A community arts programme for older people: an evaluation

Purpose This paper presents an evaluation of a community based arts programme for older people in Nottinghamshire. Design The evaluation was conducted using a combination of pre and post-initiative quantitative questionnaires and qualitative focus group interviews. This article focuses upon...

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Main Authors: Hui, Ada M.L., Stickley, Theodore, Souter, Gary, Mills, Danielle
Format: Article
Published: Emerald 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/47532/
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author Hui, Ada M.L.
Stickley, Theodore
Souter, Gary
Mills, Danielle
author_facet Hui, Ada M.L.
Stickley, Theodore
Souter, Gary
Mills, Danielle
author_sort Hui, Ada M.L.
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Purpose This paper presents an evaluation of a community based arts programme for older people in Nottinghamshire. Design The evaluation was conducted using a combination of pre and post-initiative quantitative questionnaires and qualitative focus group interviews. This article focuses upon the findings from the focus groups. Findings Participants reported feeling more positively about ageing and being more motivated to pursue new opportunities at the end of the programme. Five themes emerged from the focus group interviews, namely i) age and ageing, ii) the finished product, iii) new opportunities, iv) aspirations and the future and v) personal benefits. These related to increased confidence, having greater creative expression, meaningful occupation and opportunities for socialisation. Social Implications The programme was found to be successful in helping individuals feel more positive about their age, to feel more confident and motivated, to engage with others through mutual creativity, as well as to challenge negative social stereotypes of older people. Originality/Value The paper will be of relevance and value to those working with older people and those with an interest in the arts. This evaluation demonstrates the diversity of the older population with older citizen’s voices being at the heart of the programme.
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spelling nottingham-475322020-05-04T18:16:47Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/47532/ A community arts programme for older people: an evaluation Hui, Ada M.L. Stickley, Theodore Souter, Gary Mills, Danielle Purpose This paper presents an evaluation of a community based arts programme for older people in Nottinghamshire. Design The evaluation was conducted using a combination of pre and post-initiative quantitative questionnaires and qualitative focus group interviews. This article focuses upon the findings from the focus groups. Findings Participants reported feeling more positively about ageing and being more motivated to pursue new opportunities at the end of the programme. Five themes emerged from the focus group interviews, namely i) age and ageing, ii) the finished product, iii) new opportunities, iv) aspirations and the future and v) personal benefits. These related to increased confidence, having greater creative expression, meaningful occupation and opportunities for socialisation. Social Implications The programme was found to be successful in helping individuals feel more positive about their age, to feel more confident and motivated, to engage with others through mutual creativity, as well as to challenge negative social stereotypes of older people. Originality/Value The paper will be of relevance and value to those working with older people and those with an interest in the arts. This evaluation demonstrates the diversity of the older population with older citizen’s voices being at the heart of the programme. Emerald 2016-10-17 Article PeerReviewed Hui, Ada M.L., Stickley, Theodore, Souter, Gary and Mills, Danielle (2016) A community arts programme for older people: an evaluation. Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 20 (1). pp. 22-28. ISSN 2042-8316 Arts; Community arts; Older people; Age; Ageing; Evaluation http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/MHSI-07-2015-0027 doi:10.1108/MHSI-07-2015-0027 doi:10.1108/MHSI-07-2015-0027
spellingShingle Arts; Community arts; Older people; Age; Ageing; Evaluation
Hui, Ada M.L.
Stickley, Theodore
Souter, Gary
Mills, Danielle
A community arts programme for older people: an evaluation
title A community arts programme for older people: an evaluation
title_full A community arts programme for older people: an evaluation
title_fullStr A community arts programme for older people: an evaluation
title_full_unstemmed A community arts programme for older people: an evaluation
title_short A community arts programme for older people: an evaluation
title_sort community arts programme for older people: an evaluation
topic Arts; Community arts; Older people; Age; Ageing; Evaluation
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/47532/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/47532/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/47532/