This programme is designed to help children process their thoughts and express their emotions through art, clay, play dough and crafts. Children do not need to have any artistic skills to engage in this programme.
‘Expression through Art’ aspires to:
This online programme is free of charge and designed for children aged 5-13 years old. The children will be divided into different age groups and the sessions will be tailor-made according to age. The programme is made up of 10 weekly sessions and each session is 75 mins long. The sessions will be virtual and held on the digital platform ‘Zoom’.
Group Facilitators
Stef Savona Ventura
Ms Stef Savona Ventura is a warranted health psychologist working at the Psychology Department at Mater Dei Hospital and a lecturer at the University of Malta, while also forming part of the team at Karl Vella Foundation. Ms Savona Ventura is currently furthering her studies by reading for a PhD at the University of Malta in health psychology, specialising in creative art therapies in childhood and adolescence. Ms Savona Ventura has been working with children and adolescents at Mater Dei Hospital for the last 7 years and has developed a special interest and passion in creative therapies and techniques that help the child or adolescent deal with any arising issues that may be present. As a practicing artist herself, she believes that art provides a window to the internal status of an individual and together with other modalities such as mindfulness and psychotherapeutic interventions it can be an effective tool to create balance and wellbeing. Her passion for mindfulness and creative practices has led her to a certification with the Yoga Alliance International as a kid’s yoga instructor through which she is able to help children by guiding them on how to creatively cope with their inner emotions.
Noelle Camilleri
Ms Noelle Camilleri is a registered Art Psychotherapist. She is passionate about art and believes in its healing potential. Therefore, she decided to bring together art and her previous experience in the psychology field. She has studied Psychology at the University of Malta and later read for an MA in Art Therapy at the University of Derby (UK). Noelle has previously worked with people with disabilities, in a neuro rehabilitation hospital (NHS-UK) and also in inpatient and community mental health services. She currently works with vulnerable youth offering psychological therapy and support. Noelle is the president of the Creative Arts Therapies Society (CATS- Malta). She is registered with the British Association of Art therapists (BAAT) and is warranted by PPBM (Psychotherapy Professions Board Malta No:0115) and HCPC (Health Care Professions Council – UK).
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Shaping Dreams Together is a project co-funded by the President’s Award for Creativity, in collaboration with Arts Council Malta and Alka Ceramics. This project is a great opportunity for children to learn how to process their thoughts and express their emotions through the use of clay. A psycho-therapist will be present during the sessions. An artist from Alka ceramics will be attending the sessions to show the children how to create various forms with clay and decorate their own pottery items.
This online programme is free of charge and designed for children aged between 8-10 years.
The programme is made up of a total of 10 weekly sessions and each session is 75 mins long. Sessions are held every Wednesday starting from 7th April till 9th June between 4.30pm and 5.45pm. The sessions will be virtual and will be held on the digital platform ‘Zoom’.
Group Facilitators
Jessica Quirolo
Ms Jessica Quirolo is a trainee Gestalt psychotherapist, who is currently in her final year of studies of Master in Gestalt Psychotherapy at the Gestalt Training Institute of Malta. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Malta. Ms Quirolo has experience working in the field of disability, specifically with children and adolescents on the autism spectrum disorder. She is also working in the mental health field with adults, adolescents, and children experiencing medical and physical health conditions. Ms Quirolo has a special interest in working with children and adolescents and has in fact been involved in Scouting as a leader for 7 years. During the past two years, she has worked as a support staff member, a group facilitator, and a trainee psychotherapist at KVF. In her therapeutic work, Ms Quirolo enjoys getting creative and using varied artistic modalities to support the therapeutic process.
Joan Haber
Ms Joan Haber is ceramic artist who has been working in ceramics full time since 1980. She studied art in Gozo and trained in ceramics under her husband, ceramic graduate and artist Paul Haber. Together with her husband she set up a ceramic’s factory Alka Ceramics, where a fully structured ceramics program is held throughout the year. Clay Club at Alka gives participants many different opportunities for team building sessions, school outings, pottery birthday parties, sculpture classes and pottery online sessions. Ms Haber teaches and organizes workshops and events related to ceramics, sculpture and hands-on experiences for children, students and artists. At Alka Ms Haber accepts students for internships, job shadowing, and work experience. She has also participated in many creativity related projects such as Kreattiv and Premju tal-President ghall- Kreattivita.
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Encourage your children to experience a stronger connection with their inner and outer self through this loving-kindness meditation and mindfulness course. This practise is known to:
This online programme is free of charge and designed for children aged between 13-15 years.
The programme is made up of a total of 10 weekly sessions and each session is 75 mins long. Sessions are held every Friday starting from 9th April till 11th June between 6.00pm and 7.15pm.
The sessions will be virtual and will be held on the digital platform ‘Zoom’.
Group facilitator
Mark Calleja
Mr Mark Calleja completed the Master of Science in Professional Development (Consciousness, Spirituality and Transpersonal Psychology). He focused his studies in creativity, shamanistic psychology, meditation & mindfulness, and transpersonal psychotherapy and counselling. The degree programme equipped Mark with a broad range of theory and skills in whole-person development, which he will be able to apply broadly in supporting the psycho-spiritual growth and empowerment of adults and young people, enabling them to connect more deeply to their values, interests and passions, and resourcing them to build resilience and motivation to realise their full potential.
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Do your children love stories? Encourage your children to embark on a journey of story-telling and imagination this spring! Stories allow children to discover more things about themselves and the world around them while enabling them to connect with their own personal experiences.
This programme will also:
This online programme is free of charge and designed for children aged between 8-10 years. The programme is made up of a total of 10 weekly sessions and each session is 75 mins long. Sessions are held every Thursday starting from 8th April till 10th June between 5.45pm and 7.00pm. The sessions will be virtual and will be held on the digital platform ‘Zoom’.
Group Facilitator
Corinne Vella
Ms Corinne Vella is a psycho-educator working with Karl Vella Foundation. She studied Psychology at the University of Malta. In addition, Ms Vella also spent some months at Abertay University in Dundee, Scotland to further her studies in the psychological field. Ms Vella has had training with young children and adolescents as an Applied Behaviour Analysis tutor. Therefore, she has worked with children who have behavioural and learning difficulties. Ms Vella strongly believes that children deserve full support, care and attention in order for them to reach their full potential.
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Wrinkles & Twinkles was an Erasmus+ intergenerational project led by the Karl Vella Foundation (Malta) in collaboration with Prisms (Malta) and two international partners. Wrinkles & Twinkles is designed to give young people the necessary space to discuss their present-day issues while making use of various tools and practices such as; video forum, mindfulness, role-plays, creativity and expression.
The programme aims to:
This online programme is free of charge and designed for children aged between 11-12 years. The programme is made up of a total of 10 weekly sessions and each session is 75 mins long. Sessions are held every Wednesday starting from 7th April till 9th June between 6.00pm and 7.15pm. The sessions will be virtual and will be held on the digital platform ‘Zoom’.
Group Facilitators
Corinne Vella
Ms Corinne Vella is a psycho-educator working with Karl Vella Foundation. She studied Psychology at the University of Malta. In addition, Ms Vella also spent some months at Abertay University in Dundee, Scotland to further her studies in the psychological field. Ms Vella has had training with young children and adolescents as an Applied Behaviour Analysis tutor. Therefore, she has worked with children who have behavioural and learning difficulties. Ms Vella strongly believes that children deserve full support, care and attention in order for them to reach their full potential.
Jerica Furman
Ms Jerica Furman received her M. A. in Psychology with an Emphasis in Counseling from Webster University, Leiden. Alongside she found herself delving into the studies of Brain-spotting, Somatic Experiencing, and Rhythm of Regulation. The gifts of these modalities are many and they offer a chance to move away from pathologizing and the focus on “what is wrong” and allow us to reinforce our biology’s signals of healing and growth. In her practice, she has the honor of working with the bravest and most inspiring individuals and she supports them in finding more sense of ease, trust, and purpose. She is passionate about yoga, cooking, nature, and mindfulness and bringing those gifts to her community.
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This programme is based on a model aimed to enable children/teens to discover and connect more with themselves and the world around them. The programme makes use of breathing techniques, art and body movement, enabling the children/teens to process their thoughts and express their emotions. The facilitator will be providing a safe space for children/teens who would wish to talk about their current challenging experiences while supporting them to develop a positive approach to life.
This online programme is free of charge and designed for children aged 8-10 & 13-15 years old. The children will be divided into different age groups and the sessions will be tailor-made according to age. The programme is made up of 10 weekly sessions and each session is 75 mins long. The sessions will be virtual and held on the digital platform ‘Zoom’.
Group Facilitator
Jerica Furman
Ms Jerica Furman received her M. A. in Psychology with an Emphasis in Counseling from Webster University, Leiden. Alongside she found herself delving into the studies of Brain-spotting, Somatic Experiencing, and Rhythm of Regulation. The gifts of these modalities are many and they offer a chance to move away from pathologizing and the focus on “what is wrong” and allow us to reinforce our biology’s signals of healing and growth. In her practice, she has the honor of working with the bravest and most inspiring individuals and she supports them in finding more sense of ease, trust, and purpose. She is passionate about yoga, cooking, nature, and mindfulness and bringing those gifts to her community.
Please click here to apply:
