MARCH: Social, Cultural and Community Assets for Mental Health
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Behavioural Science and Health
Abstract
The 'MARCH' Network proposes that Assets for Resilient Communities lie at the heart of Mental Health (M-ARC-H) and is dedicated to advancing research into the impact of these assets in enhancing public mental health and wellbeing, preventing mental illness and supporting those living with mental health conditions. Specifically, it will advance our understanding of the impact of social, cultural and community assets including the arts, culture, heritage, libraries, parks, community gardens, allotments, leisure centres, volunteer associations, social clubs and community groups, of which there are an anticipated 1 million in the UK. The network will bring together a Disciplinary Expert Group of researchers with a Policy Group of major national policy bodies, a Patient Public Involvement Group of national mental health charities, and a Community Engagement Group of national organisations. Across three years, our network will unite research with policy and practice to tackle critical questions of research priorities, methods, and implementation in this field; understand and resolve barriers to mobilising community assets; and provide training and support to the next generation of researchers.
Specifically, our network will address questions organised in two core work streams (WS):
WS1. Cross-disciplinary research and challenges: (a) What evidence is there, from a cross-disciplinary perspective, for how and why community assets impact on public health and wellbeing and the lives of those living with mental health problems, and where are the gaps for future research? (b) How can we use a cross-disciplinary approach to provide meaningful data to different stakeholders and users?
WS2. Equity of engagement and access innovation: (a) Who amongst the UK population, demographically and geographically, currently engages with these programmes and how does participation vary dependent on mental health? (b) What are the current barriers and enablers to engagement at an individual, organisational and policy level and how can we develop innovative approaches to enhance engagement, especially amongst the vulnerable?
This research work will be complemented by a rich portfolio of impact, engagement and training activities (see 'Impact Summary').
This network aligns with strategic priorities of the AHRC and ESRC as well as having a secondary relevance to the priorities of the MRC (through its consideration of the role of community assets and social prescribing to support medical approaches to mental health), NERC (through its exploration of the impact of green spaces) and EPSRC (through its focus on the opportunities provided by technology for driving research forwards). It has also been designed in response to the Network Plus Research Agenda. In addition to the objectives already discussed in the prior Je-S section, it is responsive to many of the mental health challenges cited in the agenda. For example, the call specification noted that only 25% of people with mental health problems receive ongoing treatment. Whilst there are recognised economic and resource constraints with delivering sufficient mental health services, this Network proposes to focus on the role that existing community assets could play in providing support to a much wider range of people in the UK including those on waiting lists. As another example, the call specification raised that 70% of children and adolescents with mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at an earlier age. This Network will involve working with policy makers and community organisations to see how research could help overcome barriers to access with the aim of engaging more young people and those who are hard to reach. Overall, the network will seek to understand and support future research into how community assets could be mobilised to encourage more resilient individuals and communities with a greater understanding of and capacity for self-management of mental health.
Specifically, our network will address questions organised in two core work streams (WS):
WS1. Cross-disciplinary research and challenges: (a) What evidence is there, from a cross-disciplinary perspective, for how and why community assets impact on public health and wellbeing and the lives of those living with mental health problems, and where are the gaps for future research? (b) How can we use a cross-disciplinary approach to provide meaningful data to different stakeholders and users?
WS2. Equity of engagement and access innovation: (a) Who amongst the UK population, demographically and geographically, currently engages with these programmes and how does participation vary dependent on mental health? (b) What are the current barriers and enablers to engagement at an individual, organisational and policy level and how can we develop innovative approaches to enhance engagement, especially amongst the vulnerable?
This research work will be complemented by a rich portfolio of impact, engagement and training activities (see 'Impact Summary').
This network aligns with strategic priorities of the AHRC and ESRC as well as having a secondary relevance to the priorities of the MRC (through its consideration of the role of community assets and social prescribing to support medical approaches to mental health), NERC (through its exploration of the impact of green spaces) and EPSRC (through its focus on the opportunities provided by technology for driving research forwards). It has also been designed in response to the Network Plus Research Agenda. In addition to the objectives already discussed in the prior Je-S section, it is responsive to many of the mental health challenges cited in the agenda. For example, the call specification noted that only 25% of people with mental health problems receive ongoing treatment. Whilst there are recognised economic and resource constraints with delivering sufficient mental health services, this Network proposes to focus on the role that existing community assets could play in providing support to a much wider range of people in the UK including those on waiting lists. As another example, the call specification raised that 70% of children and adolescents with mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at an earlier age. This Network will involve working with policy makers and community organisations to see how research could help overcome barriers to access with the aim of engaging more young people and those who are hard to reach. Overall, the network will seek to understand and support future research into how community assets could be mobilised to encourage more resilient individuals and communities with a greater understanding of and capacity for self-management of mental health.
Planned Impact
A rich suite of events and activities map onto the research in the two Work Streams including two Impact and Engagement Objectives (IEO) and an Impact Development Objective (IDO).
IEO1 will focus on connecting research with a) policy and b) practice with the aim of advancing best practice and encouraging high quality evaluations and research. In partnership with the What Works Centre for Wellbeing and Mental Health Foundation, the network will turn its four reports into policy briefings and disseminate to the Policy Group and wider policy stakeholders (IEO1a). The network will also co-host meetings with the Social Prescribing Network and NHS England, help to assess the Royal Society for Public Health community awards to celebrate best practice and develop bespoke activities with further Community Engagement Group partners (IEO1b). Our short-term aim is that by 2021, concise reports on social, cultural and community engagement and mental health are available to all major policy stakeholders and national practice organisations, with the medium-term aim that mental health begins to be included in the strategies and programmes of Community Engagement Groups, so that in the long-term the value of community assets is drawn on more to support mental health in the UK.
IEO2 will focus on advancing a) public engagement, b) stigma reduction and c) access innovation. We have a suite of programmes including a Citizen Science project planned with the BBC to raise public awareness about the importance of community assets for mental health and will explore other media opportunities utilising existing connections (IEO2a). We will work with the Community Engagement Group to look at how activities themselves such as singing, performance and art could be used to reduce stigma associated with mental illness (IEO2b). And in partnership with NESTA we will test the recommendations for access innovation with individual local community programmes using NESTA's 100-day rapid cycling process. Our short-term aim is that across the life-time of the Network, there is enhanced awareness of the impact of community assets for mental health amongst the general public, which, along with the development of more targeted access innovation programmes, will generate engagement in the medium term. In the long term, this should lead to more geographically and demographically balanced inclusion, especially by those with mental health conditions.
Finally, IDO1 is about training the next generation of researchers to advance cross-disciplinary research in close partnership with community organisations and healthcare professionals. Building on the existing 700-person Early Career Research Network for Arts, Humanities, Health and Medicine led by Fancourt we will continue to support regional networking events, online resources and a podcast series. We will also work with the Royal Society for Public Health to develop a new online training programme to support those starting their careers doing cross-disciplinary work in social, cultural and community assets and mental health. Our short-term aim is that ECRs are provided with a much stronger national structure to engage with others working on similar areas, breaking through traditional disciplinary silos, and the chance to apply for £80,000 grants to seed fund their own research. In the medium term, our aim is that ECRs are better trained and given stronger platforms to develop their research skills in partnership with community organisations, to the simultaneous benefit of the wider community sector. Long-term this should provide a connected and engaged new generation of researchers to advance work in this field, meaning that overall this Network both responds to the immediate Work Streams posed in this application and also develops research expertise especially amongst younger researchers to be able to tackle the critical Work Streams of the future.
This work is supported by £225,000 in kind from our partners.
IEO1 will focus on connecting research with a) policy and b) practice with the aim of advancing best practice and encouraging high quality evaluations and research. In partnership with the What Works Centre for Wellbeing and Mental Health Foundation, the network will turn its four reports into policy briefings and disseminate to the Policy Group and wider policy stakeholders (IEO1a). The network will also co-host meetings with the Social Prescribing Network and NHS England, help to assess the Royal Society for Public Health community awards to celebrate best practice and develop bespoke activities with further Community Engagement Group partners (IEO1b). Our short-term aim is that by 2021, concise reports on social, cultural and community engagement and mental health are available to all major policy stakeholders and national practice organisations, with the medium-term aim that mental health begins to be included in the strategies and programmes of Community Engagement Groups, so that in the long-term the value of community assets is drawn on more to support mental health in the UK.
IEO2 will focus on advancing a) public engagement, b) stigma reduction and c) access innovation. We have a suite of programmes including a Citizen Science project planned with the BBC to raise public awareness about the importance of community assets for mental health and will explore other media opportunities utilising existing connections (IEO2a). We will work with the Community Engagement Group to look at how activities themselves such as singing, performance and art could be used to reduce stigma associated with mental illness (IEO2b). And in partnership with NESTA we will test the recommendations for access innovation with individual local community programmes using NESTA's 100-day rapid cycling process. Our short-term aim is that across the life-time of the Network, there is enhanced awareness of the impact of community assets for mental health amongst the general public, which, along with the development of more targeted access innovation programmes, will generate engagement in the medium term. In the long term, this should lead to more geographically and demographically balanced inclusion, especially by those with mental health conditions.
Finally, IDO1 is about training the next generation of researchers to advance cross-disciplinary research in close partnership with community organisations and healthcare professionals. Building on the existing 700-person Early Career Research Network for Arts, Humanities, Health and Medicine led by Fancourt we will continue to support regional networking events, online resources and a podcast series. We will also work with the Royal Society for Public Health to develop a new online training programme to support those starting their careers doing cross-disciplinary work in social, cultural and community assets and mental health. Our short-term aim is that ECRs are provided with a much stronger national structure to engage with others working on similar areas, breaking through traditional disciplinary silos, and the chance to apply for £80,000 grants to seed fund their own research. In the medium term, our aim is that ECRs are better trained and given stronger platforms to develop their research skills in partnership with community organisations, to the simultaneous benefit of the wider community sector. Long-term this should provide a connected and engaged new generation of researchers to advance work in this field, meaning that overall this Network both responds to the immediate Work Streams posed in this application and also develops research expertise especially amongst younger researchers to be able to tackle the critical Work Streams of the future.
This work is supported by £225,000 in kind from our partners.
Organisations
- University College London, United Kingdom (Lead Research Organisation)
- Natural Environment Research Council, Swindon (Co-funder)
- AHRC, United Kingdom (Co-funder)
- Medical Research Council (Co-funder)
- EPSRC, United Kingdom (Co-funder)
- Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- University of Liverpool, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- Crafts Council, United Kingdom (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- University of Exeter, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- Bradford Institute for Health Research (Collaboration)
- Historic England, United Kingdom (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Royal College of Music (RCM) (Collaboration)
- University of East London, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- What Works Centre for Wellbeing (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Mental Health Foundation, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Public Health England, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Fed of City Farms & Community Gardens (Project Partner)
- Royal Horticultural Society, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- The Heritage Lottery Fund, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Age UK, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Arts Council England, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Dept for Env Food & Rural Affairs DEFRA, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Natural England, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Youth Music Theatre UK (Project Partner)
- Beyond Skin (Project Partner)
- The Wildlife Trusts (UK), United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- MindOut (Project Partner)
- Greenwich Leisure Limited (Project Partner)
- Sing Up Foundation (Project Partner)
- The Reading Agency (Project Partner)
- Wonder Foundation (Project Partner)
- Voluntary Arts (Project Partner)
- Think Local Act Personal (Project Partner)
- Social Prescribing Network (Project Partner)
- Action for Children, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Rastafari Movement UK (Project Partner)
- Coin Street Community Builders (Project Partner)
- The Children's Society, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Action for Happiness (Project Partner)
- Live Music Now (Project Partner)
- The Eden Project, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Nesta, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Libraries Unlimited (Project Partner)
- Museums Association, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Youth Music (Project Partner)
- Royal Society for Public Health (Project Partner)
- Creative Scotland, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- NHS Health Scotland (Project Partner)
- Mosaic Youth (Project Partner)
- Public Health Wales (Project Partner)
- Department for Culture Media and Sport, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Community Dance (Project Partner)
- UK Theatre (Project Partner)
- Local Government Association (Project Partner)
- NCVO (Project Partner)
- The National Trust, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Arts Council of Wales, United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- The Listening Place (Project Partner)
- Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance (Project Partner)
- Mind (Project Partner)
- Community Catalysts Ltd (Project Partner)
- BTCV (Project Partner)
Publications
Atanasova D
(2019)
Mental health and the media: From illness to wellbeing
in Sociology Compass
Aughterson H
(2020)
Social prescribing for individuals with mental health problems: a qualitative study of barriers and enablers experienced by general practitioners.
in BMC family practice
Bu F
(2020)
Loneliness during a strict lockdown: Trajectories and predictors during the COVID-19 pandemic in 38,217 United Kingdom adults.
in Social science & medicine (1982)
Crawford, P
Encyclopedia of Health Humanities
Crawford, P
(2020)
The Routledge Companion to Health Humanities
Crawford, P
(2019)
Routledge Handbook of the Medical Humanities
| Description | This work has already led to: > New evidence syntheses on community engagement and mental health > New policy briefings > New empirical research on how community and leisure activities affect mental health > New empirical research on who engages with community and leisure activities and how this varies by factors including mental health > New research and theory on the mechanisms of action underpinning how leisure and community activities affect mental health > New research on the barriers and enablers to engagement in leisure and community activities and schemes such as social prescribing at individual and group and societal levels > A new research agenda > New research collaborations > Enhanced public engagement and awareness > Improved research and evaluation skills amongst early career researchers |
| Exploitation Route | Supporting future research Supporting policy on community activities and health and education Supporting the work of community and third sector organisations |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Education,Environment,Healthcare,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| URL | http://www.marchnetwork.org |
| Description | Supporting work of community organisations Supporting public understanding and individual engagement Supporting policy |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Education,Environment,Healthcare,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | DCMS consultancy |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Gave evidence to a government review |
| Description | DfE Consultancy |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a national consultation |
| Description | Evidence to DCMS |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Gave evidence to a government review |
| URL | https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmcumeds/734/73407.htm |
| Description | Named contributor to Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983. |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Gave evidence to a government review |
| URL | https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/7788... |
| Description | WHO Health 2020 Report |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| URL | http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/413016/Intersectoral-action-between-the-arts-and... |
| Description | WHO Health Evidence Synthesis Report |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| URL | http://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/sections/fact-sheets/2019/fact-sheet-what-is-the-evidence-on... |
| Description | ActEarly: a City Collaboratory approach to early promotion of good health and wellbeing |
| Amount | £49,970 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | MC_PC_18002 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2018 |
| End | 11/2018 |
| Description | ActEarly: a city collaboratory approach to early promotion of good health and wellbeing |
| Amount | £6,600,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | MC_PC_18002 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2019 |
| End | 07/2024 |
| Description | EpiArts (ii) |
| Amount | $125,000 (USD) |
| Organisation | Bloomberg |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 03/2020 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | EpiArts (iii) |
| Amount | $50,000 (USD) |
| Organisation | One Florida Consortium |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 04/2020 |
| End | 04/2021 |
| Description | EpiArts Lab (i) |
| Amount | $150,000 (USD) |
| Organisation | National Endowment for the Arts |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 04/2020 |
| End | 04/2023 |
| Description | PhD studentship on social prescribing |
| Amount | £70,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University College London Hospital |
| Sector | Hospitals |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2019 |
| End | 09/2022 |
| Description | SHAPER: Scaling Arts-Health Programmes: Efficacy and Implementation Researcher |
| Amount | £1,999,998 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 19425/Z/19/Z |
| Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2019 |
| End | 09/2022 |
| Description | Social Prescribing |
| Amount | £25,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | NHS England |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2019 |
| End | 04/2020 |
| Description | UCL Internal GCRF Small Grant |
| Amount | £78,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2020 |
| End | 06/2020 |
| Description | WELLCOMM |
| Amount | £299,904 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/T006994/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2020 |
| End | 04/2022 |
| Description | What's Up With Alex (WUWA)? Animated Storytelling for Mental Health Literacy Among Young People |
| Amount | £996,475 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/T003804/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2019 |
| End | 04/2022 |
| Title | BBC Get Creative Dataset |
| Description | Data from 48,000 people on creative activities and mental health collected as part of a citizen science experiment |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Three papers have been published to date using the data. |
| URL | https://osf.io/ysg8x/ |
| Description | A new special interest research group on Singing and Mental Health |
| Organisation | Royal College of Music (RCM) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Facilitated the development of this special interest research group on Singing and Mental Health, with 73 organisations from a range of backgrounds. Co-leads were chosen to run the group, which includes Dave Camlin from the Royal College of Music, Katherine Zeserson (freelance consultant) and Philipa Rieve (Snape Maltings). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Two sandpit events have been held, with over 60 interdisciplinary members to develop research proposals for further funding. T |
| Impact | The outcomes from the sandpit events will be reported in the next submission. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | New special interest group on interdisciplinary research methods |
| Organisation | Liverpool John Moores University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | One day interdisciplinary panel meeting, to develop research ideas, and a book proposal bringing colleagues from Leeds, Liverpool, London from practitioners to researchers. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Presentations, shared abstract of talks. Plans to hold a further intensive workshop. |
| Impact | In preparation, a briefing is being produced. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | New special interest research group on Arts, Crafts and Mental Health |
| Organisation | Crafts Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Facilitation of partnerships in a range of areas: Dance and Mental Health; Haptic Engagement and Mental Health; Creative Ageing and Mental Health; Spoken Word/Hip-Hop and Mental Health (a meeting of this group to happen in Spring 2020) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Contribution on discussions for research proposals. |
| Impact | Still in development - applications for MARCH Network Plus Funds will arise from this group |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | New special interest research group on Digital Community Assets and Mental Health |
| Organisation | University of East London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Facilitated the development of this special interest research group and recruited members to the interdisciplinary team. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Ian Tucker of University of East London and Jacob Diggle of Mind are co-leading this special interest research group, and have received Sandpit Funds from the MARCH Network to hold a day-long meeting to brainstorm research proposals. |
| Impact | Outcomes from the special interest research group meeting on 6 March 2020 will be reported in our next submission. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | New special interest research group on Historic Environment and Mental Health |
| Organisation | Historic England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Facilitated the development of a interdisciplinary special interest research group led by Linda Monckton, Head of Wellbeing and Inclusion Strategy at Historic England. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Linda with contributions from Lucy Shaw at the University of Oxford are bringing together an interdisciplinary team to develop research proposals around the historic environment and mental health. The group have received MARCH Network Sandpit Funds to host a one a one-day seminar to brainstorm research proposals for further funding - this is taking place on Monday 24 February. |
| Impact | The outcomes from the meeting on 24 February will be shared in the next Research Fish submission. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | New special interest research group on Nature, Outdoors and Mental Health |
| Organisation | University of Exeter |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | One day interdisciplinary meeting to develop research ideas, a second meeting in April being planned Received MARCH Network sandpit funds to run a interdisciplinary meeting to develop research ideas on 25 February 2020 |
| Collaborator Contribution | Presentations, discussion, sharing of latest research with plans to apply for further funding |
| Impact | In preparation - briefing documents are being produced |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | New special interest research group on Shared Reading: Literature, Libraries and Mental Health |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Facilitated the development of this special interest research group, finding co-leads (Professor Emeritus Phil Davis of University of Liverpool and Kerry Wilson of Liverpool John Moores University) and recruiting an interdisciplinary group of members. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Professor Davis will be leading the group, with the hope of hosting initially developing ideas via our online discussion forum, Basecamp, with the view to hosting a meeting in the summer of 2020. |
| Impact | A plan of action/ manifesto is in development, in consultation with the newly formed Steering Group. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | UK-PRP |
| Organisation | Bradford Institute for Health Research (BIHR) |
| Department | Born in Bradford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Due to the MARCH Network receiving funding, Fancourt was invited to be a co-investigator on the UK-PRP ActEarly programme led by Bradford and UCL. THe grant of £6.6m was received and £137,000 has been given to the MARCH Network to hire a post-doctoral researcher to undertake evaluations of the roll-out of an Arts Council Creative People & Places programme in Bradford. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Fancourt will hire a post-doc to complete new research as part of ActEarly and the Arts Council England CPP programme. |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary - public health, psychology, social science, medicine, arts, humanities. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | What Works Centre for Wellbeing - new research collaboration |
| Organisation | What Works Centre for Wellbeing |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Through MARCH we have developed a formal partnership with WWCW that has resulted in a new grant of £300,000 from ESRC. |
| Collaborator Contribution | WWCW have supported the development of MARCH as a network well as our new application. |
| Impact | Funding of £300,000 from ESRC |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | #ArtsCan |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Fancourt led a half-day workshop for arts and cultural organisations on the impact of arts on health, including work from the MARCH Network, which led to increased knowledge of the evidence base reported and increased collaboration between cultural partners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
| Description | Academic presentation to scholars and arts professionals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote for Alberta Museums Association conference about Museums and Health, September 2019 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.museums.ab.ca/what-we-do/annual-conference/conference-2019.aspx |
| Description | Academic presentation to scholars and arts professionals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Symposium on contribution of culture to social wellbeing: organised by Arts Council England, April 3rd, Manchester |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Academic presentation to scholars and arts professionals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Arts and Health Workshop organsied by The Cultural Capuital Exchangs, London, April 2019 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Academic presentation to scholars and heritage professionals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote presentation at conference in Ghent, Belgium as part of: Participation in cultural heritage for mental health recovery Conference, November 2018. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Academic presentation to scholars and heritage professionals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote for Medical Museion Conference at University of Copenhagen, May 2019 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Academic presentation to scholars and students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | UCL IAS seminar as part of Treatment and Wellbeing in an Aging Society: Disciplinary intersections between Literature, Art and Health event March 2019 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Academic presentation to scholars and students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Keynote at Nottingham University Health Humanities Conference January 2019 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Academic presentation to scholars, medical and arts professionals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | APPG Arts and Health event for the SW Academic Health Sciences Partnership on Social Prescirbing, May 2019 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Academic presentation to scholars, medical and arts professionals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Central Saint Martins and UCL joint workshop on arts, health and wellbeing, May 2019 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Arts Council England Strategy Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Fancourt presented on MARCH to key staff from Arts Council England, to inform their funding activity relating to arts and mental health. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | BBC Breakfast Film |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Fancourt was filmed for a BBC Breakfast piece on creativity and mental health, which led to more organisations signing up to MARCH and reporting collaborations |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | BBC Proms Plus |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Fancourt spoke at the BBC Proms for a live audience on music and mental health and it was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | BBC Radio 4 interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview as part of Burton's Anatomy of Melancholia on social prescribing and health |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | BBC Radio London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | BBC Radio London interview about music festivals and health for BBC World Music Day |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | BBC Radio London interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | BBC Radio London interview about social prescribing and health |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | British Academy Loneliness Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Fancourt spoke for a public engagement event at the British Academy on arts and loneliness, which led to new contacts with policymakers and reported new awareness from the audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Cheltenham Science Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Fancourt spoke for a public engagement event on singing and mental health that was broadcast on BBC World Service |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | GIVE: Voluntering for Wellbeing Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Conference organised as part of The Heritage Fund project: GIVE: Voluntering for Wellbeing. Give: Volunteering for Wellbeing is a National Lottery Heritage Fund project led by UCL on behalf of the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance in collaboration with the Horniman Museum and Gardens, Natural History Museum, and Valence House Museum. Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the project will make heritage more accessible to people experiencing health inequalities. Working with the three museum partners, our new volunteering programmes will help open up hidden and unused collections to a greater number of people. This conference showcased main findings from the project and brought together wider audiences interested in voluntering wellbeing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://culturehealthresearch.wordpress.com/give/ |
| Description | Get Creative Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | MARCH led two citizen science experiments with the BBC as part of their Get Creative Festival, which led to nearly 100,000 people taking part, contributing new research data and learning about the evidence on creativity and mental health and wellbeing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
| Description | Health Ageing Symposium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Fancourt presented on MARCH to researchers and third sector organisations and led a workshop developing new research ideas on ageing and mental health |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Inaugural lecture Centre for Cultural Affairs, Indiana University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Talk about the value of cultural engagement and assets presented at Centre for Cultural Affairs, Indiana University, to postgraduate students, faculty and professional practitioners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Interviews for national news |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Fancourt gave 16 interviews to various BBC radio news channels including BBC Front Row on creativity and mental health, which led to a number of written responses on new knowledge and plans for new projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited speaker |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A meeting at the royal college of psychiatrists, hosted by the British Indian Psychiatric Society. 31st May 2019. Emphasis on creative arts and research to explore and remedy inequalities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://synergicollaborativecentre.co.uk/ |
| Description | Keynote Lecture Art in Education Conference, Oslomet University, Oslo August 28-30 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Roughly 120 attendees, the keynote described the importance of 'legacy resources' (music in particular) in later life and for mental health and mentioned the MARCH project as a key project devoted to and promoting this topic and outlined the first phase of Care for Music. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.oslomet.no/om/arrangement/art-in-education/programme-art-in-education |
| Description | Lecture to researchers and practitioners on value of arts (Helsinki) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Talk about the value of cultural engagement and assets presented at University of the Arts Helsinki, to arts practitioners and faculty from across Finland. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Lecture, University of Rome III on project themes, December 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Postgraduates and Undergraduates plus ministerial employee and academics to discuss and debate issues around non-verbal communication and music's important role when speech is not available. Laid groundwork while there fore follow-on research in collaboration with specialist in memory studies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Photovoice exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Photovoice exhibition was displayed in London and Manchester museums, and cultural events, including the public and service users. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Presentation and discussion with Public Health England Health Improvement Directorate |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Public Heath England (PHE) convened a meeting on 31st October, 2019 for national programme leads and centre leads to find out more about the MARCH research network, and related research on participation in arts and cultural activities and health. Following presentations by MARCH academics, there was a discussion around how PHE, as a founding partner, could contribute to and influence the network. The most relevant programme areas and key contacts were identified including public mental health, healthy ageing, social prescribing and health inequalities. Opportunities for further dissemination were agreed. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Presentation given at BSA Medical Sociology South Coast group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I gave a talk on the MARCH network research activities and presented the findings of a recent research study to the BSA Medical Sociology group. Although this group is primarily aimed at academics and practitioners from the south coast region, colleagues from Exeter and Wales attended. The purpose was to further awareness of the MARCH research network, and share study results. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation to Arts sector professionals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to Arts Council England for their naional Arts and Health training event |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Seminar at Cardiff University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Delivered a talk on natural and cultural assets, community participation and the links between human and environmental health to the Environmental Psychology Dept at Cardiff Uni. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Talk and discussion session at a community mental health support group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | I gave a talk to a community mental health support group on MARCH and our work, and facilitated a discussion session following this on taking part in research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Talk at acaemic conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Arts Meets Health: SMaRteN Conference on 14th November |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.smarten.org.uk/arts-meets-health.html |
| Description | Talk given at UCL Festival of Culture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Talk given as part of the UCL 'Festival of Culture', open to the general public. Introduced the MARCH network, the evidence base and current and future research plans. Approx 40 people attended. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Talk to arts practitioners, organisations, funders and policymakers on how we evaluate outcomes of cultural engagement (Toronto) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Lecture to arts practitioners, organisations and funders in Toronto, Canada, to communicate ways of thinking about the value of cultural engagement and assets to individuals and society, including benefits for health.. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | What Next? Public Lecture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Fancourt presented to arts and cultural organisations about the work of MARCH and opportunities for arts and mental health. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |