Browsing by Author "Purovaara, Reespu"

This thesis was inspired by the question how handicrafts are and could be used as a part of rehabilitation of people with mental disorders. The same questions have earlier been dealt with by for example Sinikka Pöllänen (2006 and 2008). This study explores how young adults living with mental disorders experience handicrafts in a culture orientated workshop. The target is to describe, analyse and explicate the participants’ communal perspective to handicrafts. The data of this qualitative study was collected through group discussion with the workshop community of Leikkiväki ry. The data was analysed with qualitative content analysis. As a member of this community which I study I possess experience and knowledge of this community that surpasses the mere data collecting period. My positionality thus gives the study perspective that resembles ethnographic methods. The study shows that negative experiences in handicrafts in school have a strong influence on how young participants of mental health rehabilitation experience handicrafts later on. For the participants community spirit, easiness of doing and atmosphere that does not stress on performance are important elements of the workshops of Leikkiväki ry. The variety of activities and craft techniques, possibility to experiment and the alternation of holistic craft and ordinary craft were found meaningful. For many of the participants initiation of new and unfamiliar activities was very difficult for example because of feelings of inferiority and selfcriticism. The fundamental experience shared by many of the participants seems to be the fear of failure. During the time spent in the workshop experiences of handicrafts seemed to become more positive. Concrete doing was found to help forward from the oppressive inactivity. Handicrafts have obviously rehabilitative effects at workshop surroundings. The findings affirm the prior studies that handicrafts can support mental well-being and work as part of the rehabilitation process and be a therapeutic tool.