Beadwork

Main topics

Handmade

How much time do you need?

80 minutes in total

How many people do you need?

15 people

Material required

Coiled wire, pliers, long beak, cutter, normal pliers, round beak 6pcs of each, fishing line (0.5mm,0.3mm) hooks (36 pcs), crush beads (1pkts), pins (a carton) needles (36 pcs), sewing thread (6pcs), beads (10 packs of each) pearl beads, seed beads and soapstone beads.

 

Preparation Stage

All material for the workshop (see the table above) shall be set up on the table and divided equally amongthe six groups on the table.

Before begin the workshop, the facilitator can prepare a short presentation about the interconnection between beadwork and the beneficiaries of the art therapy. In addition to the presentation, the facilitator can prepare some ice-breaking or team building activities according to the groups or the context in which the workshop takes place. Grace suggests to start with a brief team building activity called “Mingle Mingle Mingle”.

How to play Mingle Mingle Mingle[1]?

Get the whole group together. The leader who is running the game asks a category question (for example – what is your favourite colour?). Everyone in the group would then have to start calling out their favourite colour to each other and find others in the group who love their same colour.

When a player finds another player, who answers as she/he answered they come together (by linking arms) and continue to go around the group looking for more people giving the same answer. After a minute or so (the decision is completely up to the leader running the game) the leader can call “STOP”. Each group needs to call out their answer. If there are two people/groups who give the same answer but are not linked together then they are eliminated from the next round. Alternatively, to keep everyone involved, you can give each kid five wrapped lollies or pop sticks at the beginning and , each time they lose they will have to remove one lolly or pop stick..

Be creative with the questions you ask:

  • Favourite pizza topping
  • Favourite ice cream flavour
  • Favourite TV show
  • Favourite band

 

The workshop

After the facilitator introduces themselves and the “Mingle Mingle Mingle” activity is finished, everyone sits in a circle. The facilitator makes a short description of Art Therapy applied in beadwork for the first ten minutes., The participants’ expectations about the workshop of beadwork are asked afterwards (five minutes). When this part finishes, the facilitator presents objectives (that she/he have defined before) as well as samples of beadwork artwork that will be the final result for the participants.

The practical part of the workshop will begin, with the group divided into equal groups. Ideally two groups should be active on each different artwork (earring, necklaces and bracelets). If some participants finish with the artefact, they would be allowed to move on to the next artwork. This would give them the chance to learn making another item, withinthe time frame of thirty minutes proposed.

Last but not least, there will be the conclusion of the session where the facilitator will start with the evaluation, asking the participants if their expectations were met in the process. During this phase, the facilitator could mention other ways for the participants to take forward their newly-found skills and other places where they could exercise this activity. Finally, it is the moment for all to appreciate the experience and share with others one thing that they have learnt or enjoyed throughout the process.

 Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshope participants will be able to make at least one of the three beadwork products proposed, gaining self-esteem through the develompment of the activity, as confidence can be raised from the ability to finish at least one artwork..

 

[1] https://youthgroupgames.com.au/games/663/mingle-mingle-mingle/