cohealth’s Aged Residential and Outreach Team (AROT) supports older people living in Public Housing Estates in Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs. The pandemic left many older people feeling unsafe in public spaces and isolated from their communities; this sense of isolation can be compounded for people who speak a language other than English at home and who may not feel connected to mainstream services.
This program saw AROT and Arts Gen collaborate to deliver a series of multi-lingual creative workshops that invited older members of the community to gather safely, share food, learn new skills and express themselves through art. For our Mandarin-speaking community, artist Angie Pai designed and delivered print-making workshops in both Mandarin and English, providing an opportunity to reconnect with community in an accessible and culturally appropriate setting.
From the workshop Angie created this booklet of the beautiful hand-made prints created by the workshop participants, celebrating their creativity and renewed connection with community.
Photo credit: Artificial Studios