A new report initiated by the CultureForHealth project, which is co-funded by the European Union and led by Culture Action Europe on arts with displaced people features Stone Flowers. Key contributors include the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health, University College London; the Arts and Health initiative, New York University; and the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford. It also features on the Behavioural and Cultural Insights (BCI) Hub. The full report on the World Health Organisation website can be accessed here.
Arts + Health @ NYU is a New York university-wide initiative with an aim to advance practice, policy, pedagogy, and research on the health benefits of the arts in physical, mental, social, public, and environmental health. Stone Flowers, our collective of refugee musicians and songwriters who have survived torture, war, and conflict around the world were delighted to perform at an event organised by Arts and Health in the UK sponsored by the NYU Arts and Health Initiative and NYU Steinhardt at the Wellcome Collection in London in September.
Our performance followed a panel discussion about the transformative power of the arts on the human condition. Speakers included: Alex Coulter (National Centre for Creative Health), Phil Jones (UCL, author, The Arts Therapies: A Revolution in Healthcare), Vicky Karkou (Research Center for Arts and Wellbeing), Jack Knott (Dean, NYU Steinhardt), Sepideh Sahar (Music Action International Trustee & Stone Flowers performer), Nisha Sajnani (Founder, Arts and Health @ NYU, NYU Steinhardt), Antonia Zachariou (NYU London).
Stone Flowers feature in a new book published by Routledge: Groupwork with Refugees and Survivors of Human Rights Abuses
Groupwork with Refugees and Survivors of Human Rights Abuses describes, explores, and promotes the power of groupwork for refugees and survivors of human rights abuses in a range of contexts.
Drawing on multiple theoretical approaches, the book features chapters from practitioners running groups in different settings, such as torture rehabilitation services, refugee camps, and reception centres. The voices of participants demonstrate the variety, creativity, and value of group and community approaches to recovery. The editors have gathered chapters into three sections covering: community-based approaches; groups that work through the medium of “body and soul”; and group approaches that focus on change through the spoken word.
The chapter about Stone Flowers is written by clinical psychologists Jude Boyles & Christine Adcock who were both instrumental in developing our innovative methodology; Emmanuela Yogolelo and Lis Murphy who were facilitators and co-creators with participants from the start of the programme.
The book is relevant to those working in rehabilitation, community, mental health, and humanitarian fields who are interested in using groupwork as part of their services.
You can order the book from Routledge here.
“When you work together with love
you can achieve anything.”
Amir, Survivor
