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What is Áthas?

Áthas is an exciting new creative arts therapies service funded under the Enhancing Disability Services Program, Pobal and based in the Mountmellick Development Association, Co Laois. This pilot project aims to provide outreach services in the Midlands to people with physical, emotional/ mental, sensory and/or intellectual disabilities. It is hoped that the model of service developed will be easily replicated throughout the country and mainstreamed after 2008.


What are Creative Arts Therapies?

Creative arts therapies is the use of creative arts to achieve clinical goals with clients who have a range of needs in social, educational, psychological, intellectual and/ or physical domains. Creative arts therapists are experts in using gentle, non-intrusive, non-verbal qualities of arts in conjunction with their insight and training in therapeutic relationships to develop programmes that help identify and address clients’ needs.


How will the Service be Provided?

The service will be provided on an outreach basis and will be made available to people with all disabilities (together or in separate groups as required) using the comprehensive network of facilities available through our partners and other community outlets.

The service will commence by identifying the number of people and range of disabilities who will benefit from creative arts therapy. Qualified art, music, dance movement and drama therapists will identify the individual therapeutic needs of participants and following assessment, the therapists will set up programmes with set targets for each participant which will be reviewed on a regular basis and revised according to individual needs. The arts therapists provide individual and group therapy and work as members of multidisciplinary team in conjunction with other health, care and educational professionals.


Who will Implement the Program?

The management committee have appointed a Project co-ordinator; Annemarie Ní Churreáin, a Research & Development Officer; Eibhlín Clifford and Administrator; Kathleen Moore to put the service in place and devise an action plan for the implementation of the programme. Their function also includes formative and summative evaluation which will inform the mainstreaming of the project once the pilot is completed.


Partners

A wide range of partners have been engaged in the development of this proposal and are committed to remaining as partners in the implementation of the service. These include the Health Services

Executive, Laois County Council, Disability Federation of Ireland, Laois Sports Partnership, Midland Arts c/o Westmeath VEC, Mountmellick Development Association Social Inclusion, Midland Employment Support Agency, Laois VEC, Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary (Moore Abbey), Irish Wheelchair Association and National Council for the Blind of Ireland.

How does the project promote Social Inclusion?

The broad representation of partners sets the foundation for a collaborative and inclusive approach, enhancing and adding value to existing disability services. This project confronts the challenge of bringing together people with varying disabilities, often working in isolation within their cohort group, to harness the benefits of working together and learning from each other.

The project will complement and build on existing services and resources including facilities, staffing, transport and collective knowledge of partners’ organisations, service providers and community organisations.

A unique aspect of the project is that participants will have the opportunity to progress from the therapy programme into the broader realm of the artistic community such as visual arts, music, dance and drama performance, creative writing and story telling. It will raise the profile of the abilities rather than the disabilities of the participants.

Through addressing the therapeutic needs of participants, this project will also provide participants with increased opportunities for socialisation and the development and expansion of social networks which may remain long after the project is finished thus reducing the possibility of further social exclusion and isolation.


How can I Learn More?

Further information regarding the Áthas project, individual therapies and our referrals procedure, can be obtained by contacting any member of the team on 057 8624525.

Annemarie Ní Churreáin

Project Manager

Ph:- 057 8624525 Ext 101

Fax:- 057 8624525

Mobile:- 087 1252184


Our mission is to provide music, art, drama and dance movement therapies to persons with a disability in the midlands, developing a model of excellence and creating lasting & meaningful change in the community.