The Art of Healing in Kashmir: how creative activities can support child wellbeing in areas of conflict

这项研究将研究基于艺术的疗法如何在冲突的背景下支持儿童的健康。我们的工作是在印度查谟和克什米尔领土内进行的。2019年8月，印度政府废除了《印度宪法》第370条和第35A条，撤销了查谟和克什米尔的半自治地位。紧随其后的是封锁，包括封锁所有互联网服务和电话网络，广泛实施宵禁，关闭公共交通和许多其他公共服务。虽然关于克什米尔儿童和冲突的研究有限，但其他背景的学术研究表明，儿童在军事化地区特别容易受到伤害，治愈创伤是可持续和平的核心。随着克什米尔地区封锁的放松，现在是促进那些经历过创伤的人康复和福祉的关键时刻。据我们在克什米尔的合作伙伴说，许多儿童感到孤立、“麻木”，并表现出与创伤后应激障碍相一致的情绪和行为症状。我们在克什米尔普尔瓦马的当地合作伙伴--海豚学校--开展了一项健康方案，通过该方案，他们向表达援助愿望的有症状的儿童提供支持。该学院精通艺术(该原则研究并提供了以艺术为基础的疗法)，并希望利用创造力的力量来促进治愈。在这个项目中，我们将支持海豚学校向儿童提供戏剧、视觉艺术和木偶，以获得治疗益处。我们的中心研究问题：艺术活动和以艺术为基础的治疗在支持受冲突影响儿童的心理健康和福祉方面有多大潜力？这个问题将在10个月内分三个阶段进行调查第一阶段(2020年5月)：项目启动和建立评估机制草案。这将是一个快速启动的项目，包括由学术团队领导的两篇文献评论和在布里斯托尔举行的一个研讨会。通过这一阶段，我们将：i)建立我们认为艺术疗法如何使海豚学校的儿童受益的基线期望；ii)商定评估战略；iii)最终确定旅行、风险管理、保障和道德。第二阶段(2020年5月至6月至11月)：向克什米尔的儿童提供艺术活动并评估其影响。在我们的第二次研讨会之后，我们将促进海豚学校的艺术活动(由艺术合作伙伴Katkatha和Vikramjeet Sinha)的开展。第二阶段还包括实地研究工作，包括：a)现场评价；b)与利益攸关方和非政府组织面谈；c)目视文件。第三阶段(2020年11月至2021年2月)：涉及分析、改进产出、传播和影响。我们将在克什米尔举办另外两个讲习班，以促进我们的合作伙伴和其他伙伴之间的评估和交流。此外，我们还将协助开发培训模块/练习册，供希望推动克什米尔和其他冲突地区福祉的艺术方法的艺术从业者使用。产出：该项目将产生若干产出，包括为克什米尔儿童的健康和福祉作出贡献。此外，我们将制作：三个学科的三篇期刊文章；政策输出(项目报告和简短摘要)；一个描述经验的网站和博客；一个当地制作的项目电影文档(以及对当地电影制作人的培训)；以及一个工作簿/培训模块，用于未来的艺术活动和克什米尔基于艺术的治疗。随着大学和教职员工监控与新冠肺炎相关的限制和影响，这一批准将得到审查。由于我们在当地有强大的合作，我们有信心，如果旅行限制限制英国旅行，我们可以远程交付这项研究。

This research will study how art-based therapies can support child wellbeing in the context of conflict. Our work is set within the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In August 2019, the Indian Government withdrew the State of Jammu and Kashmir's semi-autonomous status by repealing article 370 and 35A from the Indian Constitution. This was followed by a lockdown, which included blackout of all internet services and telephone networks, widespread curfews, and closing down of public transport and many other public services. While there is limited research on children and conflict in Kashmir, scholarship from other contexts demonstrates that children are particularly vulnerable in militarised areas and that healing trauma is central for sustainable peace. As the lockdown in Kashmir eases, it is a critical time to facilitate healing and wellbeing for those who have experienced trauma. According to our partners in Kashmir, many children feel isolated, 'numb', and are expressing emotional and behaviour symptoms consistent with PTSD. Our local partners in Pulwama, Kashmir - the Dolphin School - run a Wellness Programme through which they provide support to symptomatic children expressing a desire for assistance. The school is well-versed in the arts (the principle has studied and delivered Arts-Based Therapy) and hopes to draw on the power of creativity to facilitate healing. In this project we will support the Dolphin School to deliver drama, visual arts, and puppetry, to children for therapeutic benefits. Our central research question: what is the potential for arts activities and arts-based therapies to support the mental health and wellbeing of children affected by conflict?This question will be investigated via three phases over 10 months Phase 1 (May 2020): project initiation and establishment of draft evaluation mechanisms. This will be a quick start up that includes two literature reviews led by the academic team and a workshop held in Bristol. Through this phase we will: i) establish our baseline expectations regarding how we believe art therapies can benefit children at the Dolphin School; ii) agree the evaluation strategy and iii) finalise travel, risk management, safeguarding and ethics.Phase 2 (May-June to November 2020): delivering art activities to children in Kashmir and evaluating the impact. Following our second workshop, we will facilitate the delivery of the arts activities (by arts partners Katkatha and Vikramjeet Sinha) at the Dolphin School. Phase 2 also includes research fieldwork including: a) on-site evaluation; b) interviews with stakeholders and NGOs; and c) visual documentation. Phase 3 (November 2020 to February 2021): involves analysis, refinement of outputs, dissemination and impact. We will hold two further workshops in Kashmir to facilitate evaluation and sharing of amongst our partners and beyond. In addition, we will facilitate the development of a training module / workbook that can be used by arts practitioners looking to advance arts approaches to wellbeing in Kashmir and other conflict areas. Outputs: The project will result in a number of outputs including a contribution to the health and wellbeing of children in Kashmir. In addition, we will produce: three journal articles across three disciplines; policy outputs (project report and short summaries); a website and blog narrating the experiences; a locally-produced film documentation of the project (and training for a local film-maker); and a workbook / training module for future arts activities and art based therapies in Kashmir.Feasibility note: we have received preliminary approval from UWE Health and Safety team to travel to Kashmir. This approval will be reviewed as the university and staff monitor restrictions and impacts associated with COVID-19. As we have robust local collaborations in place, we are confident that we can deliver this research remotely if travel restrictions limit UK travel.