Art Program
The Arts and Wellness program in our Longtin Resource Centre was developed in response to the community identifying the need for a safe and supportive space in which to express themselves in creative ways. Research shows that all forms of creative expression are therapeutic for people, and for those experiencing homelessness, creative activities can be significantly healing and life enhancing. Engaging in creative activities contributes to emotional well-being in several ways:
- Helps explore and identify feelings
- Increases self-efficacy and improved feelings of self
- Promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety
- Facilitates social connection
- Works as a strategy to promote change, insight and well-being
When we help increase an individual’s capacity for creative thinking and behavior through drawing, painting, constructing, or other ways of using one’s imagination, this can help reduce emotional distress and conflict, and enhance understanding of oneself and others. This in turn may contribute to good mental health, helping people to become more adaptive, resilient and productive when confronted with challenges in life.
We offer workshops, open art studios and individual counselling with a focus on exploring an individual’s creative side. Programming is delivered through a combination of volunteers, professional artists and art therapists.
Mental Health & Wellness
The Arts Program is a part of the Mental Health and Wellness program at Siloam Mission. This area of programming combines individual counselling with the goal of identifying an individualized wellness plan for those in our community through counselling, creative activities and therapeutic relationships.
Siloam Mission’s Mental Health programming offers drop-in counselling that is delivered through a combination of volunteers and practicum students from areas of psychiatric nursing, counselling and psychology.
The majority of our programming relies on volunteer commitment. We actively recruit professionals to volunteer in our program who can commit weekly or bi-weekly for a minimum of 3-6 months. Programming is offered 3 times per week in the afternoon.