Let's Create project report

LET'S CREATE: PROJECT REPORT

6 WEEK SNAPSHOT

Kirsty Frankland & Lillian Shipton

Let's Create - a therapeutic art group for women, combines creative activity and a shared meal as a means of reducing isolation, increasing social connectedness and improving health and wellbeing. After a break of 5 months and some significant changes to the group, this report reflects on the progress of the first 6 weeks.

“I feel I've more purpose in life now and there is something to look forward to."

J group member

AIMS OUTCOMES & OUTPUTS Our overall aim is to facilitate improved mental health and wellbeing for our group members through engagement with the creative process and coming together to share a meal.

For us, improved mental health and wellbeing means reducing reported levels of anxiety, depression and social isolation. Increasing self-confidence and self-esteem. Increasing social connectedness, positive relationships and sense of purpose within the community.

Our outcomes include increasing social connectedness, reducing isolation and improving reported levels of mental wellbeing.

Our outputs, for a year, include delivering 44 weekly sessions to a group of up to 10 women. The sessions have three distinct phases - soup preparation, creative activity and sharing a meal.

In the first half-hour the facilitator, with help from some group members, prepares a pot of soup. The soup is left to cook while the facilitator engages the group in a creative activity. Following this, the group clear up then come together, share a bowl of soup and reflect on the day's activity.

METHODOLOGY We are using a range of methods to gather data, both qualitative and quantitative, and to collate evidence on the effectiveness of our approach.

We are using three well-being measures to capture quantitative data on different aspects of wellbeing. These include the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS), the Office for National Statistics (ONS) subjective well-being questions and the Social trust question.

To complement this we also do session evaluations, visual reflection feedback sessions and reflective focus group sessions.

“This is the only thing that I have in a week to come to.

It's like coming out for a bit of joy a bit of joy in your life and friends, like a group, seeing someone else and talking to them - that's what it does for me it sort of brings me out instead of sitting in 4 walls, so I do look forward to coming to the group for that reason."

RA group member

This gives us rich and ample qualitative data from group members, which highlights what they most value about the group and what the benefits are as they see them.

Session evaluations are done weekly. We collect quantitative data and conduct visual reflection and reflective focus groups quarterly over the course of a year. For the purpose of this report, we conducted a visual feedback session and a reflective focus group after the first 6 weeks.

RESULTS "I think everyone is catered for and there is no off limits within reason. Its a very creative space, its a lovely space in here because we all have different things to offer the group and they are quite helpful in explaining things when you can't make head or tale of anything."

M group member

"Because you speak out about what's happening to you at times, it is quite a safe environment to do that here because you can feel a bit lighter hearted you know, not so heavy hearted."

M group member

Six weeks is too short a time frame to effectively evaluate the impact of this approach on individuals mental health and wellbeing, however, data from the visual feedback and reflective focus group sessions has given a powerful insight into what participants gain from being a part of this group and what aspects they most value.

This report is based on information collected in the visual feedback and reflective focus group sessions combined with the weekly session evaluations completed by the group facilitator.

What follows is a brief overview of the group and its members, giving some demographic data and an outline of the activities the group has engaged in over the first 6 weeks of the project.

The results from the visual feedback and reflective focus group session are summarized, followed by some observations from the group facilitator as noted in her weekly session evaluations.

THE GROUP: AN OVERVIEW There are 9 women in the group. They all face challenges relating to their health and wellbeing, they all struggle with poor mental health and many are socially isolated. The women range in age from early '30s to early '70s with 78% of group members falling within the 30 - 50's age bracket.

All the women come from the local area - 8 from Wester Hailes and one from Stenhouse and they all joined the group while it was run under Tasting Change. The women campaigned hard to get the group restarted, highlighting the positive impact it had on their wellbeing, sense of purpose, social connectedness and sense belonging.

In the first six sessions, the group engaged in a range of creative activities These included drawing their emotions, collecting flowers turning them into paint and painting with the homemade dyes; exploring overlapping colour, learning about and making colour wheels, watercolour painting and a final evaluation session.

Some of the women come early to help make the soup with the rest arriving just in time for the art activity and most of the women stay to eat with the group each week. Two women choose to take a portion away with them but often stay for the company while the others eat.

Most of the women have attended most of the sessions and over the first six weeks, we've had an attendance rate of 83%.

VISUAL FEEDBACK SESSION Photographs from the first 6 sessions were laid out on a table.

Participants were invited to select those that they were most drawn to and then asked to talk about their selection.

Most women chose images of specific sessions they enjoyed, some chose specific artworks, images of the soup and images showing the group together.

Analysis of the chosen images highlighted that learning new skills both creative and cooking, and having a dedicated space to come together were the elements most valued by group members.

REFLECTIVE FOCUS GROUP The reflective focus group involved asking the group a series of questions which they discussed together - the session was recorded and later transcribed.

“I come for company'

The group were asked about their main reasons for coming, how it meets their needs and whether they have made friends or developed relationships as a result of being in the group.

"The excitement of coming and seeing what your going to do that day."

the

RA group member

L group member

The group were also asked about the impact (positive or negative) on their mental health, whether they felt they had changed as a result of being in the group and about what aspects of the sessions they find most valuable.

“I think that we've all got our wee issues and its nice to know that we're not alone.'

The discussion that followed was both enlightening and emotive with members sharing deeply personal and in some cases tragic stories.

This one session highlighted much of what the group is about - a space to come together, a place where you can share both the painful and the joyful aspects of life without being criticised or judged and knowing that you are not alone.

“I think I've connected with people and understand a bit more"

In summary, most group members come for something to do, as a means to combat isolation and to be in company while dealing with difficult situations.

Most members feel that coming to the group has given them a purpose and something to look forward to in the week. Everyone stated that they have made friends and they unanimously agree that coming to this group helps with their mental health. Some women felt that they had changed as a result of coming to the group.

When talking about what aspects of the group they most value, all the women agreed that it was the coming together - whether over a bowl of soup or through engaging in an activity, that was the most important and most valued element of Let's Create

J group member

C group member

“The reason that I came along was that I saw this art advertised when I was at a bit of a loose end - I'd lost my son tragically, and really that's what got me over here."

M group member

“Helps me with my mental health - I get away from my husband for a while, lazy bastard's in bed.

JA group member

GROUP FACILITATOR'S OBSERVATIONS REDUCTING ISOLATION Throughout the past 6 weeks, a large majority of the members have attended every session. More sessions were attended than missed by most. Members noted to prioritise coming to the group, even if they had other commitments, they would try to attend for a short amount of time, noting how much they valued the group.

I have also noted that some members made an effort to come to the group even when they weren’t feeling up to it. I think this highlights the power of social inclusion on mental health and also shows the groups unique ability to motivate and encourage members when they need it most.

IMPROVING HEALTH & WELLBEING AND SOCIAL INCLUSION On some days RA has arrived at the group appearing quite exhausted and depleted, however, appears much more able and energetic at the end of the sessions and always stays until the end. I wonder whether the upbeat social environment, art activity and sharing of a meal energises her and gives her the motivation and drive to stay on.

On one occasion there was a conflict between two members, outside of the group. They did not bring this conflict into the session. I think this shows respect, emotional regulation and forward-thinking to reduce the impact of the conflict on a group which is highly valued by all members.

During the art-making, I have noted times of complete silence when members have been totally engaged in the art-making, almost entering a state of ‘flow’ (as in the psychological ‘flow’ meaning: state of optimal attention and engagement). For me, this could be a moment of refuge from a busy mind/life.

"Since joining Let's Create what has this group meant to you personally?

"In a way I would say the world, no but really because you feel happy I don't know but even though I'm the way I am while I'm here I feel good. It's not until I go back that it goes down like that but while I'm here I'm sort of in the middle it does make me feel good."

RA group member

Reflecting on their artwork, group members have had both positive and adverse reactions to their work. I feel as though the adverse reactions to their making ‘I didn’t like that activity, it wasn’t for me…’ experienced in the safe and held environment of the group, enables members to process and resolve these feelings whilst being supported. This can aid in their ability to do this out-with the group. For me, that shows how the Let's Create group can improve health and wellbeing and have a rippled positive affect on their lives outside the group.

The meal shared at the end of the group is often noted as being valuable, with each member curious as to what soup we would be having that day and commenting on the soup from the previous week. For many, it is a ‘homemade’ meal which has enabled them to use the cooking abilities that they have learnt in the group at home. Within the evaluation session, it was noted that the Let's Create group was one of the only times that members met with others and the sharing of a meal at the end enabled a relaxed atmosphere to share, reflect and build relationships.

CONCLUSION & FINAL REFLECTIONS During the first 6 weeks of Let's Create, the group's members have come together and engaged in a wide range of creative activities, food preparation and shared meals. The aim of the project is to use this combination of activity to facilitate improved mental health and wellbeing, to reduce isolation and to improve social inclusion.

It's important to clarify that our definition of improved mental health and wellbeing also includes reducing reported levels of anxiety and depression, increasing selfconfidence, self-esteem, social connectedness, positive relationships and sense of purpose within the community.

We used a range of wellbeing questionnaires to gather data on individuals reported levels of anxiety, self-confidence and self-esteem however at this early stage, we have only collected baseline data and have no further quantitative data for comparison.

Despite this, the rich data collected from group members during the visual feedback and reflective focus group session, combined with the group facilitators own observations, indicates that significant progress has been made.

The group members all agree that being part of this group has had a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing. Many stated that the most important aspect of the group was coming together in a place where they are accepted, which indicates that the group is providing positive opportunities for social inclusion.

The high attendance levels and the fact that group members make every effort to come, indicate that the group is reducing isolation. The group members all state that they have made friends and positive relationships as a result of coming to this group and many claim that it has given them a purpose in life.

Even at this early stage, we feel confident in claiming that Let's Create is facilitating improved mental health and wellbeing, reducing isolation and improving social inclusion.