Opening Minds Through Art (OMA) Volunteer

Opening Minds through Art (OMA) is an intergenerational art program for people with dementia. It is grounded in person-centered ethics and founded on the fact that people with dementia are capable of expressing themselves creatively. There is a growing body of empirical evidence that creative expression improves their physical and psychological well-being. The mission of OMA is to build bridges across age and cognitive barriers through art.

The program is implemented in group sessions: Up to 10 people with dementia with the assistance of 10 trained student volunteers working on a one-to-one basis. The art-making sessions culminate in a gallery exhibition (showcase) celebrating the artists’ accomplishments while educating the public about the creative capacities of people with dementia.

The OMA program is intended to provide students interested in pursuing careers that require direct patient care/interaction with experiences that develop understanding and empathy for individuals with dementia and Alzheimer’s.  This opportunity is open to BSC students only and requires teacher recommendation/selection

Students must commit and be on site from 10:30 am until the end of the activity (about 12:15pm) each of the seven days.