Renaisi’s new report, Understanding, Supporting, and Measuring Wellbeing presents wellbeing outcomes data of Spirit grants between 2019 to 2022, and looks at some of the activities and approaches that were successful in improving wellbeing. I wanted to share some personal reflections on these.
I got into this field because I’ve had my own struggles with managing my wellbeing. Like many of us, I live with depression. There was a period where it was the defining feature of my day-to-day experience – I could barely function – but over the years I’ve founds ways to manage it.
One of the ways I’ve done so is through attending regular participatory creative and sports activities, like those Spirit funds. Reading the Renaisi report got me thinking about what it was that made these activities work for me, and just how many of the key approaches outlined in the report were present in those activities. I’ll go through some of these below.
Creating a welcoming and non-judgmental environment
This, in my experience, is key. When I was low, walking into a new environment with people I didn’t know to take part in an activity I didn’t feel proficient in was overwhelming. I admit I was a bit terrified the first time I walked into a boxing club and the coach – a gruff ex-professional with two cauliflower ears and a flat cap on his head – immediately approached me. But he welcomed me warmly, reassured me I needed no experience, talked me through what we’d be doing, and checked in on me throughout my first session. It made me feel safe and supported, and the weekly sessions became an incredibly important to my recovery.
It’s not just the singing or the surfing (though these can be enjoyable), it’s the welcoming environment, the expert and approachable practitioner, and the time set aside for a cup of tea and a chat.
The expertise of practitioners
It makes sense that better quality delivery helps participants to improve their skills, increasing their confidence and self-esteem. But a great practitioner has more than just expertise in the activity, they know how to support each person’s specific needs. I was a beginner when I joined my first arts class, a flyer for which I’d found while in the waiting room to see my therapist. The tutor spent time with me at the beginning to understand what I wanted to achieve, she helped me to express myself, offered plenty of praise and constructive feedback, and showed a genuine interest in my development as an artist. Outwardly, she couldn’t have been more different to my boxing coach, but they shared some key characteristics of great teachers, and they understood that each person needs a different approach. Years later, I still use drawing at home to maintain my wellbeing, and any time I feel like it’s not good enough I remember her advice and support.
Opportunities to chat and socialise
This is easily overlooked but Renaisi’s research identifies just how important this can be. In my own experience, what kept me coming back to the art class was the bit at the end where we sat with a cup of coffee and talked about what we’d made. We’d discuss what the piece meant to us, and naturally this often digressed into personal experiences. I learned that others had similar mental health problems to me, and when I felt comfortable I began to share my own experiences, and felt support and validation. Outside of this semi-structured chat, there was always a chance at the beginning and end of the session to talk to others who were there, and I felt like I was part of an encouraging and caring group.
Spirit has funded a broad range of activities that have been successful in improving wellbeing, from surfing to singing, from performing at an opening ceremony to building a COVID memorial garden. As my colleague Amy Finch pointed out in her 2019 blog post, often it’s the approach, not the activity, that improves wellbeing, and the Renaisi report backs this up. It’s not just the singing or the surfing (though these can be enjoyable), it’s the welcoming environment, the expert and approachable practitioner, and the time set aside for a cup of tea and a chat. My own experience reflects this.
The Renaisi report clearly lays out some of these approaches. If you’re involved in running a participatory project yourself, it provides some questions to ask yourself – e.g. is there more we could be doing to provide opportunities for socialising? How can we make sure that first impression when someone walks into the room is as welcoming as possible? If you’re a funder of participatory activities, it’s further evidence that you need to look closely at the ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’ – not just the activity you’re funding, but also the delivery approach. Funders should remember that often (though not always) taking these approaches is more expensive (for example, expert practitioners often increase session costs), but the impact can be much greater.
It’s also a cue to us all to try to find activities that have some of these elements, because in my experience they can be truly life-changing.
Further Information
Renaisi report – Understanding, supporting, and measuring wellbeing