Greetings from Seven Stars, Headway.

HELLO

Now that we know who in Seven Stars is coming to Malta in September, we have started work on our show. Our first days session was last Thursday and we started looking through the big bag and creating stories about the objects we found inside inside, but thats a secret!!!!! This week we continued to explore these ideas and we also watched a DVD about Malta to give us a better idea of what to expect. We all thought it was very beautiful country, and are really looking forward to coming.

Over the next few weeks each member of our group would like to say hello and tell you a bit about them. The whole group are: Tim, Andy, Tracey, Paula, Kris and Jean. And first of the blocks is.............Tim

Hello, my name is Tim. I have been with Seven Stars for over five years. I come to Seven Stars because i enjoy acting and drama very much and i have made lots of good friends.

When i am not at Seven Stars i like to go walking with my parents in the nearby countryside. I also like video games and computing, and am the worlds biggest fan of Doctor Who (a very popular british science fiction tv series that has been running for almost 50 years, have you heard of it ???) I am so looking forward to going to Malta in September. I have been once before as a holiday two years ago and loved it. I look forward to meeting you all. you can't miss me i'm the one with the bright red hair (see photo). Best wishes, Tim.

Well thats all folks speak to you soon

Best wishes

Seven Stars

Malta launches the second phase

Last week, the Malta groups had the last sessions of the first phase of the project. Even though most of the sessions so far have included new games and exercises (other than the body shaking/waving goodbye that I improvised at the end of the first session in March which I since kept as the recogised closure of the session), last week most of the work was a development from exercises introduced earlier. It allowed for a recognition of the possibilities of continuation, as well as a feeling of comfort through working on the familiar whilst finding new things and new ways of doing an already experienced exercise. For example, I've introduced a big pink exercise ball into the sessions. In pairs, and sometimes also in groups of 4, I ask them to place their back to the ball and walk without letting the ball fall. It was amazing to see that even with a gap of two weeks, the second time round many participants could carry the ball a lot further than the first time round. So yes, in that sense of continuation and satisfaction from doing something again.
There was also a shift in energy last week as it seemed that participants had got used to the environment and group dynamics. I look forward to meeting weekly now as this will further encourage easy access into the session.

So, we're onto the second phase. After both the Thursday session and the Friday session last week we held meetings for the participants and their carers. This was to explain how the project is to continue. As we had announced at the beginning of the project there is not going to be a selection process, but rather participants are to select themselves by deciding from now on to fully commit to the project: to attend the sessions, which will now happen on a weekly basis, regularly; to increase in participation as we prepare for the visit of our partners in September; and to contribute to the organisation too by, for example, participating in meetings with journalists.

I think it will be a few sessions now before the groups resettle into new dynamics as a few participants might take leave of the project, and one or two exceptional cases change groups. So I think it will not be before the end of July that we begin working on building material for presentation in September. There's still a lot of exploratory work to be done!

In the meantime, here are a few pictures from last week's sessions.

Louise

Professional Resonance Group

Hello all,

Last week we had our first resonance group meeting for professionals. Four caretakers out of two different institutions turned up for this meeting.
First they had a chance to watch the second half of one of our sessions. Afterwards we discussed the project over lunch.
It was very interesting to hear how they had experienced watching the session. And it was very reasuring to hear they thought we were doing a good job although they also warned us about certain 'traps' of the trade.....little pointers on how to maybe do things differently.
On the other hand they also said they'd definitely take stuff home with them to their institutions...
So...a win, win situation where everybody learned a little bit from each other.

Next meeting for this group is August 28th, so any interested Belgian professionals reading this.....you're more than welcome....

Leen