Sue Mulholland
20
“Above all, I have probably learned more from the young people and adults I teach than they will ever learn from me. Owning your mind, being calm and measured and taking back control when you feel lost is empowering; this is central to all my workshops. I do not claim creative wellbeing is a cure, but it is a tried and tested prop, a strategy to help people reflect and cope. For me, testing the theory on home ground and also extreme situations like those I encountered in Kakuma have been both humbling and convincing of their value”.
Currently the Director of Art and Design Technology at Dulwich College, Sue Mulholland has been a teacher for 20 years across a broad spectrum of schools, maintained and independent. Primarily a teacher of Art and Art History, she is also a leader in academic and pastoral matters with a prolific track record for developing and nurturing educational partnerships. From very early in her career she has worked with pupils from the most challenging backgrounds, including asylum seekers fleeing conflict zones. Sue recognised the role creativity and re-triggering imagination have in breaking down barriers. They can provide a platform for communication and expression and can be the much- needed scaffolding for even the most troubled person.
‘Creative wellbeing’ (not that she has always called it that) has been a constant thread of active research. A defining moment came in 2014. Sue made her inaugural visit to Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya with the Mystart project. Having worked with Mystart in London schools, this was the next logical step. Sue has been back to Kakuma several times since, in the capacity of teacher, mentor and teacher trainer. Sue continues to work with Mystart, she is an advisor and partner with Windle International and the Chairperson on the board of Gua Africa, an educational foundation set up by former child soldier Emmanuel Jal. Whilst her multi-faceted role is firmly rooted in providing care and quality education for all, regardless of situation or background, it is her work across such diverse landscapes that has convinced her of the benefits of creative wellbeing. All her workshops are carefully researched and designed in response to her years of teaching practise and field work.
Being creative keeps you well
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