A comic strip for young children (9-12 years)

Country

Belgium

Description

A large psychiatric hospital, situated in a green nature environment is also the place where young children come to learn about nature (green classes).

 

They don't realise what is happening in the big building, they meet patients walking around.

 

The staff saw that the children started to ask questions and that their parents (who drive them to the venue) couldn't or wouldn't answer. Some parents didn't drive on to the parking, but left the children a few meters from the entrance.

 

In collaboration with the children and their teachers, with the patients and the staff a story was written about two young children solving a mystery that happened in the hospital. A professional designer coached the making of the comic strip.

Now all the children receive the strip before their coming to visit the premises.

Aims

The project aims to find a specific method to inform very young children (9-12 years) about psychiatry.

Areas

Education

Effectiveness

The children and their parents and teachers are no longer ignoring the big building in the park, and are no longer avoiding the contact with patients.

Sustainability

The comic strip is now available and tested with the children coming to the premises in Beernem. In a next stage, the comic strip will be distributed to other psychiatric hospitals.

Innovation

The young children are a target group which have been long forgotten. Now many staff members of the hospital have a tool to explain to their own children where they are working.

Added Value

Informing young children has a great multiplicatory effect (parents, teachers), and it working for the future.

Transferability

Easily transferable

Mainstreaming Potential

Integrating school activity in informing both children and their teachers and parents.

Costs of the Project

The production of the comic strip (all costs ware sponsored).

People involved in the Project (number of people and profession)

Staff members, patients, children and teachers of all the schools in the neighbourhood.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Project

The strength is the interactive way the story was written and the strip was designed.

Contact Person for the Project

Geert Gruyaert
Reigerlostraat 10
8730 BEERNEM

Tel: 050/79.95.00
Email: geert.gruyaert@fracarita.org