Crafting for Health and Wellbeing :: A Celebration

Last Friday was a delightful day at the studio.  We celebrated the end of a fantastic year long project, Crafting for Health and Wellbeing, funded by the Big Lottery - Awards for All

The aim of our project was to engage with individuals with wellbeing needs in activities that have boosted their self esteem, self confidence and social engagement through craft activities.  The rationale and project delivery was based around the Five Ways to Wellbeing (NEF - 2008), which we had used successfully with other groups.
During this project, we were approached by Lucy Peel of Mutual Shoots who made an informational film about the work we are doing and the impact that it had on the participants wellbeing as well as our eco friendly approach to arts and crafts.

Participants who joined the volunteer aided group engaged in agreed craft activities which had a positive and tangible outcome e.g. gifting to charities, volunteering in group support, craft fairs, community art etc.  Initially, participants may have felt socially challenged but were gently encouraged to develop their self esteem by developing their art and craft skills in a supportive environment.

Providing a supportive environment, in which people with significant social disengagement and low self confidence can support each other and be encouraged to take on wider supportive community roles, was critical to this project.  

'Helping, sharing, giving and team-orientated behaviours are likely to be associated with an increase sense of self-worth and positive feelings' (NEF p10)  

We have seen that building 'mental capital' in this way, has helped participants to be more active and this will improve their life chances and strengthen the local community's capacity to help itself.

I think the film tells the rest of the story:

Thank you so much to everyone who took part and supported this venture.