Getting creative at Goldcrest House marks the transition into winter as service users roll-up their sleeves and demonstrate their creative skills during an arts and crafts session.
Working together, and on their own, service users used the session to express their creative thoughts as well as their feelings through model making, painting and knitting.
Eileen Smale, activity coordinator at Goldcrest House says: “Arts and crafts sessions are a great way for our service users to express themselves. It takes a huge amount of organisation concentration and focus to create something like a snowman. Retaining knowledge, following a process, and using a variety of techniques to create something we might think of as a simple construction is a massive achievement when you are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder.”
The arts and crafts sessions are particularly good for enhancing physical, mental and emotional well-being and encourage group interaction, communication as well as developing concentration and fine motor skills.
Based on Boothferry Road Goldcrest House is a centre of excellence dedicated to addressing the individual needs of adults over 18 affected by Autistic Spectrum Disorder and learning difficulties. It provides residential care, supported living, long and short term respite care, day services and outreach to meet the varied needs of those who access the service 52 weeks a year; its aim is to be the UK’s quality service of choice.
