Do you provide
opportunities for older people to participate in any aspect of the creative and
performing arts, either via an arts group, health authority or care provider?
In particular do you work with or in care homes using the arts, including
training staff in the use of the arts?
If you would like to
travel overseas to experience, observe and research best practice in other
countries, then why not apply for a life-changing Travelling Fellowship.
The Winston Churchill
Memorial Trust will be awarding another 10 Travelling Fellowships in their 2014 Arts and Older People / Creative
Ageing category,
and the application process is now open.
This is the final year
of a joint three year ‘Arts and Older People / Creative Ageing’ partnership
with The Baring Foundation, a funding body supporting organisations who work in
this field. The collaboration highlights the belief that the arts can play a
unique role in older people’s lives, including those with dementia, and the
contribution that the arts make to improve society.
Medical and care
practitioners, artists, community workers and volunteers working with older
people are just some examples of those people encouraged to apply.
It is well known that the UK has an ageing population.
There are now more people of a pensionable age than are under 16. Life expectancy figures for people in
the UK now stand at 82.6 years for women, and 78.4 years for men.
Case Study:
Claire Ford travelled around the USA researching arts and
dementia access programmes in a variety of environments, from museums to
galleries and care facilities, looking into the delivery of cross collaborative
art forms and the positive impacts they can have on overall health and
well-being.
Claire is now
disseminating her research widely across the UK and facilitating many training
courses for carers in the field. She aims to enhance her research further
through a pilot study based on iPads and Creativity in dementia specific
facilities.
Amongst those
travelling this year, in this category, is Ruth
Osborne, an Outreach Officer, travelling to the USA to explore creative
roles for older volunteers in American Art Museums.
Each year The Winston Churchill Memorial
Trust awards over 120 Travelling Fellowships to British Citizens from all walks
of life and from all over the United Kingdom to gain experience abroad in a
wide range of interests, in order to bring back the benefit and positive change
to their profession and the UK as a whole. This year we are hoping to award
over 130 – a record number of opportunities.
A travelling
sabbatical for those with experience, ambition and the desire to help others,
will add real value to your skills and to your CV, as well as furthering your
leadership and role model abilities.
Applications are
judged purely on project merit, and these opportunities are available to adults
of any age, gender, religion or ethnicity. No previous experience is necessary.
Successful applicants will receive an average Fellowship grant of £6000,
covering travel, food, accommodation and insurance for approximately 6 weeks
overseas.
The Winston Churchill
Memorial Trust
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust was established
shortly after Sir Winston’s death in 1965. Since then it has awarded over 4820
travel grants.
The scheme enables British Citizens from all walks of
life to acquire knowledge overseas for the benefit of Community and Country.
Subjects cover the widest variety of topics including Arts and Older People /
Creative Ageing; Communities that Work; The Creative Industries; Education;
Environment and Sustainable Living; Medicine, Health and Patient Care; Prison
and Penal Reform; Science, Technology and Innovation; and Young People. As well
as promoting greater understanding between people, the experience makes them
more effective at work and in the community. Past
award winners include nurses, artists, scientists, engineers, farmers,
conservationists, carers, craft workers, artisans, members of the emergency
services, sportsmen and women and young people.
Applicants need to be over the age of 18 and British
Citizens who must also be resident in the UK. The deadline for the 2014
applications is 5pm on 24th September 2013.
The Baring Foundation
The Baring Foundation
is an independent grant maker which has supported the arts since its inception.
The purpose of all the
Foundation’s funding is to strengthen voluntary sector organisations which try
to improve the quality of life of people experiencing disadvantage or
discrimination. Since 2010, the theme chosen by the Foundation is older people.
The starting point for the Foundation’s arts programme is that people continue
to be creative as they age but that in some circumstances may need specific
support from arts organisations to unlock and develop these talents.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust: 020
7799 1660
