Past Current and Future Projects
Past Projects
2015 Lesbos Refugee Camp (Greece) (Self-funded)
2016 Calais Jungle (France)
2017 Athens Refugee Camps (Greece)
2018 Athens Refugee Camps (Greece)
30 dome builds and take downs
15 volunteers
150 workshops
180 participants per week
1800 CircusAid experiences provided to refugees
50 days of workshops
2019 Lombok (Indonesia)
In mid 2018, multiple deadly earthquakes hit northern Lombok. Access to food, shelter, and clean water was insufficient. Resources needed to be delivered by foot in some areas because the roads were inaccessible. Schools have been destroyed and 390,000 were left homeless.
See Lombok 2019 video below or click here
Current & Future Projects
Please Help Us Raise $8,653 for this years CircusAid project in Lombok
From January 14th- March 14th CircusAid engaged over 1,000 local Lombok residents in circus activities as a form of trauma healing in response to the August 2019 Earthquakes that destroyed most of Northern Lombok.
CircusAid worked in collaboration with local organisations to deliver programs that promoted physical, cognitive, social and emotional capacity building using circus disciplines of juggling, hula hooping, acro-balance, slack line, aerial acrobatics and clowning.
Participants expressed increases in self-confidence, joy and community connection. We trained a group of 8 locals in our program facilitation techniques and they have since continued running circus programs for their communities. Train the Trainer Lombok, 2019
"My experiences when I'm joining this CircusAid was so much fun. It's not only because of the game of the activities we've done but also sometimes there are some values in every activities that teach me such kind how to self directed, building the networking and togetherness with friends, trust and fun as well. I'm glad to have opportunity to join this CircusAid "---Lia
CircusAid also provided circus sessions for 22 young women residents of the Paramita in Mataram in March of 2019. Paramita is an organization that assists vulnerable and traumatised young people in reintegrating into their local community through vocational and life skills training, group therapy sessions and individual counselling. Paramita staff who supported our project last March have requested we return to provide them more intensive training in Holistic Circus Therapy methodology to enable them to run their own CircusAid projects within their facility.
Please support our month long residence in Lombok to enable local social service practitioners to be trained and certified in teaching circus as an educational and therapeutic tool.
Please see project details and budget here
Why support this project?:
Past project evaluations have demonstrated that our trained facilitators have continued providing effective circus projects within their communities 3 and 6 months post project. The trainings result in positive outcomes of building resilience and community connection for participants through engagement in CircusAid workshops. Please support this project. Any amount donated is greatly appreciated.
For more information please contact jill@holisticcircustherapy.com
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Sustainability
CircusAid maintains a goal of transferring leadership of activities to local representation. Every year we receive positive feedback and have more people interested in participating than we can accommodate. By training local leaders in effective CircusAid methodology, more people can participate long term. Simultaneously, we support Greek-based employment through providing means of professional development training and local paid skilled labor.
The project involves international circus artists, social circus educators, sustainable development engineers, Greek based nonprofits, local university representation, Greek-based artists and occupational therapists and the refugee populations that participate in the project.
““The physical practices serve as our medium for providing these children and young adults with an opportunity and a structure to be challenged physically and mentally, to focus, to work together, to learn to channel their energy, strength, determination, and courage healthfully and productively, and to have fun and feel connected while doing so!”
“We close our workshops with a sitting circle where we give the participants an opportunity to reflect and share something that they loved - something that made them feel strong, proud, or happy, or what they feel best at. In very few words and with the help of some young, excited translators, we are hearing many remarks of happiness. But even beyond words, we can feel the pleasure they are taking in their accomplishments. The feeling of being seen and supported shines through their smiles.”
- Leah Barsher, 2018”