The role of the mentor in creative arts activities in a group of adults with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

The article presents the findings of research on the mentor’s role in creative arts activities in a group of adults with intellectual disabilities. Over the period between 2014–2016, data has been collected employing the participant observation method and semi-structured interviews with mentors. The research proceeds from the assumption that creative arts play an important part in the life and education of a person with intellectual disabilities. The role of a mentor, who leads a group of people with intellectual disabilities, differs from the role of a mentor in a group of people without intellectual disabilities. The results of the study are presented in subsets which encompass the findings related to the following fields of mentor activities: group motivation, guidance, promoting participant independence, individualization and adaptation of the process to the needs of the participants, adjusting the activities to the actual age of the person with intellectual disabilities, involvement of participants in the formation of the process, and combination of different activities.