Well-known Cotswold artist, Galina, is one of our amazing volunteers.  Read how she is teaching the young people to be creative...

I initially started working with Glos YACs during the pandemic, running an online art club where we explored ways to capture light & shade, texture, three-dimensionality, and colour using basic media such as chalk & charcoal and watercolour paints. This was a great learning curve for me as my technological skills needed to catch up with the 21st century! The YACs were incredible - patient, attentive and brilliant at learning the different art skills that we practised.

After the pandemic I started a PhD looking at art and wellbeing for YACs both in the UK and in Nigeria. The Economic & Social Research Council are funding this research for 3 years. I have continued running YACs workshops face-to-face, and it is lovely to actually meet the YACs in person and to be able to give more individual attention to their work.

This has formed an important background to my PhD research and I am hoping to continue with the workshops and hopefully to engage some of the YACs in helping with the research. I would love for them to become involved as much as possible, so that the research benefits them too. This could involve having meetings to plan the research, being involved in art activities, focus groups and potentially showing their artwork, and linking up with some of the Nigerian YACs - so watch this space!

If any YACs are interested in finding out more about this, please get in touch!

Thank you, Galina, Gloucestershire Young Carers really appreciate all your hard work inspiring our Young Adult Carers

If you too would like to volunteer for Gloucestershire Young Carers or just have a question our Volunteer Coordinator Sue would love to hear from you.  Get in touch by emailing sue@glosyoungcarers.org.uk or call and speak to her on 01452 733060.