Interpreting the mental health and wellbeing agenda in adult community learning

The purpose of this paper is to engage critically with debates surrounding the mental health and wellbeing agenda for adult community learning (ACL), with particular consideration of creative arts provision. It draws on a qualitative research project involving five creative arts ACL groups in the En...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inResearch papers in education Vol. 38; no. 5; pp. 804 - 827
Main Author Lewis, Lydia
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Routledge 03.09.2023
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
adult community learning
Adult Education
Adult learning
Adults
Andragogy
Art therapy
Arts
Community Centers
Community Programs
creative arts
Curricula
Foreign Countries
Interviews
Mental Health
Qualitative research
Self esteem
social purpose education
Volunteers
Well Being
wellbeing
United Kingdom (England)
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Summary:The purpose of this paper is to engage critically with debates surrounding the mental health and wellbeing agenda for adult community learning (ACL), with particular consideration of creative arts provision. It draws on a qualitative research project involving five creative arts ACL groups in the English West Midlands and two mental health participatory arts organisations based in London. Of the ACL groups, one was targeted for mental health recovery, two were targeted for wellbeing, and two were mainstream. Fieldwork involved participant observation, interviews and group discussions with attendees, and interviews with volunteers, ACL and art therapy practitioners, ACL project organisers, and managers working in the organisations taking part in the research and other adult learning settings. The article outlines key critical debates. It then interrogates three related themes, drawing on a range of evidence from the study: (1.) the discourse of confidence and self-esteem; (2.) interactions between educational and mental health and wellbeing-related goals and outcomes; and (3) the role of creative arts subjects in the mental health and wellbeing agenda for ACL. Implications for policy and practice are set out in conclusion, including consideration of ACL curricula and pedagogical approaches in the area of mental health and wellbeing.
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ISSN:0267-1522
1470-1146
DOI:10.1080/02671522.2023.2222389