News & Events

Rowan Alba creates multimedia and interactive experiences to support self-management

Rowan Alba’s CARDS team have created a series of films and audio assets aimed at supporting their community of volunteers and clients to access the range of trips and activities they offer. As a part of their Self-Management programme they have also worked with clients to create interactive experiences which use audio, video, sensory objects and images to describe self-management journeys.

Meet the maker

Creating the multimedia assets to support our Self-Management programme wouldn’t have been possible without the skills and enthusiasm of Kris Hillquist. Kris is a creative code technician, sound designer, artist and CARDS Locum Support Worker. Kris answered a few questions for us about how the project came together and the challenges they faced along the way.

Hi Kris! What does Self-Management mean?

For me, it means helping someone and supporting them to remember things, make choices, and feel in control of their day in a way that works for them.

How did the idea come about to create the films and audio to support self-management in the CARDS Community?

I was speaking to Tracey (Rowan Alba Community Lead) about the idea, and we both felt it would be really helpful to show people how things work and how to get places. The unfamiliar can often feel overwhelming, so giving people a chance to see things in advance might help reduce that feeling. Hearing a real person share their experience through audio is also really powerful-it can communicate something in a way that written words often can’t.

How do volunteers use the films to support their clients?

Volunteers use the films when visiting clients in their homes. They can be a conversation starter or a way to show what an event is like and how we can make it accessible if the client is interested in going.

VIDEO Getting to our Saturday groups is simple

What challenges did you face when making the multimedia content?

It was sometimes a challenge to encourage people to share their stories. Audio feels very intimate, and for some, that was a hurdle. To support them, I edited the recordings with care, changed voices for anonymity when requested, and always gave people the chance to listen and ask for edits before anything was used.

Can you explain the Experiential Tools and what is their purpose?

The Experential Tools are a set of hands-on activities designed to help people better understand our clients’ experiences. They’re fun but thought–provoking and aim to challenge stereotypes while building empathy through direct experience.

What are the future plans for the Self-Management initiative?

Our future includes creating more recordings and videos, featuring places in the community that clients and volunteers might want to visit. We’re also thinking of hosting a movie night, so clients can enjoy the videos together in a fun, social setting. Additionally, we plan to develop the Experiential Learning Tools further by inviting professionals and volunteers to take part in dedicated events. At the moment we are applying for inclusion in the annual Mental Health Art Festival. We would like to host an experience session using the tools we have created.

More about Kris Hillquist

Kris Hillquist is a multi-disciplinary creative technician, coder, sound designer and artist, and fully qualified sound engineer. They earned a distinction for their work at Goldsmiths Computational Arts MA and exhibited with The Royal Scottish Academy in 2022. They have had the honour of helping other artists achieve their vision by providing technical support in building bespoke applications and producing innovative and captivating sonic landscapes for their work.

You can find out more about Kris’ work over on their website at https://www.kriscirkuit.net/