On Wednesday December 14th 2016, Minister for Health Simon Harris TD attended the launch of Trinity College and ReCreates first collaborative publication, ‘Heads Up’, a research study into the mental health benefits alongside the educational and creative potential of reusing everyday materials in inclusive classrooms, which has been funded by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Adopting an ‘artist in residence’ model within educational and community based groups where children, young people and adults with diverse learning needs, ‘Heads Up’ examined whether clean, excess, open ended materials salvaged from industry encouraged greater flexibility and creativity in inclusive classrooms.
This study examined the role of integrating visual arts in inclusive classrooms and sought to explore if artistically experimenting with everyday materials that can be reused:
• Encourages inventiveness and innovation.
• Acts as a vehicle for alternative forms of communication, visual experience and learning.
• Has a therapeutic effect through their tactile and sensory qualities.
• Provide learners with a disability with tangible experiences in decision making and problem solving, through visual arts engagement.
The publication has been received brilliantly and the results have been welcomed with open arms, we’re delighted that The Irish Times were also impressed by this work, and have featured ReCreate in a recent Editorial. You can read the piece Here.
