State of Flux
State of Flux was a 10-week project that introduced women recovering from addiction to the benefits of making.
The Serenity Café was a community development mental health organisation based in Edinburgh which supported local people, recovering from additions and mental ill health. It provided training, employment, education, which supported people’s recovery in a manner that enables them to re-connect with their community and wider society.
​
The State of Flux project (10-weeks) aims, through the act of making, to introduce women, who are recovering from addiction:
​
• The opportunity to develop skills in traditional metal jewellery making
• To develop their self-confidence and aid their recovery.
​
It is the view of the project that building the women’s self-confidence through the act of making will in turn have an impact on their mental health and also encourage the potential.
​
‘I feel amazing! I finished my ring!’
​
‘Fantastic! What an amazing sense of achievement, I am glowing with pride’.
The women all described how they became more focused, calmer and relaxed even with the pressure of making something new and for the first time.
​
One of the participants stated: ‘I really enjoyed the class, felt creative even when making mistakes.’
​
All the women commented that the project has contributed to their recovery. It had broken their isolation, given them a sense of achievement and belonging. See the State of Flux Project Report for more about the findings of this project.