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Transforming our understanding of how social, cultural and community assets can support mental health

MARCH Network Newsletter
November 2020

Our Second Anniversary

As we start our third and final year as a network, we send a huge thank you to all of members:

  • Thank you for contributing to our members survey, and for helping to shape the next year together
  • Thank you for your involvement, input and commitment over the last year - a network is nothing without the involvement of its members
  • Thank you for continuing to be involved, despite the many pressures we are all juggling at the moment

Our focus remains to transform our understanding of how social, cultural and community assets can support mental health. We will be sharing a summary of our collective achievements and the results from our annual evaluation in our December newsletter, including highlighting how we will address the priorities you have identified for the network in the year ahead.

Early Career Researchers:  The coordination team for the 8 UKRI-funded Mental Health Research Networks have organised a free 2-part event series bringing together researchers from across the networks to provide proactive advice on applying to and securing mental health research funding, career development, and networking. Details with links:

Funding – Mon 30th November, 1-4pm
Networking workshops – Mon 7th December, 1-4pm


Our COVID Social Study continues to make headlines with participants continuing to respond to the now monthly surveys. The study team are also conducting interviews with people about how their mental health and wellbeing is being affected by the pandemic. We are missing the voices and experiences of young people aged 13-17 from Black and ethnic minority communities. Please get in touch with Alex if you are able to help connect us, to ensure their experiences are heard.
 

Spotlight on Practice 

Some projects we’ve found inspirational this month…

Cymaz Music’s ‘Singing Clinic’ programme is running online groups for people with chronic lung conditions and for those living with anxiety and/or depression

Crafting Relationships’s ‘Local History Cafe’ programme has moved their heritage and wellbeing get-togethers online, for over 50s at risk of experiencing social isolation and loneliness

 

Adira is continuing its survivor-led mental health support for Black people with mental health issues, with online services, and developing new ways to support, including online cooking classes

 

Empire Fighting Chance is continuing to support young people during lockdown, with a combination of non-contact boxing and intensive personal support

The Box in Plymouth has organised postal knitting challenges as part of their ‘Women’s Craft Collective’ project, which brings women from all ages and backgrounds together to share and learn traditional crafts

Quench Arts is running a new online music group for female carers in Birmingham who are struggling with their mental health, or for those who provide care to someone with a mental health condition

 


 
Policy & Strategy Updates

What Works Wellbeing has released a briefing using Covid Social Study data entitled ‘How has Covid-19 and the associated lockdown measures affected mental health and wellbeing in the UK?’


The Centre for Mental Health has published a report on Covid-19 and the Nation’s Mental Health
 and released its final report from the Commission for Equality in Mental Health 


The King’s Fund has updated their Social Prescribing Explainer, describing how it works and how it fits in with wider health and care policy


Common Vision has released a report on Creativity, Culture and Connection - responses from arts and culture organisations in the Covid-19 crisis


Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums along with Northumbria University have created the new Museums Health and Social Care Service, to support health and social care professionals to use museums as part of a care practice when working with older people


Public Health England has updated its Covid-19 mental health and wellbeing surveillance report


The Carnegie Trust published the report ‘Making a Difference: Libraries, Lockdown and Looking Ahead’


The Covid Recovery Commission has released its first paper on Levelling Up Communities 


Age UK has released results of their study on the impact of Covid-19 to date on older people’s mental and physical health


The Institute for Employment Studies has produced a rapid evidence review on Health and Wellbeing Interventions in Healthcare 

Funding Opportunities

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation - Award for Civic Arts Organisations 

One award of £100,000 and two of £25,000 for arts organisations that sustain a thriving, creative, and connected society, particularly during challenging times.

 

UKRI - Digital Innovation and Engagement Fund 

Up to £50k for museums and galleries to scale up and evaluate the innovations they’ve designed through the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

National Institute for Social Prescribing - Thriving Communities 

Up to £50K for place-based partnerships that strengthen local infrastructure for social prescribing, to deliver a range of community-level activities that address wellbeing.

 

Arts Council England - National Lottery Project Grants

Up to £15K to support individuals and organisations to get activities up and running again, and to help people take their first steps in getting re-engaged with culture and creativity.

 

Masonic Charitable Foundation 

Up to £15K for Later life inclusion grants, to reduce loneliness and isolation in later life. 

 

Sylvia Waddilove Foundation

Up to £1,000 are available to small and medium sized charities, who are struggling to manage the financial impact of Covid-19 either because of increased demand for their services or from loss of income.

 

Local Place for Nature - Wales

Between £10–£50K for capital projects in Wales that will acquire, restore and enhance nature. 

 

Please see our website for additional opportunities

 

Research Corner

Recommended papers on social, cultural and community assets and mental health 

  1. Creative group interventions with theatre-based components improve positive mental health in community-dwelling older adults 
  2. Group singing for carers of people with Parkinson’s Disease can fulfil basic psychological needs 
  3. Volunteering is associated with improvements in the wellbeing of older people, particularly if people engage in multiple different volunteering activities
  4. 12-week programmes of art workshops as part of arts-on-prescription services can improve contentment, calmness and alertness for adults aged 25-75 
  5. Group music and movement classes as part of music early learning services can support emotional development in young children and promote parental wellbeing
Special Interest Research Group Updates

The following SIGs are running and open to receiving new members. These SIGs are formed of any MARCH members interested in discussing research and project opportunities, for submission for funding from MARCH or other funders. Contact Vas to sign up to our online discussion forum or to propose new SIGs. 
 


Arts, Crafts and Mental Health

Interdisciplinary Research Methods

Nature, Outdoors and Mental Health

Digital Community Assets and Mental Health

Historic Environment and Mental Health

Singing and Mental Health 

Early Career Steering Group 

Shared Reading: Literature, Libraries and Mental Health

Evaluation and Ethics in the Arts and Mental Health

Arts and Health Practitioner Support 

Hip Hop, Spoken Word and Mental Health

Archaeology and Mental Health
 

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