Medics use arts to knit together with charity hostel residents

The medics, based in Exeter, have joined forces with women in the city’s Esther Community, which accommodates women with support needs, ranging from areas such as domestic violence, mental health issues and drug and alcohol problems.

Every Wednesday, the students and the residents take part in artistic workshops, such as knitting, creative writing and photography. The residents get the chance to learn a craft which can prove therapeutic in coming to terms with their experiences, and build confidence in a safe, relaxed and welcoming environment. For the medics, the workshops offer a valuable opportunity to get to know some of the issues underlying people who often have heightened health needs.

Lola May Robertson, 23, became homeless as a result of family issues, mental health problems and problems with drug and alcohol abuse. She praised the support she was getting at the Community and said: “Over the years, I’d completely lost faith in doctors, but getting to know these medical students has helped to restore that – they’re just people like the rest of us. It helps them too, because they get to know the people behind the problems they’ll be dealing with on a day-to-day basis, and that helps build their understanding.”

Emma Silvano, 43, is a recovering alcoholic former homeowner who lost her property in the financial crisis. She has now left the Esther Community,  and is living in supported accommodation, but is currently unemployed. She said the craft project had paved the way to new possibilities. “The medical students and the project coordinator were all really encouraging, and now I’m hoping to give something back to Esther by volunteering there. It was a great forum to explore what I really want to do and it definitely helped build my confidence.”

Cathy Hillman, of the charity Beyond the Gate, which works with people with alcohol problems, organises the project on behalf of the Medical School. She said a key element was interaction with the community. She said: “This work is essential if medical students are to grasp the complexities of life and to realise that within any society there are those who require more than medicine. They need us to come alongside to listen and to empathise, and for this they need to fine-tune their communication skills. Sometimes, for people with intense mental health and substance misuse problems, the greatest gift that can be given is the willingness to listen. Being heard validates their hurts and confirms their place within society. For many of them it may be the very first step towards belonging. We hope this project will build a bridge, nurture compassion and change the medics’ perceptions about a group of people about whom there’s plenty of misconception.

Rebecca Chaplin, of Keychange Charity, which runs Esther Community, said the project made a real difference to the residents. She said: “It increases confidence and self-esteem among the women. We were finding that people didn’t want to step outside Esther Community, if they had gone through a traumatic experience or were in recovery, or coming to terms with an issue. By interacting with these medical students, they recognise that they have been part of something positive, and they also have something to show for it at the end of a session.”

Medical student Arya Bahadori said: “It’s been a really good experience to hear these stories and learn what these people have been through. When we are in hospital, we don’t really get to know the patients, but now we’ll have a better insight into the reasons why they might end up in desperate situations.”

Medical student Tom Pavelle, who is originally from Exeter said: “It has been a privilege to join these women. I've learned so much from them, and I've learned a great deal about myself too. It has enabled me to look at life differently.”

Tom has made a video to document the stories of the residents he met and the work of the Esther Community, which is available via this link: www.vimeo.com/87263326.

The medics are students at the Peninsula College for Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD), a partnership between Plymouth University and the University of Exeter. Both Universities have now set up their own Medical Schools, but continue to work together to support PCMD students until they graduate.