Belonging

After a successful pilot project working with the Polish community in Telford, Dancexchange is currently developing and fundraising for a 3 year project called Belonging.

Belonging is a dance and cross art form project that explores issues of identity and mental health with Refugees and Asylum Seekers, people affected by homelessness, and the traveller community.

Belonging will reduce the sense of isolation felt by marginalised groups in society, specifically those with experience of homelessness, refugees and asylum seekers and the traveller community, by bringing participants together to share experiences and work creatively on arts projects that they shape, devise and document themselves.

The target groups for Belonging are regularly subject to negative media campaigns and involved in tensions with their “host” community. Belonging will encourage community cohesion by providing greater understanding of the issues and experiences of the target groups and the wider “host” community.

Feeling a sense of belonging can have a positive effect on health and wellbeing. Many of the target groups have a history of mental health issues and Belonging will have a positive affect on both the physical and mental health of participants, helping them to achieve a more optimistic outlook on life and improving their confidence, aspirations and communication skills.

Activity will consist of:

• Empowering projects for participants: All projects will involve dance (healthy physical activity) and other artforms and will culminate in an artistic product, shared to invited audience through celebration events. Shaped by consultation, these projects will develop the confidence, social skills, and ability of participants to express themselves and document their progress. Group activity will reduce feelings of isolation and create support networks. By sensitively engaging the host community in the later stages of projects, activity will also promote community cohesion.
• Leadership/ambassador projects – an exit strategy for participants who demonstrate commitment/interest and skill: Content will include: understanding leadership; networking and lobbying tips; mentoring advice; a placement; an opportunity to gain an arts award. For participants with potential, there will be opportunities to work as a shadow artist/project manager.
• Training/development for artists/facilitators: It has previously been a challenge to recruit artists to work with the groups Belonging intends to target, due to limited training available for artists aspiring to work in this area. Belonging will address this, providing courses and shadowing/mentoring opportunities.

If you are interested in getting involved in the about project, please contact jane.ralls@dancexchange.org.uk