Photography by Artificial Studios
cohealth’s Aged Residential and Outreach Team (AROT) supports older people living in Public Housing Estates and Public Housing High Rises in Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs. The pandemic has 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. AROT has partnered with Arts Gen – an arts organisation within cohealth that uses creative interventions to explore and interrogate the social determinants of health – to deliver a series of multi-lingual creative workshops that invite 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. This book contains the beautiful hand-made prints created by the workshop participants, celebrating their creativity and renewed connection with community.