Women’s Voices: using creativity and trust to support women’s health in Torfaen

A new creative wellbeing project in Torfaen will explore how community-based arts activity can help address health inequalities by reaching women earlier, building trust and creating a more accessible route to support.

A new creative wellbeing project in Torfaen will explore how community-based arts activity can help address health inequalities by reaching women earlier, building trust and creating a more accessible route to support.

Women’s Voices developed from work by Torfaen Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC), which identified a need to better understand and respond to women affected by poor mental health, chronic illness, caring responsibilities or other pressures. Some women may not access traditional support services because of low confidence, mistrust or experiences of not feeling heard. Women’s Voices will test a different starting point: creativity that is enjoyable, welcoming and rooted in community life.

The free Collage for Wellbeing sessions will be led by artist Sarah Merton through arts and wellbeing charity Inside Out Cymru. Inspired by local history from Torfaen Museum’s archives, collage-making will support women to reflect, express themselves, connect with others and therefore strengthen their confidence, self-advocacy and sense of belonging. Meeting regularly through a shared interest allows trust to develop. As participants become more comfortable, they may feel safer discussing seeking support. Relevant information can then be introduced sensitively, at the right time and in ways that respond to their needs.

Women’s Voices contributes to a wider ambition for arts and health: making creative engagement part of everyday healthy living. Instead of waiting until someone’s needs escalate or expecting them to approach a clinical service, the project brings creative practice, public health insight and community support together in a familiar, non-clinical setting.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board Arts and Health team is a partner, connecting the project's community-based approach with wider health knowledge. The project will gather learning about the barriers that women in Torfaen experience and how creative heritage activity can enable more meaningful engagement with wellbeing support and community. [1] 

Women’s Voices is funded through the Gwent Regional Innovation Coordination Hub’s Rapid Innovation Initiative. The Hub is funded by the Welsh Government and supported by the Gwent Regional Partnership Board.

The free sessions will take place every Tuesday from 1pm–3pm, beginning on 22 September, on Floor 1 of Torfaen Museum, Park Buildings, Pontypool, NP4 6JH.

To refer a participant, complete the registration form: (https://forms.gle/hcXzQ6ZeF1atwnCW6)

To discuss the project, contact Project Manager Becca May Collins at engage@inside-out-cymru.org.

 
This will help partners explore how creative, heritage-based approaches could support earlier intervention, better engagement and more responsive health information across Torfaen.