Amanda Scandrett (she/her) is an art therapist, researcher, artist, and sessional lecturer. Her primary field of interest is the application of trauma-informed arts-based approaches in community, healthcare, psychotherapy, and education. Amanda is beginning her PhD studies in Education at the University of Regina and has a MEd in Educational Psychology, Diploma in Art Therapy, and certifications in various therapeutic modalities.
Take Up Space, You Matter!: Fostering (Re)Connection After the Pandemic Through Trauma-Informed Community Arts Programming
Funded in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, University of Saskatchewan student Amanda Scandreff works with the Girls Rock Regina (GRR!), Femmes Across the Board, and VibesYQR to research the impacts of trauma-informed arts-based engagements in dance, music, and skateboarding on youth’s mental health and wellbeing.
There are several major objectives to her research.
1: To create a multi-disciplinary community-university collaborative team, and to better understand existing knowledge through Integrated Knowledge Translation. The research also aims to translate collective knowledge into a trauma-sensitive, arts-based workshop series supportive of youth mental health, to decrease isolation, increase self-regulation, and build community for youth whose contexts have been made increasingly vulnerable throughout COVID-19.
The project has short-term and long-term outcomes. In the short- & medium-term: Youth form connections and relationships with others and gain confidence from learning new skills (or enhancing existing skills). In terms of long-term outcomes: Youth build relationships that continue to flourish long after the conclusion of this project, promoting long-term health and wellbeing. Lastly, knowledge mobilization will be sustained through the end of project research.