PROJECT AIMS / BACKGROUND
Diverse Minds is a partnership project between:
- DERA (Diverse Ethnic Research Alliance) is a group of representative ethnic minority community researchers formed through the CPAR project but developing their own sustainability plan.
- CPAR is a clinically commissioned participatory action research project that draws on community inquiry and response circles.
- Artlift is a Creative Health specialist charity delivering NHS supported Arts on Prescription programmes.
Our shared aims are to:
- understand how to make services relevant and accessible to adults from diverse ethnic communities; exploring approaches that impact positively on wellbeing.
- understand specialised needs resulting from the mental health and trauma affects of people’s journeys around cultural oppressions, displacement and re-orientation.
- raise awareness of, and build confidence to try, the broader range of Creative Health and holistic health services from which participants may benefit (we’ll work on a progression plan with each person)
CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION -
Participants must be:
- Over 18 years old.
- Registered with a GP in Gloucestershire.
- Finding their mental health is causing strains in daily living (they may or may not have been diagnosed but are likely to have experienced trauma, extreme stress, loss, and/or anxiety).
- Interested to participate in a group context.
- Able to travel to a central Gloucester venue.
- Interested in helping us to learn about what works; to give feedback.
N.B. there is a small budget available to support access for some participants (e.g. for translation services and/or for transport to/from the venue).
WHAT PARTICIPANTS WILL EXPERIENCE
- Eight 2.5-hour sessions
- One-to-one engagement with a mentor who understands diverse ethnic representation
- A welcoming, friendly and non-judgemental atmosphere - some fun and laughs, as well as some deeper thought and expression. There will be tea, coffee and snacks
- Creative activities may include creative writing, spoken word, painting, drawing, illustration, breathing / yoga or gentle dance-based movement.
- The emphasis is on the process, not on producing ‘artworks’; activities will be accessible and easy to do – no prior experience of any of the arts is necessary. Participants will be encouraged to draw on their own experience and express themselves in their own unique way.
- Discussions and exercises in ‘circles’ to explore different aspects of mental health and strain.
- Signposting and support to co-design a plan through which to stay creative and connected if they wish to.
WHERE AND WHEN WILL SESSIONS TAKE PLACE?
Tuesdays 10.30am - 1pm from 21 January until 11 March 2025 in the Business School building at the University of Gloucestershire, Oxstalls Campus, Longlevens, Gloucester GL2 9HW.