Seeing Change through creativity

Rachel Brand (left) is studying Art Therapy and is doing her placement hours at The Salvation Army’s First Floor Program in the NSW Illawarra region. She is pictured here with Marilyn Dunn, First Floor Program Coordinator.

BY LAUREN MARTIN

Rachel Brand has always had a passion for creativity. She loves all kinds of art and crafts, and she knows firsthand how important creativity and connection can be when people are going through hard times.

The Master of Arts Therapy student is currently undertaking her placement at The Salvation Army’s First Floor Program, a therapeutic community that supports families.

It’s a bit of a ‘full circle’ moment for Rachel, as it was a First Floor Program course, ‘See Change’, that helped her through a challenging time.

“I did that [See Change] and made some difficult decisions in my life, and could see the value in the course,” she said. “When things come up, I’m constantly referring back to things I learned in the course, and I’ve since gone on to do the ‘Family Empowerment’ course which follows on from ‘See Change’.”  

Rachel Brand (right) met The Salvation Army First Floor Program’s Lisa Clancy (left) when she did the First Floor Program’s Family Empowerment course.

Rachel has now completed the volunteer training to become a ‘See Change’ course facilitator. She said it’s wonderful to be able to give back in such a meaningful way.

“I want to be helpful to people in the way that other people have helped me,” she said.

Located at The Foundery Family Centre in Port Kembla (NSW), The Salvation Army’s First Floor Program is a unique service that started 25 years ago to give support to families who have loved ones with mental health or addiction issues.

It grew to develop art programs, suicide bereavement support groups, and support for kinship carers. Its programs, ‘See Change’, 'boostED', ‘Family Empowerment’, ‘reSoLve' and ‘Effective Communication’, are used at various locations throughout The Salvation Army to support individuals and families, with training and support for facilitators offered by the First Floor Program.

For Rachel, being able to immerse herself in the craft and art therapy groups at the program, which operates alongside The Salvation Army’s Foundery Family Centre, is a perfect place to put her newly learned art therapy skills into practice.

The Salvation Army First Floor Program’s Marilyn Dunn and Lisa Clancy, with The Foundery Family Centre’s Auxiliary-Lieutenant Stephen Dunn.

“I’m here at the craft group learning to socialise with the people that come here. I’m sitting in with some counselling sessions … What I’d love to do when I become an art therapist is to run groups that connect people to each other to prevent mental health issues,” she said.

In her spare time, Rachel volunteers to coordinate the nearby 2508 Salvos ‘Crafternoon Tea’ ministry.

“That’s my passion project,” she said. “Craft group gives people an opportunity to do something with their hands, but the more important thing is the connection that they have with other people, so while you’re doing something with your hands, you’re chatting, and you’re building relationships, and I feel that’s more important than the craft itself.”

For more information on the First Floor Program at The Foundery Family Centre, click here