creative:engagement
“I don’t think these workshops could be improved – everyone is helpful, encouraging and welcoming.”
participant

THE PROJECT
Working in partnership with international law firm Ashurst LLP, we developed creative:engagement to tackle loneliness among older people. With a focus on those with dementia and mental ill-health, the project enables participants to build confidence and facilitates positive social interaction through creativity.
“I LOVED THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE THAT i WOULD NOT NORMALLY SPEAK TO AND HEAR A BIT MORE ABOUT THEIR LIVES AND EXPERIENCES.”
aSHURST VOLUNTEER
Bringing participants from South London & Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust’s SUCAG (Service Users and Carers Advisory Group) and Holborn Community Association together with volunteers from Ashurst, the workshops at Ashurst’s City of London office provide an opportunity for creative collaboration that builds new skills and relationships, enhancing wellbeing.
The participants work with our professional artists to explore a range of artforms – from sculpture, poetry and painting to photography, ceramics and jewellery-making. This enables them to develop a variety of connected artistic and technical skills, boosting their self-esteem and creative thinking, and promoting new leisure activities.
THE NEED
According to Age UK, 3.8 million people in the UK aged over 65 live alone. Nearly half of these (49%) have confessed that television or pets are their main form of company. Loneliness, a lack of meaningful human interaction, is a feeling that has profound effects on both mental and physical health.
“[PARTICIPANTS] feedback that they love talking to and creating things alongside the ashurst volunteers and the relationships they are building alongside the other group are meaningful to them.”
community partner
In “Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-Analytic Review” (2010) researchers found that the influence of social relationships on the risk of death are comparable with well-established risk factors for mortality such as smoking and alcohol consumption and exceed the influence of other risk factors such as physical inactivity and obesity.
our impact
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OF OLDER PEOPLE REPORTED IMPROVED WELLBEING
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OF OLDER PEOPLE REPORTED ENHANCED SELF-CONFIDENCE
CASE STUDIES
ARTWORK GALLERY
create’s partnership with ashurst
creative:engagement is a partnership with Ashurst. Employees support the project, working creatively with the participants and building supportive relationships.
