ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses holistic health, the sixth field of Ruskin Mill Trust's method of Practical Skills Therapeutic Education. It visits Freeman College in Sheffield, a revitalised cutlery factory where students learn traditional metalworking skills in an authentic environment. One particular dimension of Ruskin Mill's approach to holistic health is the pupil or student study, a process which brings all staff working with a particular young person together to deepen their shared understanding of who they are and what they need, potentially involving a wide range of therapeutic offerings as well as curriculum changes. A conversation with the Trust's founder Aonghus Gordon goes into greater depth on the student study and therapeutic interventions, as well as highlighting the central importance of supporting young people to develop their own capacity for “self-generated conscious action”. The chapter also outlines Ruskin Mill's many different international engagements.
