Pioneering Creative First Aid

We make creative prescriptions for better mental health. We supply off-the-shelf goods like guide books and kits, as well as hosting group experiences.

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Well this is fun

Is it possible to 'jam in the joy' in the midst of trauma recovery, mental health restoration and collective resilience?

Co-Founders Caitlin Marshall and Lizzie Rose created MakeShift to explore how the joy and delight of creativity can be a fantastic supplement to our mental health. Between them, they bring a few decades of experience in social work, mental health crisis support, community development, sustainability education, group facilitation, adult education, arts programming, plus a continuous personal practice of creativity in many forms.

We are passionate about wellbeing and self + community care methods being accessible to everyone. We've spent the last decade writing, designing creative tool kits, and co-designing courses with workplaces and communities.

We've been humbled by the effects Creative First Aid and Creative Prescriptions has on communities and especially those living through trauma and for people unable to work due to psychological injury.

Against a backdrop of pandemics, natural disasters, climate change and a growing understanding that we need to think differently about mental health in our community, Creative First Aid offers a much needed balm to anxiety, trauma, despair, and returns us to innate human qualities of of expression through things that make us feel good.

We are an NDIS Registered Provider, and work nationally as the first creative prescribing agency in Australia.

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Core Team

MakeShift was co-founded by Caitlin Marshall and Lizzie Rose in 2013, and is built from a community of teachers, artists, & advisers.

Lizzie Rose

Co-Founder / Program Coordinator / Creative Director

Caitlin Marshall

Co-Founder / Social Worker / Trainer + Educator

Kiara Mucci

Communications & Media Lead (on Mat Leave)

Pete Golsby-Walsh

Brand & Website

Deon Bird

Mental Health First Aid Instructor (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander)

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OUR STRATEGIC ADVISORY GROUP

We are serious about the real benefits creative practice. That's why we've teamed up with GP's and Psychologists.

Mark Baxter

Director and Principal Psychologist, The Psychology Spot

Dr Mark Melek

General Practitioner, The Village Practice

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OUR board

Dr Mark Melek

General Practitioner, The Village Practice

Olivia O'Leary

Chairperson

Megan Corbett

Treasurer

Mel Cheng

Board Member

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CREATIVE FACILITATORS

There is a myriad of ways to tap into your creative force. We do our best to provide you with experienced artists from diverse disciplines.

Marcelo Baez

Illustration & Drawing

Emma Saunders

Dance & Movement

Helena Fox

Writing

Elana Stone

Music & singing

Narelle Happ

Plants & Gardens

Kiara Mucci

Painting

Michelle Elliot

Textiles

Joshua Heath

Photography, Illustration

Mel Young

Textiles, Visual Art

Sally Ann Conwell

Visual arts, painting and illustration

Kirli Saunders

Poetry, writing, artmaking

Angie Cass

Collage Craft

Nooky

Rapper / Musician

Julie Paterson

Creative Adventure Facilitator

Peachy (Therese Petre)

Ceramics