ARTiculate Presentation –
CYPNET Meeting
James Hughes
Mental Health Project Manager
Outline:  Who are Community Focus?
 What is ARTiculate?
 ARTiculate’s taster sessions
 ARTiculate’s project launch
 Suggestions for working together
Who are Community Focus?
Community Focus (CF) is an inclusive multi-arts centre based
in Barnet and have been active for over 30 years.
We work to encourage members of our community of all ages,
backgrounds and abilities to participate in the arts, to gain
confidence and to challenge barriers through integration and
innovation.
As an inclusive organisation,
we are receptive to the needs
of our community. We remain
flexible and open to new
partnerships.
We have developed long-standing relationships with artists of
the highest calibre. Many of our artists are Royal College of Art
(RCA) graduates.
Community Focus
1st Floor, Friary House,
Friary Park, Friern Barnet,
London, N12 9PQ
 www.communityfocus.co.uk
07948 111 748
james.hughes@communityfocus.co.uk
What is ARTiculate?
 Mental and emotional well-being/ mental health issues…
Young person
completed registration
form (or an outside
agency can do that for
them) and meet
Mental Health Project
Manager
‘Move On and
Move Up’
Graduation/
Celebration Event
Meeting discusses
issues including
interests in art, how
they feel ARTiculate
may help their mental
health, clarify
expectations and
provide reassurances
Start their 8-session
project in art - learning
new skills, making
new friends, working
and communicating
together
Key Partners (so far)
 Barnet and Southgate College
Accreditation and Social Enterprise
 Eclipse Barnet (MIND in Barnet, Richmond Fellowship and
Barnet Centre for Independent Living)
Provision of counselling, self-help groups and mental health
awareness and training courses
‘Move On, Move Up’
So essentially these key partners allows ARTiculate and
Community Focus to offer a wrap-round service, accreditation and
social enterprise opportunities to young people.
ARTiculate will also be offering:  Mentoring Scheme (volunteering) - other ARTiculate young
people
 ARTiculate Youth Forum
 Representation on the ARTiculate Project Steering Group
 Generic promotion of opportunities to young people, e.g.
volunteering with Barnet Centre for Independent Living, or
education, training and employment opportunities
Advantages of ARTiculate’s approach
To be attractive to young people: -
For professionals: -
1.
1.
Professionals can refer too
2.
You don’t need a clinical
diagnosis. We work under a
wide-definition of mental
health issues
Is a self-referral project
2.
Learn a new art skill that you
chose
3.
ARTiculate will be happening
near you
3.
Key to ARTiculate is a group
work approach and wanting
to learn a new art skill
4.
Taking a ‘group-work’
approach
4.
ARTiculate will be working
with 240 young people over 3
years; through twenty 8session projects
How can I sign up or sign
some-one up to take part in ARTiculate?
 Self-referral i.e. contact James
 Professional can refer young people into ARTiculate as well
 Contact James to access referral forms (they will be ready in
2-3 weeks)
ARTiculate Taster sessions
 1st session – Barnet Homes – “Know How” Youth Conference
on the 26/07/2014. The kind of art work will be t-shirt
printing
 2nd session - World Mental Health Day with the MultiWellbeing Services (details TBC)
 Further taster sessions to be announced
ARTiculate Project Launch
Details to follow!!
Food and drink available.
Different artists doing different kinds of art work.
Music to be played.
Event will be on Facebook and Twitter
You are welcome – will be publicising soon
Specific info closer to the time
Suggestions for working together
Operational:  Cross-refer young people
 Please use me as a resource, e.g. to come to youth groups to do talks on what
ARTiculate is
Strategically:  Joint funding bids
 Share outcomes, e.g. engaging young people creatively using the arts
 The increase focus on youth mental health, e.g. increase in the last 12 months of young
people accessing A&E due to self-harm issues in Barnet
 Partnership development and service ‘buy-in’, e.g. able to use youth club venues,
commission ARTiculate to do a project with young people in specific areas
Community Focus’ social enterprise arm - Gold Dust - www.communityfocus.co.uk
Any questions??
James Hughes
Mental Health Project Manager
Community Focus
1st Floor, Friary House,
Friary Park, Friern Barnet,
London, N12 9PQ
- 07948 111 748
- james.hughes@communityfocus.co.uk
www.communityfocus.co.uk