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Recently, the Student Well-Being Unit at Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) organised a four-session expressive arts collage workshop, as part of the university’s World Mental Health Day 2026 celebration.

Facilitated by Ms Vicki Lai Yee Tong, Counsellor of the Student Well-Being Unit at APU, with support from Tharani Sree Kondal Rao, Preethi Murugan, and Arif Danial Muzzaffar, as co-facilitators, the workshop provided participants with an opportunity to explore the theme of belonging through creative expression. 

Across the four sessions, 12 to 15 participants joined each workshop and created individual collages using images, colours, words, textures, and found materials inspired by the people, places, memories, identities, and experiences that make them feel connected. 

Creating without the Pressure of Perfection

The workshop introduced collage-making as a form of creative expression, allowing participants to explore their ideas freely without the pressure of producing something “perfect” or having prior artistic experience. 

Through the creative process, participants selected and arranged different materials based on what resonated with them; creating pieces that reflected their own understanding of belonging. 

The activity encouraged participants to slow down, reflect, and express aspects of their experiences that may not always be easily communicated through words. 

Exploring Different Meanings of Belonging

Each collage offered a different interpretation of what belonging can mean. 

For some participants, belonging was represented through family and friendships, while others drew inspiration from home, nature, personal identity, meaningful memories, and hopes for the future. 

Although each piece was created individually, the collection revealed how belonging can take many forms and can be shaped by the people, places, and experiences that hold personal significance; offering glimpses into the personal stories and perspectives that may exist beneath the surface of everyday interactions. 

Bringing Individual Pieces Together 

The collages created throughout the workshop were later featured as part of APU’s World Mental Health Day 2026 exhibition, themed “Beyond the Surface: The Stories through Belonging.” 

Bringing the individual artworks together created a collective display that reflected the different ways belonging can be experienced and understood within the APU community. 

From personal memories and relationships to places, identities, and aspirations, the exhibition provided an opportunity for participants’ creative expressions to be viewed as part of a wider story about connection and belonging. 

Student Perspectives 

A few perspective from students:

1. Zahra: “The workshop gave me some time to reflect on my thoughts and express them creatively on paper in a way that i would not usually have the opportunity to do on a normal day.”
2. Harrish: “The workshop provided a quiet and relaxing space for me to slow down, unwind, and take a break from everything.”
    

Finding Meaning in the Little Pieces

Overall, the workshop provided participants with a space to create, reflect, and connect through a personal form of artistic expression; encouraging them to explore their experiences freely, without judgement, or the expectation of artistic perfection. 

The initiative also formed part of APU’s broader efforts to encourage conversations around mental health and well-being, while creating spaces where students can pause, express themselves, and connect with others.