Artsolute is in the business of changing and shaping lives. The work we do aims to solve some of our society’s biggest challenges, but it must make partners of our beneficiaries, creating opportunities for individuals and communities.
Artsolute achieves this with our “Hands for Hope” model designed to develop programmes on-site to empower the vulnerable while meeting the specific needs of a community. By respecting the independence, dignity, and coping mechanisms of individuals and communities, Hands fo Hope lends psychosocial support to beneficiaries, which in turn “promotes the restoration of social cohesion, and infrastructure.” (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Psychosocial Framework 2005-2007)
Hands for Hope is based on the following five steps:
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UNDERSTANDING : Social Research Activities
​TEACHING: Designing appropriate teaching tools
EMPOWERMENT: Advocating Empowerment
ENGAGEMENT: Engagement through Creativity
COLLABORATION: Developing Local Partnerships
Hands for Hope is based on several years’ work of expressive therapy, where cultural sensitivity and creativity (the act of making or performing something original) are employed to assess, address, and empower the needs and issues of people. This could be a performance, an exhibit, and/or an interactive workshop, so long as persons with unmet needs gain the attention, respect, and support of others outside the neglected group. This model has guided many Artsolute projects such as Artwards, APEX and Puppets and Passages and ensured their outcomes and effectiveness.
With further research, development, and promotion of the model, Artsolute will expand its contributions to communities and youth volunteers. It aims to empower and develop active and effective youth advocates who can help families and communities recover and sustainably cope with new and repeated obstacles, including disasters and social gaps.