Health and Well being
Our work in this area is centered on a holistic approach to dance, acknowledging that physical activity and dance can play a fundamental role in improving health but also focusing on the wider benefits of engaging in creative practice, which are often harder to measure.
An example of our work is with the Healthy Living Centre in Newstead. This project resulted in the development, alongside our partners Newstead Nurse Practitioners Service, of the Young@Heart project aimed at enriching the lives of elderly residents in Newstead. This project went on to win a prestigious healthy living award in 2006.
We also delivered a conference, ADVANCE, exploring the area of Health & Wellbeing in October 2005. Please click here to download a copy of the ADVANCE report.
We are currently working with partners and searching for funding, to pursue new areas of work in delivery, research and best practice.
Dance and Health worker
Dance4 are seeking an experienced freelance Dance and Health Worker that has a passion and desire to extent their skills within Dance and Health practice.
£2,400 plus expenses
We are currently looking for a Dance and Health Worker that can help specifically support the development of our creative dance and older people's programme, Young@heart and working alongside the Learning Manager at Dance4 to support and develop future dance and health projects based within the local communities of Nottingham/shire.
At present we will be offering a freelance contract until December 2008 however we are keen for this post to develop and extend the working hours. Dance4 are currently applying for various grants to support additional projects.
As a dedicated Worker of Dance4 you will also be offered the chance to take part in various training opportunities extending your skills within the dance and health field and the opportunity to work with a creative mentor.
Working closely with the Learning Manager, you will attend various networks at county and regional level that promotes dance and the impact it has on health and wellbeing.
You can download more details here
The Worker will need to have the following skills:
o Have at least 2 years experience of leading dance in various community settings.
o Bring fresh and innovative practical dance ideas and approaches to a range of communities, especially over 55’s.
o Desire to extend their skills and attend training that will support their practice when delivering to a range of community settings.
o Show the ability to work on their own and as part of an organisation.
o Have an interest and understanding of working for Dance4,
o Interest in driving forward the dance and health agenda, being a key advocate for the work at various networks and events.
o Strong skills within administration and project co-ordination
Please note: the Worker must be available on a Tuesday morning from June 10th to deliver 10 practical dance sessions to the young@heart group Newstead. Other sessions are still to be programmed.
Fee
£2,400 plus expenses
Interview schedule:
Deadline for applications: 9th May
20th May Interviews to take within Newstead Village, Nottinghamshire.
Practical session: 10.30-12.00 with Newstead Young@heart group
Interview from 12.30 onwards in Newstead Village
Start date: week commencing 3rd June
Start morning sessions in Newstead-10th June
For more information about the Dance and Health Worker, please contact Vanessa McGuire at Dance4 on 0115 9410773 or email
To apply for the position please send a letter stating why you are applying for the opportunity, your desire to work with Dance4, and what experience you can offer and what you think you will gain from the Freelance post. Please attach a recent c.v.
Applications can be accepted by email to jobs@dance4.co.uk
Dance4 strives to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements for the interview day, please let us know.
Young@Heart Evaluation
An evaluation of Dance4’s award-winning Young@Heart dance project with older people is now available.
Capturing the experiences of the people who have been part of this project, the evaluation is a useful dance & health resource demonstrating how dance can support fall prevention, mental and physical health and well being – whilst demonstrating innovative ways of bringing a community together.
Click here to download your copy now.
Dance4, 3-9 Hockley, Nottingham NG1 1FH
Conducted by researchers from the School of Nursing at the University Nottingham and supported by Newstead Healthy Living Centre and Newstead Nurse Practitioners Service the Young @ Heart project was also supported by the Directorate of Public Heath – East Midlands.
Animated article
Vanessa McQuire, Learning manager here at Dance4 has written an article for Animated magazine - related to her personal journey of developing a Dance and Health infrastructure for the East Midlands. Originally published in the Winter 2008 issue of Animated, click here to download your copy.
Case Studies
Newstead Village
The Newstead Healthy Living Centre initiative started in January 2003 and includes a range of programmes run by different service providers. We became one of the service providers and recruited a part time Dance Development Worker for the village. ‘Movin On’ is a dance programme tailored made for the residents of Newstead village, projects have ranged from providing:
· Urban dance programmes for young people working with Sexions
· Working with the Surestart to create movement project for under 5 yrs and their parents which was also rolled out to other areas of the Gedling Borough
· Creating various projects within the local primary school
The most successful programme to date has been the partnership with the Nurse Practitioner Service who came together to look at issues facing older people living in the village. The group have been successful is receiving 2 awards from Gedling PCT and EMPasis-Department of Health.
For the final year of the programme the following initiatives are being delivered:
· Young@heart- through the Emphasis money, Theo Stickley and Gemma Bertram have created a research and evaluation project, looking at the impact of the movement sessions on residents. The report will be available shortly.
We are currently working with the group to become a constituted and apply for their own funding.
· Young@heart group continue to perform various health and arts events, conferences
· Cross-generational initiative has been created working with local primary school and Young@heart group.
· Celebration event was held in on 17 December 07, from 2.00 – 6.00pm to co inside with the end of the 5 years programme
Jenny Edwards is Dance Development Worker for the programme
Hands Project
We recently completed a project with Nottinghamshire County Council’s, Involve programme, to work with 5 Social Services centres exploring different dance styles.
The aims -
•To develop – though a series of workshops and creative approaches – a short film with the participants focusing on the stories that hands can tell
•To develop sessions combining safe practise with fun and accessible material
•Work with the participants to build bridges and strengthen a core of creative skills
The residency culminated in a finale celebration and an informal sharing with other Countywide Social Services Centres.
The focus was on centres that have high rates of falls and so the dance work will be inclusive (seated movement) and service users with limited mobility were persuaded to take part.
Each centred worked with a dance professional on exploring their chosen dance style and preparing a piece of dance to perform at the finale culmination event. We were particularly keen to bring in new approaches to delivering work with older people based around Hands.
Sheltered Housing project
We revisited the Broxtowe area to look at using dance and gentle movement within the sheltered housing schemes.
In May there where two training sessions open up to the scheme managers of the sheltered houses run by Broxtowe borough council. There were 2 half day sessions in two of the shelter complexes: Yew tree Court in Beeston and Hopkins Court, Albert Street, Eastwood.
In total 20 managers took part in a practical session which was to help inspire and help the managers understand the nature of dance as a social and physical activity for their residents. The training was received favourably with a wide range of issues raised and questions which are to be approached in the on going further training.
Oksana Tyminska will be looking into the issues and further supporting and give training opportunities for the staff in particular she has been supporting the Healthy Living Co-ordinator, Angels Pardo who provides outreach help with healthy living issues to the housing schemes.
