How does the Youth Art For Healing Program Model
benefit the student artists, patients and their loved ones,
healthcare professionals and organizations, and communities?
BenefITS TO YOUTH
The Youth Art For Healing Program model provides opportunities for students to create artworks for people experiencing very challenging times, including patients and their loved ones, as well as healthcare staff. Students learn about the power of art to heal, the role of the arts in healthcare, how to follow guidelines when creating healing artwork for a healthcare setting, and the value of building and strengthening community connections and spirit.
While sharing their talent, time, and creativity in the spirit of giving and healing, students become empowered with the knowledge that their art can inspire, comfort, and heal… and they can truly make a difference in the lives of others.
"The process of making healing paintings is one that benefits us, the givers, as much as it benefits the receivers."
— Walt Whitman High School Student Artists
"Learning and participating more in the healing aspect of art through YAFH has made me more mindful as an artist. Now when I paint, I am more conscious of the emotional response in my audience and I work harder to appeal to my audience emotionally - through color for example."
— Watkins Mill High School Student Artist
Benefits to Patients and Loved Ones
Works of art created by students who participate in a program using the Youth Art For Healing Program Model promote a positive healing environment for patients and their loved ones. Research indicates that bringing the arts into healthcare settings benefits patients by:
supporting their physical, mental and emotional recovery leading to an improvement in their overall health
reducing stress, loneliness, anxiety, perception of pain, use of pain medication, and length of hospitalization
improving treatment compliance and quality of care.
“Having these pictures spread around our unit make it more cheerful and brighter… Anything that cheers up a patient lifts their mood and therefore helps their healing.”
— Diane Buppert, Clinical Team Coordinator
Infusion Center, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center
"Knowing I was able to create something that could bring happiness to others gave me motivation and also fueled a sense of happiness in myself throughout the painting process. I hope that the overall vibe of the landscape in my painting, with its grand expanse and cool colors, can evoke soothing, calming emotions."
— Richard Montgomery High School Student Artist
Benefits to Healthcare Professionals and Organizations
The Youth Art For Healing Program Model also aims to provide inspiration, comfort, and healing for healthcare professionals who care for patients and their loved ones. Evidence shows that including the arts in healthcare environments benefits staff by reducing stress, improving job satisfaction and staff retention, increasing effectiveness in providing patient care, and providing a safer and more supportive environment.
Benefits to Communities
The Youth Art For Healing Program Model builds and strengthens relationships between healthcare organizations and local schools, while also nurturing community spirit and connections between students, parents, art teachers, school staff, patients and their loved ones, healthcare staff and administrators, local business partners, sponsors, and charitable supporters.
Research referenced from: State of the Field Committee, State of the Field Report: Arts in Healthcare 2009. (Washington, DC: Society for the Arts in Healthcare, 2009).