Our students are exploring their creativity while in lockdown, and we are so impressed with how dedicated they've been at learning new things and developing skills. Gillian Keane of the Saol Anois programme has shared with us her account of learning drawing skills with her Dad. We hope you enjoy finding out about her amazing new skills! MODEL DRAWING I started a beginners course from my dad Alan, he teaches people to draw from photo portraits. The first drawing I drew was [from] a photo of a model I don’t know of. It was a photo my dad chose as he thought it would be more basic to start off with. I never knew the skills I had until I started to get guidance and techniques of how to draw in so many different detailed ways. When I was able to do the first drawing I was happy and had not known the skill I had. I felt a sense of fulfilment and wanted to learn more. THE DRAWING OF MANUS I have known Manus for a long time. He was a great, peaceful, calm and caring horse that I was very fond of and was a great companion to me. I chose this photo because the [higher] quality a photo is, the better it would be to draw. I had thought a grey horse would be hard to draw because I thought that the hair would be hard to draw, so challenged myself to draw that. With my dad's direction of techniques, I would be able to try find where to start by drawing from the photo. THE UTENSILS I USED
I printed the two photos out in black and white to get the different shading and detail of the photo. I had a grid on the photo from 1 to 12 in length and A to H to help with where to start first. I used a hb pencil, a 2b and a 4b pencil for the different shading. I used a tissue to blend the shades together. I used a cotton bud to blend the smaller parts of the detailed shades. I used the kneadable eraser to knead in to shape to the smallest details and erase some detail that didn’t need to much darkness in the drawing. Well done Gillian, and thank you for sharing your amazing learning!
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The Saol Anois team have recently had some really exciting news - their application for funding through the Erasmus+ programme was approved! Spearheaded by Saol Anois team member Gianluca Stroppi, this project aims to investigate ways to empower people living with disabilities to find meaningful employment. The project will be participant-led, using the experiences and opinions of young people with disabilities seeking employment.
The project plans to involve 16 young people from three countries - Ireland, the United Kingdom and Italy. All participants have disabilities, and have experienced employment and job seeking in their lives. The programme aims to develop a new approach in supported employment for themselves and others in a similar position, as currently unemployment rates for people with disabilities is still high. Difficulties encountered in finding employment can lead to a sense of disempowerment and prevent perseverance with what can be a very challenging task. By working together and with facilitators, the participants on this programme will be active contributors to all stages of the project, and will experience three different approaches from the three different countries involved. . In Ireland, they will participate in focus groups about the employment of people with disabilities. Each participant will have the chance to share their past experiences and give suggestions for a new approach. During the week in the United Kingdom, each participant will access one of the three Employment Pathways proposed by the Swiss Cottage School and have the chance to discuss their thoughts on this process. In Italy, the participants will engage in a workshop about work related 'soft skills' where they will learn about the importance of these skills in future employment and practice them to reinforce their learning. With both international travel and the chance to meet new people facing similar challenges, we hope all the participants will find this a really rewarding experience. The overall aim of the project is to learn more about how to best support people with disabilities in finding meaningful employment, with the development of guidelines for providing this support. Well done to the whole team for such a great effort in getting this approved! We look forward to updating on the project once it kicks off, provisionally due to begin in November 2020. A breeze to work with and a favourite amongst staff and students, handsome Breeze is a long-standing member of Festina Lente's equine team! He was offered to us as a 6 year old (he's now 18!) by one of the riding school team at the time. She owned him and thought he'd make a wonderful addition to our equine squad. As we always do, we took Breeze on a two week trial to ensure he'd fit in - which he absolutely did! Breeze is 13.2 hands high, and is piebald in colour. This odd name simply means his coat is irregular patches of black and white. He also has an adorable pink nose - somewhat unfortunately for him, this means he has to wear sunscreen on it summer! Breeze is a true all-rounder, and takes part in a huge range of equestrian activities. He's a regular in lessons for both beginner and more experienced riders, is a solid and dependable mount for our therapeutic riding lessons, and is cared for by the students in our Supported Helper programme. His lovely nature and good looks make him a super popular pony with all his riders and our staff.
The Saol Anois team continue their online learning apace, with a particularly interesting You Take Lead session taking place this week! Gillian and Una presented two very different sessions, both really interesting and with amazing presentations to match. Gillian presented a fascinating discussion about corn snakes, as she has one as a pet! While some of the class found it a little terrifying, others asked really interesting questions. Gillian told the class all about where corn snakes come from, their favourite food (mice...delicious!) and how she carefully cares for the snake. The class were fascinated, particularly when she took the snake out to hold it! Corn snakes have beautiful skin and everyone was delighted to hear Gillian's expertise. Next up was Una, who led the class through a fascinating talk about healthy eating. She explained the healthy eating triangle to everyone, and provided really useful tips as to what foods in each category would be good choices for both meat eaters and vegetarians alike. She made a particularly important point about the high levels of sugars hidden in some foods - something for us all to be aware of. Una also made the very good point that 'clean eating' and sticking too closely to a rigid idea of what is healthy and unhealthy could lead to problems also. Being too strict on yourself can detrimentally affect your mental health, so Una noted that it's essential to have some treats occasionally! Well done to both Gillian and Una - two amazing talks about very different, but equally fascinating topics. Until next time...
At the moment, families all over Ireland are getting stuck in to cooking and baking, making amazing meals together and learning new skills. The Transition Training Programme students are no different - they've been learning how to cook up a storm at home! In their most recent class, Deirdre provided a cooking demonstration via Zoom making a classic quesadilla. These tasty toasted wraps originally come from Mexico, and one of the best things about them is how the fillings can be changed to suit! Deirdre's version suggests a wholemeal wrap with cheese, pesto and salad fillings which is a filling and delicious lunch. Deirdre talked through each step of making these tasty treats, from chopping up the salad ingredients and grating the cheese, right through to toasting the quesadilla in a pan to achieve the perfect level of melty cheese. The group also discussed different utensils and how they're used, adding to the skills toolkit of the students. The Transition Training Programme students now have a great lunch option to share with their families, that's healthy, filling and delicious. We can't wait until their next cooking challenge!
Bonny and Clyde have been an integral part of the Festina Lente team since 2007, and they have an unbreakable bond! Bonny is a dark bay mare standing 14.2 hands high, while Clyde is a dark bay gelding of the same height. Bonny is slightly rounder in shape than Clyde, while Clyde has a pinker nose. These two ponies had been companions since birth, so when they were put up for sale their owner wished for them to be sold as a pair. They came to Festina Lente on trial together for two weeks, and were together during the whole time. Towards the end of their trial they needed to be separated for their vet checks (a standard practice for when we purchase a new pony or horse). Bonny went off to have her check done, leaving a very anxious Clyde unable to see her! He took matters into his own hooves and jumped straight over the stable door from a standstill to find his best mate. The vet suggested a pony that good at jumping would be an asset to us - and he was entirely correct. The ponies have been with us since 2007 and are truly invaluable to our team. They work across all our disciplines, from equine assisted learning to therapeutic riding, from dressage to jumping. They have worked with many children over the years and have their own dedicated fan club, who in more normal times come to visit them every week. While they're less likely to jump out of stables to find each other these days, Bonny and Clyde are still the best of friends.
The smallest members of our equine team are our two miniature Shetland ponies, Alannah and Siofra. While they might be tiny, their impact certainly isn't - their cute faces and cheeky personalities are known all over Leinster. Siofra and Alannah came from Ballyconnell, and although they look very similar there's a few improtant differences that tell them apart. Alannah is slightly smaller and aged 15 years, whereas Siofra is a little larger despite being younger, at 14 and a half. Most noticeably however they have different manes. While both ponies have gorgeous bright chestnut coats, Siofra has a flaxen mane (meaning a lighter golden colour) whereas Alannah's is a similar chestnut to her coat. As they are so petite, they were able to travel to Festina Lente in our blue Hiace van, turning a lot of heads on their journey! Their travelling days were not over however. These two ponies have a very busy working schedule, as they are a super important part of both our Supported Helper programmes and our Outreach programme. They regularly visit local schools in their white outreach van, where they adore being fussed over by young people. They also visit our older members of society in rest homes or care facilities. Their calming personalities and lovely fur makes stroking and grooming them a restful experience. Sometimes the two ponies are accompanied by their dog friend Nala, and the three of them are a huge hit! They love being groomed, so regularly take part in our Supported Helper programme. Every day children come in from different schools to help care for Alannah and Siofra, from grooming to leading and all the other things that ponies need to be happy and healthy. These tiny powerhouses are not ridden - all their work is done in hand. They did at one stage do some training in harness, to pull a small pony trap, showing their ability to learn all sorts of new things! Alannah and Siofra attend the Kilmacanogue Show every year, and always bring back rosettes.
Keep an eye out for these busy little ponies once Festina Lente is open again! On Sunday, Orla Hunt celebrates a super-special birthday - it's her 21st birthday! Here at Festina Lente we are so thrilled to be able to wish her a very happy birthday. Orla is beloved at Festina Lente for her incredible sunny smile, her kindness, and how helpful she is. She loves her dogs Mabel and Henry, loves getting to spend time with the horses and ponies at Festina Lente, and is a huge fan of Taylor Swift. Orla's recently learnt how to email using her new laptop - a very important skill to have! She also impressed the Gardens team when she recently did her work experience in the shop. Happy birthday Orla - we hope you have a wonderful day, and Mabel and Henry give you plenty of cuddles to celebrate!
The Transition Training Programme have just released their Easter newsletter, and it's full of interesting updates about what's been happening for this great group of learners. If you'd like to find out more, check out the newsletter here: https://sway.office.com/FD8BxgTBegDqecSD?ref=email
One of the most popular and rewarding classes the Saol Anois team take part in is You Take Lead. Introduced to the weekly timetable around a year ago, the programme gives each member a chance to showcase their individual talents, interests and achievements. Everyone takes the lead and present their chosen topic to the rest of the class, teaching and leading their peers. With the current restrictions in place in Ireland and around the world, it seemed even more essential to find a way to keep this programme running. The goals of this class include building confidence and self-esteem; developing creativity and initiative; developing presentation and facilitation skills; and increasing enjoyment and morale amongst the group. These goals seem even more important than ever, so the Saol Anois staff adapted the programme to be run via Zoom! Using Zoom also has the additional benefit of developing the IT skills of our students as well as new social skills related to Zoom, such as turn taking and and group cooperation. Each week, two of the class chooses their topic of interest and presents to everyone - with amazing results! Some of the fascinating talks lined up include:
With plenty of laughs, some amazing insights and some truly incredible creativity, the Saol Anois team have created a time in their week to celebrate the knowledge and achievements of their classmates. Well done team, we can't wait to hear more! |
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