can move on and generally be more productive and positive.
This has also lead me to work with organisations such as Arts for Health within an NHS Mental Health Trust, facilitating a ‘safe’ space within an NHS setting for people to gather together to be creative and have a break from their day to day routine whilst undergoing treatment or in recovery.
what others say…
“A very positive and encouraging Workshop, it has given me the steps to put into place. The best bit of the day was having a spiritual connection, someone who ‘gets’ me.”
“Ideas from your Workshop will enable me to work positively towards shaping and achieving my future goals and ambitions. A most enjoyable day, and one from which I have taken several positive ideas towards helping me get to where I want to be and beyond! All done in a pleasant and relaxing environment.”
“Today I had a one to one mentoring session with Maggie. The in-depth Goal Setting that we started with, opened my eyes to how broad my future options were, I am now keen to put into practise the planning ideas Maggie has given me to help me to achieve these goals and start to use the techniques she has explained in order to maintain the super positive attitude I came out of the session with. It starts here, now!”
“I have known Maggie for a period of twelve months whilst working with patients with various mental health needs in Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Trust within the Specialist Perinatal Services. Maggie has been instrumental during patient’s recovery process by offering therapeutic creative activities alongside the Occupational Therapists on an individual basis or within group settings. Maggie has displayed patience and understanding of the clients various needs and levels of participation and tailored her therapeutic sessions based on this understanding ensuring maximum benefit to all participants. Maggie has provided positive diversion during stressful and difficult moments for all the patients that she has worked with. She has also ensured confidentiality and professionalism is adhered to during her practice.
It was a great pleasure working with Maggie and I am assured that she will provide an efficient service due to her passion and desire to bring positive change and experiences to her client group.”
Bulinda Veneranda – Occupational Therapist SSSFT
“I have worked with Maggie on several creative projects for Arts for Health at South Staffordshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. She is a skilled and sensitive creative practitioner who works extremely well with our service users and has come up with some lovely project ideas, including big group pieces and individual work. Her sessions are inclusive in that they allow for widely varying levels of skill and ability and she gently draws in those members of the group who may be lacking in confidence. She has dealt with difficult situations with professionalism and kindness. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her.”
Eleanor Babb – Arts for Health Project Worker – South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
“I have known Maggie Hollinshead for many years as an artist, curator, mentor, and friend. Maggie has delivered fantastic workshops to all ages whilst I was working in the arts department at Stafford Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council".”
“In my capacity as Arts for Health Project Worker at South Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Healthcare I recommended and then engaged Maggie as an artist to work on two wards: Kinver: Eating disorders and Brockington: Mother and baby unit. I knew Maggie would be the most appropriate artist to work on these two wards as she demonstrates the exact qualities and demeanour one should have to work with very poorly service users. Maggie is a superb artist but clearly loves to share her work and ideas and her approaches to art in all its glorious disciplines. Maggie shows great compassion and empathy. She is one who takes time to prepare sessions, with work to demonstrate and will have taken time to consider each service user’s abilities with ways to nurture or enhance their skills supported by abundant encouragement increasing the service users esteem. I would not hesitate to recommend Maggie to anyone or to any organisations who could support Maggie”. Helen Wilson, Arts for Health Project Worker, South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, winners of the WMAHW Arts & Health Awards 2014: Community Wellbeing Award.