FLOURISHING
21 SEPTEMBER
2023
Tell Me More
About
Finding
Flourish
connection - creativity - community
Finding Flourish is an ongoing community art project dedicated to creating a space for connection, creativity, collaboration and contribution while supporting the work of LifeCare. We believe in the power of art to bring people together and foster a sense of belonging.
Our mission is to create an environment that encourages broad participation and engagement. Through our range of activities and events, we strive to build meaningful relationships, foster community engagement and encourage creative expression.
There are plenty of ways to get involved across all art forms including visual arts, performing arts and written word. No experience is needed. We will show you the ropes.
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AND for those who claim not to be artists (although we will challenge you on that, wink), there are great opportunities to lend your skills or gain some work experience across a range of areas also (check out our teams page).
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We invite you to join us on our journey and experience the joy of creating something beautiful together as we contribute to helping people in tough places flourish.
one journey. one organisation. one community. to-gether. to flourish.
Flourishing is a theatrical style event featuring music, art, theatre, dance and interwoven film and digital media with a message that promotes local community care and compassion. The script will feature testimony of Kendall's personal recovery journey and the enormous role LifeCare has played in her healing. It will weave in a variety of performances to support the story and take the audience on a relatable and emotive journey.
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The project will also raise much needed funding for the important work of LifeCare across counselling, family violence recovery,
community mentoring, food security and social isolation
About
Flourishing
About Kendall
Hi
I have been a client at LifeCare for 4 years after I became monumentally unravelled by some "stuff". I am a mother of two primary school aged children and live and love in the City of Whitehorse. When not being an artist or a semi professional procrastinator, I enjoy hanging out with friends, spending time walking in nature, reading things that make my mind go "wow" and discovering new blocks of chocolate that have not yet been eaten.
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Professionally, I am an anthropologist, a visual artist and a director, writer, choreographer, producer and performer with extensive experience in the youth, community and humanitarian and development sectors. I have also worked with populations affected by extreme poverty, family violence, street violence, trauma, homelessness and alcohol and other drugs. My work has been produced in Canada, South Africa, The United Kingdom, The USA, Greece and China.
Flourishing is a partnership between Crossway LifeCare and my organisation, Art For People's Sake - a new kid offering a wide range of programs and activities that encourage and guide all ages and abilities in the pursuit of creative thought and artistic expression while nurturing social conscience.
You could hop on over and check out my LinkedIn profile if you are really keen. Or check out my website and other socials. I'm feeling pretty excited that I gathered the guts to create them so it would be lovely to have an encouraging visitor or two.
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I am super excited to be producing and directing Flourishing and am even more excited for the time when this is no longer just me planning and creating and I have all of you on board to help this whole thing ... well ... flourish!
The quote that is inspiring me the most right now is:
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ~ Helen Keller
I take a deep breath and think "YES". And so, to you, I say "welcome". Welcome to Flourishing
Kendall
Fundraising 4 Flourish
Hi
Flourishing is more than just a beautiful community event, it is a way in which you can help us raise vital funds for Crossway LifeCare’s family violence programs and individual recovery support. I, myself, am a survivor of FV and I can honestly say I would not be here today if it were not for the highly skilled work of the family violence recovery team and the unrelenting support of LifeCare as an organisation.
Why such a largescale event and broad community reach? The answer is more than simply my own gratitude to the role LifeCare has played in my life. I know I don’t need to tell you this, but I invite you to reflect with me for a moment on the devastation that is family violence and its impact on our community. Even in our country of plenty, vulnerable people are being left to repair their broken families without sufficient support or resources. Children are being left to grow up with the scars and damage of trauma impacting their adult lives and perpetuating the problem into the next generation. Patterns are being repeated and suffering is continuing because help often looks like little more than a bandage on an open wound.
Family violence affects every person - not just the victims. The broken child acts out their fear and pain in the classroom and in the playground and it impacts your child. The adolescent who has never known healthy relationships is dating your teen. The adult who is so debilitated by trauma and abuse that they are unable to work efficiently and effectively, if at all, is your colleague.
I have been there. And I know firsthand how hard it is to rebuild your life after total upheaval. Leaving the abusive situation and getting to safety was not the end of the story. It didn’t take weeks to recover – it is taking me years. It is hard work daily but I am on the journey. And I am one of the lucky ones because I found Crossway LifeCare, whose support wraps itself around me and invests in me and my children for the long term. Because transforming lives takes a lot more than 10-20 sessions of therapy.
When we run for our lives, we run from our lives. We lose everything. Home, possessions and community. Crossway Lifecare fills the gap. Their family violence recovery programs are multi-faceted and holistic and walk alongside individuals and families as they undertake their journey of healing, recovery and growth.
Healing and recovery is more than counselling. It’s community and rebuilding and reorientation. And that takes time and commitment. Lifecare are dedicated to this work and they have given me back my life. And so I am dedicated to giving back to them. All of their programs are offered for free to victims and individual counselling is heavily subsidised for those who cannot afford. Lifecare is more than a service, it is an invested community of volunteers, staff and individuals and groups who financially support their lifegiving work – it is you!
Will you join me in helping other women, men and children have access to what I have been given through Crossway Lifecare?
Kendall
