EXHIBITIONS of art about health and mental health conditions created by young people are on display at Poole and Dorset County hospitals this week.

The ‘Be yourself: Everybody else is taken’ project - run by Healthwatch Dorset, has gathered artwork, poetry, video, photography and blogs from children and young people, a selection of which will be on show this week until Sunday evening.

Emilia Chase, the watchdog’s children and young people’s officer said: “We wanted to celebrate the amazing creative entries we’ve gathered, and Dorset Art Week gave us a great opportunity to showcase the work.

“The children and young people who have taken part in our project have shared powerful and moving accounts of their experiences of health and care.

“We are very grateful to both Poole and Dorset County hospitals for agreeing to display the project this week.”

One of the entries in the project came from a girl called Joely who used the opportunity to talk about her life.

“I am 21 years old and I have a disability, a wonderful disability, my disability makes me different, unique, clever, caring, passionate, quirky, honest, hardworking, freaky and fun,” she wrote.

“I am far from what is considered normal, but I don’t care, being different is fabulous - there is nothing wrong with it, I would not change my disability for the world. You see my disability is my gift, my gift is Asperger’s Syndrome.”

The artwork and displays can be seen in the children’s outpatient area and in the dolphin restaurant at Poole Hospital, and in the children’s centre at Dorset County Hospital.

Dr Alex Murdin, from the Arts in Hospital charity at Dorset County Hospital, said: “We are always keen to encourage the use of the arts for health and wellbeing.

“This creative feedback gathered by Healthwatch Dorset will help us work together to create better services for young people in the future.”

Healthwatch Dorset hopes the displays will encourage more young people to share in a creative way their experiences of mental health, disability, caring for others or the struggles they face with identity, in a creative way.

To find out more email beyourself@healthwatchdorset.co.uk.