GoodHeart | Let’s Get Colouring campaign helping children combat stress and anxiety
Published:Saturday | August 14, 2021 | 12:06 AM
Studies show that colouring can be beneficial for mental health, helping to improve mood, reduce stress and boost creativity.
Over the last five months, in an effort to combat childhood stress and anxiety, Amashika & Associates Limited has executed free online colouring workshops for children islandwide and in the diaspora, under the Let’s Get Colouring campaign.
“Through our local partnership, we had an estimated reach of 1.5 million readers, about 250 participants in the online sessions and 207 activity packs donated to schools and community groups,” said Principal Director Amashika Lorne.
The online sessions, executed under the name ‘Colour With Aunty Ama’, commenced in January 2021 and consisted of participants joining the session on Zoom with their colouring pages, crayons, and a device, where they were guided by an instructor for the sessions. The sessions had an average of 35-50 participants, which included children in two state-run children’s homes.
CHILD ENGAGEMENTS ACTIVITIES
“We’re always looking for new ways to keep our children engaged. When Amashika shared that she would like to involve some of our children and explained that once we had Internet access and the space, we would be able to participate, I said sure. We have a range of six to 12-year-olds who participated in the sessions and even won prizes. It’s a unique activity, and they are already asking when is the next session with Aunty Ama,” said Alicia Richardson, from the SOS Children’s Village in St Andrew.
Joanie Hibberts said that while her family was looking forward to taking their first family vacation to Jamaica in 2020, “this activity allowed my eight-year-old daughter to still feel connected to the place of her roots; where her parents were born by learning a few Jamaican phrases and some simple but effective colouring tips that can help her in her art and craft class for school”.
Toni-Ann Williams, a current reading parish-finalist, said: “My daddy got me the colouring book with the images as a present to help me keep occupied when I don’t have online classes, but I like joining the session with Aunty Ama because we get to win prizes and she is really nice, almost like a real aunty to us even though we have not met her up close. I always mark my calendar for the next session so that I don’t miss it.”
When asked about the future plans for the colouring series, Lorne shared: “I’m grateful to my personal team, the corporate entities that decided a take a risk with me to execute my vision and address an issue that our children continue facing. When I started the communications firm, I hadn’t quite envisioned us taking on this kind of content creation so in-depth; however, working with children has a special place in my heart, and as such, it’s not a surprise. Our summer plans are still being tweaked, but the parents and children can rest assured that we will continue to colour together over the summer period and beyond.”