Creative Wellbeing and Belonging Programme
AFAN’s Creative Wellbeing and Belonging Programme provides inclusive, culturally sensitive activities for people who may be experiencing isolation, poor mental health, trauma or reduced access to community support.
1. Creative Connections: Dementia and Later-Life Wellbeing
AFAN visits people living with dementia in care homes, community centres, places of worship and, where appropriate, their own homes. Participants and their carers are invited to take part in gentle, accessible activities designed to encourage connection, expression and enjoyment.
Activities may include:
- Seated movement and gentle exercise
- Live or recorded music and singing
- Painting, drawing and craft activities
- Poetry, storytelling and reminiscence
- Sensory and memory-based activities
- Intergenerational creative sessions
- Tea, conversation and companionship
- Support and wellbeing sessions for carers
The programme helps reduce loneliness, stimulates memory, encourages communication and gives participants a sense of belonging and purpose.
2. Sahara Sisterhood
AFAN creates safe, welcoming spaces for women and girls, particularly those from South Asian and other underserved communities who may have experienced trauma, abuse, isolation, discrimination or emotional distress.
Activities may include:
- Creative and Mindful Wellbeing for Women and Girls
- Mindfulness, meditation and breathing exercises
- Art, journaling, poetry and creative expression
- Gentle movement and music
- Confidence and self-esteem workshops
- Healthy relationships and personal-boundaries sessions
- Trauma-awareness and emotional-wellbeing workshops
- Peer-support circles and facilitated conversations
- Signposting to professional and specialist services
The programme promotes confidence, emotional resilience, healthy relationships and stronger support networks.
3. Campus Calm: University Student Wellbeing
AFAN works with university chaplaincies, student societies and wellbeing teams to support students experiencing stress, loneliness, anxiety, cultural pressures or difficulties relating to identity and belonging.
Activities may include:
- Mindfulness and stress-management sessions
- Creative wellbeing workshops
- Music, movement, art and reflective writing
- Safe listening and peer-support spaces
- Interfaith and intercultural dialogue
- Workshops on belonging, identity and resilience
- Community meals and social activities
- Signposting to university and specialist support
These activities help students develop positive coping strategies, build supportive relationships and feel more connected to university life.
4. UK HE Chaplaincy
UK HE Chaplains Together is a network of chaplains from different faith and belief communities working in universities across the United Kingdom. Established in 2025, it brings chaplains together to support one another in their pastoral, spiritual and institutional roles, share good practice and strengthen the place of chaplaincy in higher education.
What the network does:
- Builds community among university chaplains from different faith and belief backgrounds
- Offers learning opportunities, including a monthly online Community of Practice launched in 2026
- Provides mutual support across varied roles and contexts
- Hosts an annual Higher Education Chaplaincy Conference
- Advocates for the role of chaplaincy in universities
- Shares resources, research and policy updates for the sector
Its 2025 conference at King’s College London brought together 80 chaplains from across the UK.
All activities are inclusive of people of all faiths and none. They are delivered by appropriately trained facilitators, supported by safeguarding procedures, risk assessments and clear referral pathways.
Help Us Create Safe Spaces for Healing and Hope
Your donation will help us provide safe listening spaces, wellbeing workshops, peer-support groups, one-to-one guidance, community outreach and referrals to specialist services.
Your support can help someone feel heard, safe and hopeful again.
Registered Charity No. 1137477
