The contribution of art therapy to literacy in diverse and stressed communities in inner city Johannesburg: Case vignettes from the Uhambo literacy programme

Abstract

This article is about the Uhambo literacy programme and the application of multimodal pedagogies in an art therapy ‘open studio’ after-school programme. Low literacy levels were identified by Lefika La Phodiso Community Art Counselling and Training (Lefika) – an arts therapy organisation serving at-risk children from Johannesburg’s inner city, as well as other communities through the application of community art counsellors after their training. A literacy programme, Uhambo, was developed to support the aim of improving literacy among the children attending Lefika’s after-school programme. Lefika’s open studio provides a therapeutic and safe space for children from Johannesburg’s inner city. The Uhambo programme incorporates elements of the open studio, offering a focused integration of visual and verbal literacy. The two presented case vignettes from the programme explore how the groups were both therapeutic and educational, addressing emotional growth and improved literacy and learning using attachment theories and storytelling as frameworks. Drawing on attachment theories in psychodynamic literature, the article shows how adaptive art therapy programmes can give children agency to make meaning, increase confidence and pleasure in their artmaking and storytelling as well as improving learning outcomes, building resilience and creativity.