Everything is different at Lower Merion Vocational Training Center, an RHD program that since 1972 has provided employment and training to people with intellectual disabilities.
Transforming LMVTC from a vocational work program into a creative arts program has been such a massive change it almost defies description, but Rachel sums it up neatly in two words, nearly coming out of her wheelchair with excitement:
“Not! Boring!” Rachel said.
It is definitely not boring at RHD's newest art program, which director Lori Bartol and the staff have created at LMVTC. Where clients used to perform traditional vocational contract work, such as stuffing and stamping envelopes, sorting flyers, affixing labels to packages, students now work on projects from paintings and sculptures to creative contract work such as producing bags, apparel or greeting cards with their own original designs.
Mary has been attending day programs at LMVTC for years, and said she’s much happier and enjoys it more now. Asked what she likes better, Mary threw her hands in the air and said: “Oh! Everything!”
“It’s more fun,’’ said Keith, as he models the smock he wears as he works with paint. “I made this. Look – it’s beautiful on me.”
RHD is embracing the creative arts approach to day programs. With thriving arts programs in Boston, Rhode Island, Missouri and Philadelphia, RHD this month is rolling out
"Outside In," a new outsider art gallery online that will showcase the original work RHD artists are producing every day. The gallery produces striking artwork, and impact on people’s quality of life is astonishing.
“They’ve done a 180-degree turn here,’’ said Jay McClellan, art program coordinator at the as-yet unnamed art studio. “I can’t put into words how much people are engaging; they’re so much more interactive. They’re open for ideas. There’s a lot of energy.
“When you’re putting stamps on envelopes, there’s no ownership of that. When you create a product and give it out to the world, that’s ownership. They can see that. The designs they make and send out to the world, whatever they’re trying to communicate, it’s out there. It gives them a voice, and it’s a strong voice. And it’s a voice everybody can understand.
“That’s universal. These things are important, because that’s how they communicate.”
The plans for LMVTC include a store will market and sell the students’ work, allowing the artists to make money for their efforts. LMVTC has always promoted community interaction, but this will be another substantial change.
“We want the students to interact with the community,’’ McClellan said. “A lot of our community involvement is us going outside. We’d like the community to come in and see what we do here.”
“It’s a different mentality for what it means for people to earn money, and what that looks like, what types of opportunities being offered for people with disabilities to take part in,’’ Bartol said. “We feel very strongly that people can be productive in a lot of different ways in the world. For people to be creative, and use their minds in that way opens up so many new doors for them.
“They type of imagery that comes out of our students is unique, and interesting – and marketable. They’re not down there finger-painting. They’re creating imagery that is raw and unique. It’s fascinating.
“Every day, instead of coming into a place where you’re not stuffing envelopes, or putting stickers on jars, you’re being asked: Hey, what are you thinking about today? And you can take that picture in your head and make it into something. Who wouldn’t prefer that?”
Students at LMVTC now arrive to action-packed days that change constantly. They began by planting their own gardens in the spring, and drawing what they saw growing. They do original artwork, contract work, produce creative products of their own design, engage in physical activities such as music and dance and take creative community outings.
One recent trip was to the Rodin museum in Philadelphia, and the students’ project was to ponder Rodin’s The Thinker and answer the question: What is he thinking about? The students, naturally, wound up revealing what they were thinking about – and then they went about creating that.
“It helps with decision-making and skill building, because there’s more open dialogue,’’ McClellan said. There are steps to this, there’s a process. Everybody gets direction. But within that process, there are a lot of decisions to be made.
“They get a lot of freedom to figure things out and make decisions and find out what works best for them. It’s not rigid enough that they don’t have any freedom, but it’s not free enough that they don’t have any direction. It’s the best of both worlds.”
Along the way, something quite extraordinary happened – not just with the students, but with the staff. RHD’s open environment encourages dialogue, and regards potential conflicts as opportunities for growth and personal development. At LMVTC, there was plenty of conflict in the program’s transition.
“The new staff coming in here all had art backgrounds, because we were building an arts program,’’ Bartol said. “They had to work hand-in-hand with the existing direct-care staff. It was a rough transition for people. But we’ve come so far in appreciating and understanding both sides for their talents and skills.
“Besides everything we’re doing for the students, it’s been an educational environment for all of us.”
Art teachers quickly embraced caring directly for the students, helping them dress or accomplish personal tasks. And direct care staff soon took interest in the art program, suggesting projects that would most benefit the students. Coming from very different places, the staff came together to better care for their clients.
“It was a learning experience for all of us,’’ said floor supervisor Jerrica White, who worked at LMVTC before the transition and helped work through it with the art staff. “The staff has grown, and learned to be a team. The new team made it comfortable because they were so willing to listen. We felt like we were heard, and that everyone wanted to work to make things better.
“Everybody – the staff and the students – are excited to come in here every day.”