Giving The Homeless A Voice… Through Photography
25 February 2009
The aim of the project was to give homeless people a voice and to raise public awareness in the county about perceptions of homelessness in Derby
”Jemima Thimbleby BA (Hons) Creative Expressive Therapies student.
Street Voice is the title of an innovative exhibition involving students from the University of Derby and homeless people in the city.
BA (Hons) Creative Expressive Therapies students Jemima Thimbleby, Jessica Stammers and Mary Nugent set residents from two Derby hostels for the homeless – Hartington House and Centenary House – the challenge of taking photographs for a public exhibition.
The photographs capture the emotions and feelings of homeless people and offer a moving experience of life from their perspective.
The initiative was in aid of a voluntary community art project which will culminate in a display of the top photographs at theUniversity’s Britannia Mill site , on Friday, February 27 from 5pm.
Centenary House resident Scott Poole, 25, was homeless for seven months in Derby before moving to the hostel six months ago. His relationship with his partner had deteriorated and he turned to drugs while on the street but things are now improving and he is looking forward to the future with renewed confidence. One of his best photographs shows him pictured with one of his friends, made on the street, Stuart.
He said: “It was great to get involved with this project as it was something different. I was able to express myself through photographs and it had a positive effect on me. I have already spoken to others about the idea of my taking up photography as a pastime in the future.”
Centenary House is managed by the English Churches Housing Group and its Property Manager Laura Simpson said: “It was a brilliant idea. The students completely understood the client group and engaged with them in such a way that everyone got so much from the activity.”
Jemima, Mary and Jessica are second year students on the Derby degree course and came up with the idea as an extra-curricular activity to promote photography therapy in the community.
The trio received funding from the organisation Junction49 who paid for 20 homeless people to use disposable cameras to take pictures which reflected their own personal perspectives.
The students also visited the hostels to offer advice and take the photographs to be edited, sharpened and framed ready for the exhibition.
Jessica, 27, from Slack Lane, Derby, a qualified mental health nurse, who is now combining her clinical skills with creative therapies, said: “Our exhibition is celebrating the journey we have been on by sharing the photos with others who would not normally come into contact with these photographers, breaking through social barriers with the creative process.
“The aim of the project was to give homeless people a voice and to raise public awareness in the county about perceptions of homelessness in Derby.”
Jemima, 21, from Derby, said: “Another part of the project was to empower and motivate this isolated group through the creative process, and to encourage change and transition of lifestyle.”
Fellow student Mary Nugent has previous experience of working on community projects having been involved in art-based projects with Thames Housing, a London-based housing association.
Mary, 46, from Furzedon, London, said: “I travel up to Derby during the week from London for my studies and was attracted to take up this course, as it was specific to my needs to be able to secure an academic qualification in this area and further professional practice.”
Hartington House is managed by the Metropolitan Housing Trust and hostel Project Worker Philip Leverington said: “It’s the first time an opportunity like this has come up and we were impressed with the students’ idea and enthusiasm.
“Many of our clients enjoyed the activity and some took pictures on a walk in the Peak District which will appear in the exhibition.”
The exhibition will take place on Friday, February 27 from 5pm, in the common room, on the ground floor of the University’s Britannia Mill site.
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For more information about this news release, contact Deputy Head of Corporate Relations Simon Redfern on 01332 591942 or email: s.redfern@derby.ac.uk.
