Director’s Blog: Originally Posted on LinkedIn on December 21, 2024 by Managing Director Lisa Charlotte Davis

The Wrong Message: Blaming the Victim

I’m supposed to have switched off for Christmas after a minor operation and the need to take it easy, rest and recover.

But this spiking image (on the left) has really annoyed me!!!

Haven’t we addressed this before?!?!?!

The image on the right (produced by Bettie Hope Hanley for our What’s All the Fuss About? learning resource) is what the message SHOULD BE.

How are we going to “stamp out spiking” if we direct our communications at those on the receiving end of it as opposed to those DOING IT!!!!!

We might think, but this is sensible practical advice, like wearing a seatbelt (I have been told this by an old man at a business networking event) — avoid danger…

But if Gisele Pelicot has shown us anything, it is that we cannot always avoid danger.

The Real Issue: Challenging the Culture

And so, if we don’t like that a certain kind of danger happens to women — let’s address why it happens.

It does not happen because of what a woman wears (as a young man wondered aloud to me at an educational event recently).

Some comment that Gisele Pelicot was a “perfect victim” and therefore not representative because it is clear there were no other actions she could have taken (for those inclined to victim-blame). But sadly, her case is a useful example because it shows that there are men who think that sex with an obviously unconsenting woman is desirable.

And this gives us an opportunity to ask why.

This extract from Rebecca Solnit’s piece — questioning whether the Pelicot case will prompt men to “engage with the culture that led us here” — suggests one answer:

“Many of Gisèle Pelicot’s rapists denied they were rapists, assumed that her husband was entitled to give them permission to assault her while she was unconscious.”

[https://lnkd.in/e4f7y3JV]

The bottom line is patriarchy. The assumption that women are somehow “for” men. That men are entitled to sex. That a woman needs to give it.

As one of the lovely male students we worked with recently wrote on a campaign placard (in a session for Cassandra Jones at Northumbria University) —

“Not All Men But It’s Enough.”

It’s enough.

Sex is to be mutually enjoyed by whichever consenting adults wish to engage in it. It should not be a weapon to get off on the perception of one’s greater power over another.

This party season, can we please switch the narrative of responsibility?

Director’s Blog- Originally posted on LinkedIn on January 31, 2025 by Managing Director Lisa Charlotte Davis

We’ve been thinking a lot about congruence in Changing Relations C.I.C. for the last year or so—how we can make sure to achieve congruence of organizational purpose and workplace practice; how we can develop ways of working that ensure we walk the walk of empathy, care, and inclusion.

Achieving Congruence in Organizational Purpose and Workplace Practice

What does this look like? How do we also set boundaries that protect our energies and keep ourselves in balance?

My conclusion from a series of invaluable conversations with our critical friend, Sue Spencer (which have taken place on my own, with my Artistic Director Kate Gorman, and with my Board members Rachael Barnwell and Alix Collingwood) is that there is no straightforward answer to this question.

It is an ongoing intricate dance. A negotiation of need.

There is much to say on this theme. And another day, I will share reflections on my relationship with myself and my sense of self in the world. As a person. A professional. To what extent am I congruent?

Congruence as a Key Ingredient in Partnerships

But today, after a week of enriching conversation, I want to reflect on congruence as a crucial ingredient in the partnerships we develop between ourselves and others.

I am really tired at the moment. It is a tough economic climate in which to operate as a small business in the voluntary/culture sector. Everyone is feeling the strain.

But it is absolutely a balm to connect with others who share an appreciation of the arts as a tool to support the social fabric; to connect with those who care deeply about the social fabric, in particular at a time when so many are feeling the strain.

From dance (Catherine Johns) to theatre (Jake Murray), visual arts and spoken word (Lizzie Lovejoy), a combined arts approach to engaging marginalized youth (Michelle Harland @ Creative Youth Opportunities CIC), and the County Durham Cultural Education Partnership (chaired by Simon J. James), it feels important and empowering to identify those with a shared sensibility and to work out how we can work together in mutual support.

This doesn’t mean we’re not bothering to reach beyond our bubble. In fact, what’s brilliant about all of the folks mentioned above is their commitment to breaking down barriers—the conviction that all forms of art are for all of the people—and the will to meaningful inclusion that this engenders.

But finding that congruence in the partners with whom we choose to work is in some ways as important as the bottom line. It affects our capacity to thrive.

So—thank you for the congruent conversations, everyone…

And to Tracy Thomas for this beautiful image of Pollyanna Turner’s ceramic piece depicting folk walking side by side.

• By Agnibeena Ghosh

Pulling off a successful event is no small feat—it takes planning, teamwork, and a lot of behind-the-scenes effort. As a student volunteer, I had the opportunity to be part of the preparation for Changing Relations’ 10-year anniversary art auction, an event that celebrated a decade of transformative work in education and the arts. From setting up the space to ensuring everything ran smoothly on the night, this is a glimpse into what went on before the doors opened at the Dead Dog Gallery.

Event Preparation and Setup

The preparation began on January 16th, the day before the event. Alongside a team of other student volunteers, I worked closely with the event’s executive organizers to transform the blank gallery space into a professional and engaging exhibition. The first step was unloading materials from the van—artwork, posters, tables, and all the essentials needed to create an immersive experience for guests. Next, we focused on fixing and adjusting picture frames, ensuring each piece of art looked its best for display and auction. Every framed piece needed to be handled carefully, and it was satisfying to see them transform from a pile of materials into a cohesive collection.Alix Collingwood, Curator for Contemporary Art at Durham University, played a key role in curating the artwork displayed and later auctioned in this exhibition, bringing together a diverse range of pieces that reflected Changing Relations’ decade-long impact.

Arranging the auction items was another key task. The artworks, alongside other creative pieces, needed to be displayed in a way that was both visually appealing and practical for bidding. We arranged a registration desk for checking in guests, a dedicated table for selling items separate from the auction, an arts and crafts table where attendees could get creative, a refreshments area stocked with snacks for guests to enjoy, and a printing station where last-minute documents were prepared. Hanging posters, organizing materials, and making sure everything was accessible were key to ensuring a smooth experience for attendees.

Event Kickoff and Live Auction

By the time guests arrived on January 17th at 5 PM, the venue was ready. The evening began with speeches from Lisa Charlotte Davis, former Artistic Director Pollyanna Turner, and new Artistic Director Kate Gorman, setting the stage for the auction. At 6 PM, the live bidding began, led by Simon Forrest, the Principal of the College of St. Hild and St. Bede, who brought energy and enthusiasm to the role of compere.

As the auction took off, I, along with one other student volunteer, worked behind the scenes to ensure that every transaction was processed smoothly. What started as a simple registration desk at the entrance quickly transformed into the central hub for tracking bids, collecting payments, and matching sold items with their winning bidders. The shift was rapid—one moment we were greeting guests and ticking names off a list, and the next, we were managing a fast-paced financial operation. Every bid had to be recorded in real time, with careful attention to ensure accuracy. As winning bidders came forward to claim their purchases, we collected payments, cross-checked details, and ensured that each person received the correct artwork. The intensity of the role increased as the auction progressed. Some guests bid on multiple pieces, requiring us to track their purchases across different sections of the auction. While the auctioneer kept the energy in the room high, we remained behind the desk, double-checking every bid, processing payments swiftly, and ensuring that everything was properly logged. It was both exhilarating and demanding, requiring strong teamwork, quick thinking, and constant attention to detail.

Wrap-Up and Reflection

Volunteering for this event was more than just a chance to help—it was a hands-on learning experience in teamwork, initiative, and practical event management. Throughout the process, I developed collaboration and teamwork skills by working alongside other volunteers and organizers, improved my ability to communicate with guests, and gained insight into the logistics of event management. Arranging an event space is an art in itself, balancing aesthetics with functionality, andhandling payments and documentation while the auction was happening required attention to detail and quick thinking.

As the night came to a close, we packed up, cleaned the space, and reflected on a job well done. Seeing how our behind-the-scenes efforts had contributed to an exciting, meaningful event was incredibly rewarding. The auction was not just a fundraiser—it was a celebration of Changing Relations’ impact over the past 10 years and a look ahead to the future. Being part of this experience reminded me that every successful event is powered by the dedication of people working behind the scenes. From setting up frames to managing last-minute details, each task played a part in making the evening a success. And as the last guests left and the final payments were processed, I knew we had helped create something special.

With thanks to Durham University’s fantastic Career Service, we had the absolute pleasure of hosting an incredibly self-motivated and hard-working 2nd year Social Sciences student as an intern conducting a rapid research project for us. Here, Alice Westall blogs about the work she did for us, and shares the resulting report, published on the University’s international research-sharing platform.

Over 5 weeks throughout March and April 2023, I had the opportunity to work as an independent researcher with the team at Changing Relations and Durham University to produce a report that detailed the essential and innovative nature of the Rabbits in Headlights project. This project aims to support non-specialist professionals to help the children and young people accessing their services to overcome the challenges arising from being exposed to domestic abuse.

The project will be based on Changing Relations’ illustrated book, Sometimes it Hurts, and a series of creative tools designed to explore the themes and situations presented within the stories.

I analysed the aims and approaches of existing intervention practices as well as highlighting what could be considered ‘good practice’ when working with young people.

Goals of the Research

The aim of the report was to determine the extent to which what Rabbits in Headlights aims to offer is innovative and necessary, and, through building an understanding of the current gaps in provision, to ensure the project’s development of materials is informed by what both children and young people and non-specialist professionals feel is needed to strengthen the response to those young people exposed to domestic violence.

Data revealed the aspects of existing service provision that children and young people found to be barriers to disclosing, inquiring about and receiving support for experiences of domestic abuse.

The research revealed:

• Gaps in confidence among non-specialist professionals
• Lack of representation of young voices
• A homogenous, one-size-fits-all approach
• A lack of focus on intersectionality.

Methodology

The final report details the findings of a systematic, desk-based digital review of secondary literature that discusses the aims and approaches of existing intervention practices. The data was collected through critical searches of peer-reviewed and grey literature identified in academic sources, with the secondary data being comparatively analysed to identify patterns, gaps, and how current approaches to intervention work with children experiencing domestic abuse met or missed recommended ‘good practices’. Conclusions about the gaps drawn from this literature review were compared to the approach of the Rabbits in Headlights programme to identify and evidence how its unique, creative and collaborative approach offers necessary solutions to the gaps presented by the currently available intervention resources we appraised. An example would be to encourage more timely responses and more accessible support for children and young people through the empowerment of non-specialist support workers, who are often the first to receive disclosures of domestic abuse from children but struggle to respond.

Inspiring Professional Confidence

Non-specialist professionals such as teachers and social workers are in a pivotal role to identify and respond to children and young people’s disclosures of abuse due to their unique relationships of trust built through their time spent with young people. We know that these non-specialist professionals struggle to hold space for these disclosures and the research indicates that this may be due to a lack of confidence in managing these disclosures, as they are often unclear about their role in the child protection process and feel that they lack the training and resources necessary to offer effective support for children disclosing abuse.

This apprehension then leads to inaction, creating barriers to inquiry and disclosure with teachers’ uncertainty disempowering young people from sharing their experiences and therefore being in a position to go on and receive support.

Thus, the research indicates good practice must focus on providing more accessible resources and training materials in order to empower these non-specialist professionals with the knowledge and skills to bridge difficult conversations with children and young people. To overcome the fear and confusion that prevents non-specialist professionals from acting to aid children, understandable and accessible resources are necessary to empower non-specialist professionals to act as first responders to disclosures of abuse, ensuring the availability of quick and accessible support.

Rabbits in Headlights offers an essential and innovative solution to this lack of confidence and consequent inaction:

• The use of creative illustrated stories provides an accessible and understandable tool for non-specialist professionals to utilise in bridging difficult conversations with children and young people about the abuse they have experienced.
• These resources have the potential to empower non-specialists to feel more confident in opening much-needed conversations, which has the potential to reduce the delay and difficulty children and young people often face in accessing support, due to referral and waiting list processes for specialist services. Rabbits in Headlights serves to demystify the diverse experience of domestic abuse by allowing both non-specialists and children and young people to feel more confident in identifying, discussing and navigating the experiences and challenges of domestic abuse to support young people’s recovery.

Platforming Voice

The secondary analysis of existing intervention programmes served to identify good practice, with recurring findings that point to children and young people feeling isolated from, and unable to identify themselves, in the support programmes and resources provided to them, indicating that effective intervention programmes must recognise children as sentient social actors, with their voices and experiences being considered in decisions about resource creation and service delivery. This is vital to ensure young people are able to identify and understand their experiences, thus overcoming barriers to support rooted in feelings of confusion, isolation and guilt.

The research findings indicate that existing resources focus too heavily on increasing awareness among parents, professionals and specialists in isolation from the children and young people they are attempting to support. This creates barriers to disclosure whereby young people’s lack of understanding of, and inability to identify experiences of abuse, prevents them from disclosing their experiences and reaching out for help.

“It’s funny how you never know what’s going on inside a person’s head” [Alfie’s Story]

The homogenous approach of existing intervention programmes cannot recognise the diversity of experiences of, and responses to, abuse amongst children and young people. This fails to empower children and young people as agents in their own healing. This, in turn, enhances feelings of isolation that prevent the disclosure of abuse and consequently, render children invisible to support services. Therefore, intervention programmes and supportive resources which take a more participatory approach, one which promotes the platforming of young survivors’ voices in research and practice will ensure resources meet their unique and individual needs.

Rabbits in Headlight’s participatory ethical approach provides an innovative solution to the homogenous approach of existing practice:

• Its child-centred approach ensures that content and tools created for children and young people are directly informed by those with lived experience, therefore, producing resources that are engaging and accessible.
• These shared stories provide a source of identification and understanding for other young people and will help them to better communicate and understand their own experiences and challenges.
• The illustrated stories communicate a shared experience of tackling barriers to disclosure rooted in shame and guilt by helping children and young people to feel they are not the only ones experiencing these challenges.
• By sharing and validating young people’s experiences of abuse, the stories provide a stimulus that acts as a buffer for young people to open up conversations about their abuse and better articulate their feelings, thus empowering young people to access support.

Creative, Collaborative Approach

As mentioned, this review indicates that existing intervention practices take a pre-packaged homogeneous approach, whereby the diverse experiences of young survivors are silenced by the specialist discourse that dominates resource creation.

Consequently, there is a lack of resources that empower young people to identify their experiences and understand their emotions in such a way as to be able to seek support, whereas a more creative, collaborative approach with creative therapies, such as bibliotherapy, storytelling and the use of art can act as a buffer to enhance communication and break down barriers to disclosure by facilitating the navigation of the sensitive topic of abuse between young people and non-specialist professionals.

• Creative approaches serve to combat feelings of anxiety and low self-esteem by providing a gentle way for children and young people to identify and describe their experiences and emotions by enhancing communication around sensitive topics and preventing re-traumatization.

Rabbit in Headlights offers a solution to the homogenous nature of existing buy-in, specialist-based intervention programmes to produce more accessible resources that break down barriers to disclosure and support:

Research indicates that intervention programmes are more effective when promoted through collaborative practices with trusted adults, such as teachers. The collaborative nature of Rabbits in Headlights is likely to promote a more open discussion of children and young people’s experiences of abuse by providing children and non-specialists with illustrated stories that gently introduce sensitive topics. This will mean that young people’s challenges can be discussed and worked through in a safe and non-traumatizing way. The use of creative, illustrated stories enables children and young people to identify their shared experiences and emotions, encouraging them to share more freely and feel less isolated in their experience, therefore, encouraging fuller disclosure and understanding and making them more visible to non-specialists who can offer first response support.

Intersectionality 

Intersectionality refers to the way multiple and converging systems of oppression and social identities compound to produce unique life experiences. The research revealed a common gap in the homogeneous, one-size-fits-all approach of existing intervention resources which focus on demographic variables (such as gender, class and ethnicity) in isolation instead of considering the intersectional relations that produce inequalities in experiences of abuse and access to support. The lack of diverse representation of different children’s experiences of, and responses to, abuse in existing resources, encourages feelings of isolation and confusion that create barriers to disclosure and access to support for different groups as children struggle to identify their experiences and seek aid for their challenges.

The homogenous approach of existing intervention programmes and resources fails to account for the qualitative gap in the ability of certain social groups to access support and the diverse experiences of abuse for different groups of children.

For example, ethnic minority children are most likely to be victimised by domestic abuse but are least likely to disclose and receive support as many existing, specialist-based support programmes require children to be identified as victims and referred for support.

The focus on diversity and representation in the creation of Rabbits in Headlights resources overcomes the gaps in service provision caused by this one-size-fits-all approach. As the illustrated stories are informed by the direct experiences of a diverse group of children, it ensures the resources recognise the diverse needs and experiences of children exposed to domestic violence, thus strengthening prevention and intervention response strategies.

• To ensure resources for children and young people are informed by them, the Sometimes it Hurts illustrated stories are informed by a range of experiences of diverse groups of children from different cultural, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, ensuring different groups of children are able to identify and connect with the resources.

• By ensuring that the resources are informed by the diverse experiences of a range of young people, Rabbits in Headlights promotes greater inclusivity for victims who are disadvantaged by intersectional inequalities that produce outcomes such as a higher likelihood of mental health difficulties and the increased risk of repeat victimisation in adulthood.

Conclusion

My comparative analysis of the aims and approaches of existing intervention programmes served to highlight how Rabbits in Headlight’s innovative, creative and participatory approach provides solutions to gaps identified in existing practice. By providing non-specialist professionals with accessible resources (in the form of illustrated stories), the Rabbits in Headlights tools can be used to bridge difficult conversations with children and young people about their experiences of abuse, thus widening the pool of those ready to reach out and offer supportive conversations while young people await specialist referral.  Furthermore, the creative, participatory approach, through the production of illustrated stories detailing other children’s diverse experiences of abuse, offers innovative and necessary solutions to the gaps in existing practice identified in the research with a focus on inspiring professional confidence, platforming young voices, taking a creative, collaborative approach to resource production and drawing out intersectional experiences and challenges.

The report, therefore, concluded that the accessible illustrated stories included within Sometimes it Hurts, together with the plans to develop a set of creative resources to help young people navigate these stories of abuse as part of the Rabbits in Headlights project, could serve to close gaps in existing practice.

The full report is available here: Not afraid, to take a stand: Project report from a desk-based review of programmes designed to improve responses to young people’s experiences of abuse – Durham Research Online

We’re really grateful to Alice for this fantastic work, to Dr Nikki Rutter and Dr Ladan Cockshut for their invaluable support during Alice’s rapid research project and to Durham University’s Careers Service for creating this internship opportunity for Alice and ourselves.

We have another new project announcement to share! This will be a further development of our book, Sometimes it Hurts, but focused this time on developing a bank of creative tools around the stories to give professionals who work with children and young people a “way in” to a potentially tricky conversation.

Why?

In piloting our book in July 2021, young people told us they enjoyed the content and felt that it “100% should be delivered to schools and to training teachers.”

This little clip from the animated version of Sometimes it Hurts perfectly articulates the motivation behind this project and the reason we’ve called this new development, Rabbits in Headlights:

Where does this insight come from?

Our writer, Bridget Hamilton worked together with children and young people from Creative Youth Opportunities who shared a range of experiences, from neglect and poverty to conflictual parental divorce and domestic abuse. The young people shared ways in which different adults responded to them, and, whilst some are responding with empathy and engagement, creating space to hold the difficulty of some young people’s home lives, unfortunately this was not the experience of all of our young people.

And the image of Alfie really stuck with us: a young lad holding a set of challenging experiences, realising that the adult he was faced with at school could see a hint of that challenge, but was not able to hold a space to bring it into the open. What message would Alfie take from this encounter? That his circumstances were too much for a grown up to handle? How would this make him feel?

We know from our work with tricky themes over the last 10 years that a feeling of shame emerges when young people sense that their experience can’t be discussed. But this isn’t Alfie’s shame. And what we’d love is for him to know it’s not his fault, it’s not just him, and he doesn’t have to bear the weight of his experiences alone.

Those whose experiences shaped the stories of our book told us: “It makes you feel like you’re not the only one when you go through it.” and “It could make people understand and be more kind.”

We know – and are grateful – that specialist services exist to support children and young people. We’re also very conscious that these services are only for young people referred into them. There can be a waiting list and educational professionals may face young people presenting with difficulty in the here and now, before the young people they are supporting are able to access specialist support. We also know that without domestic abuse necessarily being talked about openly, young people might not immediately identify themselves as experiencing this, or in need of support. For example, in writing the foreword to our book, award-winning campaigners Luke and Ryan Hart, who themselves experienced domestic abuse as children, shared that:

“We believed our emotional pain meant we were weak kids, rather than that something was wrong in our home…we felt we should have been able to cope…that it wasn’t dramatic enough to bother others with. We needed to hear others’ stories of domestic abuse before we could begin to make sense of our own. This awareness will spark conversations that help young people connect the dots…and get the help they need. We’re always asked when’s the right time to talk to children about domestic abuse and the answer is as soon as possible.”

In a review of our book, Lancet Child and Adolescent Health cites that “In the UK, 1 in 7 young people have been affected by domestic abuse at some point during their childhood, but they rarely have opportunities to discuss their experiences.”

This is where our new project development comes in. We’re absolutely delighted to have developed a partnership with Durham University social work lecturer, Dr Nikki Rutter, to support us in shaping tools, training and resources to empower teachers to open much-needed conversations with children & young people. We’re also hugely grateful to have received funding to support this work from:

What will our project involve?

It’s hugely important that we continue the principle of foregrounding children and young people’s voices in shaping resources aimed at supporting them. We’ll be working with schools and community partners across Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe and Shildon to recruit a group of young people to be our YOUTH CREATIVE ACTION GROUP to support the new phase of development. They would create the brief for our illustrator Tamsin Rees and plan the creative activities they think would help their peers navigate the stories.

We will:

• Develop a bank of creative resources & support processes around the 6 stories in our book to give young people chance to engage in the story as a step to bridging conversation with the supporting adult who identified them as needing help.
• House these resources in an interactive website where teachers & youth workers could download the relevant resource & story to use with the given young person.
• Create audio book versions of the stories, where if, for access reasons, the young person preferred to be read to, they could select this option.
• Create a series of 6, more illustrated, picture book versions of the 6 chapters within the book to ensure the content is accessible to primary aged children.
• Test and refine the content with schools and youth groups in Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe and Shildon, supported by a Durham University Research Assistant.
• Hold a conference to share the outcomes of the test phase.
• Provide whole staff CPD to schools and groups in Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe and Shildon to give their staff confidence to use the resources developed.

This is a really timely project as the domestic abuse bill that passed through parliament during the pandemic made children and young people “victims of domestic abuse within their own right.” Now is the time to acknowledge this; to overcome our discomfort in bringing this difficult topic into the open; and to widen the pool of those ready to reach out, signpost young people to specialist support and offer supportive conversations whilst they await referrals for that support.

If you’re interested in what we aim to achieve with this project, we’d love you to let us know. Drop our Managing Director a message ([email protected]) and stay tuned for further updates.

As part of our “Don’t Look Away” project, we will be recruiting a range of artists and creative facilitators to support us in using the arts & creative methods to raise awareness in Blackhall and Bishop Auckland around domestic abuse. We had a conversation with one of our longstanding Associate Artists, Jayne Johnson, to give new creative practitioners an insight into what it’s like to work for us…

Starting from January 16, 2023, Jayne began a one-week art residency at Blackhall Community Centre to engage local residents in “Don’t Look Away.” On the last day of the residency, we had a chat about this project and the range of work she does as a Changing Relations associate.

Here is what Jayne had to say!

What is your understanding of Changing Relations?

My understanding of Changing Relations is, creating and using high quality creative artwork and resources to ignite positive change as best I can.

What is your main responsibility for Changing Relations?

Since 2019, I have worked with Changing Relations in the capacity of Freelance Facilitator to deliver domestic abuse awareness training in organisations and communities using ‘Make Do and Mend’ and ‘Us Too’. The key here is help create communities and businesses that have zero tolerance of domestic abuse, to know how to respond to it, how to notice the signs and make us all a bit more responsible for each other. Reporting if we have our concerns and knowing how to do that.

It is a privilege to deliver this training. The quality of the resources available are outstanding, they reach participants on an emotional level. The training uses high quality artistic content that comes straight from survivors and is woven together in emotive ways that really creates a lasting impression on the participant. I have delivered to businesses and the community nationally and it makes me proud when I see changes happening because of the workshops.

You have been involved in different projects such as this residency and workshops at the university. Could you share more details about these?

Recently I have undertaken a weeklong residency at Blackhall Community Centre. The project is “Don’t Look Away” and the aim is to engage and work with the community to raise awareness and support people affected by domestic abuse but doing it in very much the creative way of supporting the communities to come together.

Each project at Changing Relations brings its own challenges, and I alter my approach depending on the need. We are currently working on a project with Durham University, which is developing through consultation with students. The students are creating their own engaging workshops exploring healthy relationships, consent and equality and diversity in leadership. This project is very different to the residency, and I have learned a lot about evaluation, consultation and project delivery that will support my professional growth as an artist and creative facilitator.

If other artists ask you about Changing Relations, how would you encourage them to get involved with us in the next stage? Could you sum up the range of themes, and ways of working as a creative artist, you have been able to engage in?

At Changing Relations, I have had opportunities to meet and work with other artists and shape project delivery using high quality creative resources. As an artist working with this organisation, it has helped me discover new ways of applying my specialist creative knowledge. It challenges my own thinking, as well as the thinking of others, to create positive changes around gender equality, gender norms and healthy relationships. I can use my own specialist skills and apply them to the projects and outcomes we aim to achieve, in a way that allows for me to develop as a creative practitioner.

Changing Relations has given me the opportunity to apply myself in different ways. It can vary and I love the challenge of thinking about how best to approach the next project!

Sometimes I will use my experience as a facilitator and artist to create smaller engaging creative activities for workshops that can stimulate discussion and conversation, creating a safe space to explore difficult emotive issues. I run creative workshops to support community engagement, bringing people together to build stronger more inclusive communities. I can also create my own artwork in response to the themes we are exploring.

The projects we work on push me to think outside the box, in ways I haven’t anticipated. The work is always rewarding and inspires me to think, how can I do more? Which is the motivation to on keep going.

Thanks so much, Jayne, for taking the time to talk to us.

Jayne is a Professional Visual Artist who has developed her practice since leaving University in 2006. With over 10 years’ experience teaching many artforms in school education and the adult community sector, Jayne is now a Director of a Community Arts Organisation specialising in traditional textile skills. Crafts are a wonderful way to help support wellbeing, raise confidence, and re-engage people into their community.

To learn more about Jayne’s own creative work, take a look at her website.