A new publication reflects on the use of creative facilitation in the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) DEFINE project.
The IMH is delighted to see the publication of a new research paper reflecting on the use of creative facilitation to illuminate the lived experience of the school holidays for children and families living in poverty.
HAF DEFINE was a national study aimed at producing best practice recommendations for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which provides free holiday clubs offering healthy food and enrichment activities to children eligible for free school meals.
One element of study set out to explore why only a small number of families make use of these holiday clubs, and used creative methods to gain a better understanding of the lived experience of school holidays for families living on low incomes.
The research team included IMH Senior Creative Facilitator Mary Robson and IMH Honorary Fellow Laura Mazzoli Smith, working with Carolyn Summerbell from Durham's Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences and researchers from Gateshead Council, FUSE, the University of Bristol and the University of Birmingham.
The researchers have published a research briefing for public health researchers reflecting on their use of creative facilitation in workshops with children and parents.
The work is important because it highlights the researcher's role as a creative facilitator, emphasising the relational and values-based work needed to meaningfully engage with different communities.
It was supported by a grant awarded to FUSE from the NIHR School of Public Health Research.
Find out more:
Research Briefing:
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