Our Programmes

An arts-based psycho-social approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Sp(i)eel arts therapies collective runs various arts-based psychosocial programmes within predominantly rural communities in South Africa. We are made up of arts-based practitioners and HPCSA-registered arts therapists.  Our programmes are delivered to children, their families and teachers, as well as their wider community. 

A core value of our model is the focus on community resilience and a collectivist approach towards achieving wellbeing. Groups and individuals are encouraged to develop supportive and healthy relationships with each other. We aim to encourage these healthy relationships to be fostered  beyond our programmes. 

Our work addresses the intergenerational and complex trauma inherited from South Africa’s complicated past. We are passionate about a mental health-care service that is African-based, honours indigenous wisdom and  that is further available to everyone.  

Types of Programmes

Applied Arts Programmes

Groups, for example school learners, are invited to use the arts – drama, dance, music, storytelling, writing or visual arts to find a platform for expression. The process is one of self-development and meaningful connection with others and can culminate in a performance or exhibition that is open to peers and the wider community. In this way, the wider community network is engaged in the process whilst the participants experience the powerful occurrence of having their work witnessed. Our applied arts projects are facilitated by trained applied arts practitioners and art therapists.

Arts Therapy

In smaller groups, or for individuals, we run arts therapy programmes for personal and social challenges such as bereavement, abuse, trauma and neglect. Our Drama, Art, Music or Dance-Movement Therapists are qualified to deliver clinical evidence-based interventions for individuals and where possible and necessary, family members will be included as well.

Arts-based Psychosocial Support (APS) Workshops

These experiential workshops offer both a space for carers (parents, teachers, care workers and social workers) to resource themselves to protect against burnout and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), as well as providing them with the necessary skills that they can implement in the workplace. Each workshop comes with a guide and provides cares with a toolkit that is available in isiXhosa, Zulu, English and Afrikaans:

  1. Story-making for Resilience – introducing non-verbal story-making tools to identify personal, group strengths and resources that can aid in the development of resilience.

  2. Resilience-focused Trauma Intervention (RFTI) – sharing a tool that builds a psychosocial care plan for a person within their social context. 

  3. Arts for Hope – a gentle creative process that guides our thinking around grief and loss.

  4. One river many boats – a team-building workshop to support coherence and communication in the workplace.