When we think of creative writing, many of us assume it’s a skill beyond our reach; saved for the authors, the poets, and the playwrights.
As a group, we want to remove the barriers surrounding creative writing to help everyone discover the power of words for themselves. Our aim is to use creative activities to develop new ideas, understand customer experiences and raise self-awareness in our people.
To do this, we recently opened poetry workshops to colleagues across The Calico Group, after seeing great success with customers in our recovery services.
The ‘no nonsense’ workshops are delivered by Mike Garry, a Mancunian poet who shares his own life experiences and poetry to help people ‘find the right words’.
Taking to the stage
Last month, those who took part in the most recent collection of ‘Read Between the Lines’ sessions headed to the stage of the Burnley Mechanics Theatre, sharing their newly awakened creativity with others at their very own poetry showcase.
One of the poets was Emmy Dickinson. As one of our dedicated Community Engagement Officers, she spends her days in our neighbourhoods helping those who live in Calico homes.
Before attending the sessions, Emmy rarely read or took the time to write. Now, she loves nothing more than putting pen to paper. On the big night, she braved the stage to read her words aloud, enjoying the “nerve wrecking yet fun” experience.
She said: “I feel empowered! I’m more confident in my writing and I’m not second guessing myself as much when responding to customers”.
“I feel I have a better understanding of myself, who I am and what I am capable of. It was lovely to get to meet people from around the business and make new connections that will live on long after the sessions. I would do it again in a heartbeat”.
How creative writing can help colleagues
Whether it’s scribbling in a personal journal, penning short stories, or letting out thoughts through poetry, there are so many benefits for colleagues who brave turning their thoughts into words.
Creative writing can improve our communication skills. By understanding our past experiences and emotions, we can empathise better with our customers and build stronger relationships.
Public speaking, attention to detail, improved grammar and effective storytelling are also improvements that can be used in our day to day roles too.
Another Calico colleague who attended the sessions was Will Batrick. Starting his professional journey at the group as an apprentice, Will is now a full-time plumber with Ring Stones Construction & Maintenance.
Before attending the sessions, Will confessed to never reading a book from cover to cover. Today, he enjoys getting stuck into a good story and writing his own poetry.
Discussing the workshops, Will said: “It was superb, definitely an experience that I haven’t ever done before”.
The power of writing in recovery
The workshops were originally utilised across our recovery services. Many customers from Acorn Recovery Projects and Horizon took on the challenge, learning more about themselves and their recovery journey in each session.
Mark Gornall took on the course during his time at Acorn. Part of the original alumni of the ‘Read Between the Lines’ sessions, Mark has since gone on to publish his own collection of poetry. Titled ‘One Day at a Time’, Mark donates all proceeds of his book to charity.
He said: “It was an emotional time during recovery. Turning moments into poetry took the power out of them and made room in my mind for better things”.
Creative writing in recovery offers many therapeutic benefits, serving as a means of self-expression, emotional processing, and personal growth.
Writing provides a safe space to express complex emotions that may be difficult to say out loud. This helps people to process feelings of guilt, shame, anger, or sadness associated with their addiction and recovery.
Engaging in therapeutic writing can also help individuals process their own emotions and reflect on their past experiences. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and empathy, which is crucial for empathising with others and processing past trauma.
Now you know the benefits… What’s stopping you? It’s time to discover the power of creative writing for yourself.
