What an amazing six weeks working with our new artists!
We welcomed our four new artists to start their training to be Clowndoctors. They were thrown in right from the start and it looks like they have enjoyed every minute.
Over the last six weeks Sarah, Ryan, Ronan and Callum have had 14 training sessions and 7 observation sessions in some of the hospitals, schools and hospices we visit. They have been creating their characters, choosing names and putting together their costumes with the talented Emily Goodwin.
Our current artists have been involved with the sessions either leading the training or participating to help the new artists develop their clowning skills for being in hospitals, hospices and schools for young people with complex support needs.
Our new Clowndoctors had this to say:
Ryan said: What a rollercoaster! And what a job!
I spend my days at Clowndoctor training as high as a kite, then filled with doubt followed by ultimate joy and playfulness. I also spend a lot of time thinking about how lucky I am to be starting this journey with Hearts & Minds. Who, by the way, are just the BEST.
It’s been fascinating learning this craft from the other Clowndoctors and so much fun.
Callum: Clowndoctor training with Hearts & Minds has been such a joy!
I feel so lucky to be spending my days with such passionate and creative people, and I really can’t wait to start taking what we have learned into schools and hospitals (very soon!).
The breadth of knowledge and experience from our trainers has been brilliant, and they continue to be endlessly supportive and encouraging along this wibbly wobbly road.
So much fun! So much heart! So many giggles!
Sarah: Clowndoctor training has been fantastic!
The observation days in particular have been a privilege to get an insight into the magic of the Clowndoctors’ work and to see the incredible effect they have on the people and places they visit.
Our training sessions have been playful, insightful and taught me the importance and joy of being truly present in the moment.
And Ronan said: It’s like some kind of spell!
The thing from the training and the observations days that sticks with me most is the sheer fascinating presence of the Clowndoctors.
They seem to create this joyous warm cloud that passes through the hospital or school corridors – just through being themselves, greeting people along the way, making visits to individual children and then off again to the next thing. This ‘clown cloud’ is there for whatever people need: a nod to a doctor, a wee dance with a nurse, a place for a young person to observe or take part in something different, sometimes a shared giggle, sometimes a mutual groan, always a smile of relief from a parent, and then a bemused ‘what are they like?’ shake of the head from a ward sister or teacher, and then the cloud moves off again…
Can’t wait to be a cloud. Mum will be so proud!
Rachel Colles and Fiona Ferrier, our Joint Artistic Leads had this comment:
Training the new artists has been totally joyous. They have brought openness, excitement and passion to the training, and it’s been brilliant to watch them learn and grow. After six weeks of training and observing, they are absolutely ready to begin the next phase of the process – being in our units, connecting and playing with the children and young people.
They are almost there!
The fab four have their first shifts in October and we will be introducing you to our new Clowndoctors in our next newsletter.
In the meantime follow us on facebook /twitter X / Instagram @heartsmindsuk for latest updates.
Thanks to Creative Scotland for support with funding for training and development.
