How can cultural and green assets support mental health and wellbeing in Black, ethnic minority, and refugee communities? A qualitative study of lived experience stories

Objectives: Black, ethnic minority, and refugee communities in the UK tend to live in unhealthy urban environments and be at greatest risk of poor mental health and wellbeing yet are least likely to engage with cultural and green assets that could improve mental health. This research aimed to generate lived experience stories of the relationship and engagement of these communities with cultural and green assets, and how such assets intersect or not with their mental health, values, and interests. It is part of a larger study developing and evaluating community-led ways to encourage beneficial engagement with cultural and green assets.

Design: A qualitative study using lived experience storytelling.

Methods: Twenty-seven volunteer community voice champions recruited by five ethnic minority and refugee community organisations in South West London participated in a cycle of collaborative, community experience-focused workshops. The volunteers subsequently collected 139 stories from community members. Data were coded and thematically analysed using inductive and deductive coding in a collaborative and reflexive process.

Results: Findings highlighted personal, community, and place-based sensitivities of ethnicity and mental
health, intersecting with shared values and engagement with cultural and green assets. Key themes generated: stigma and isolation; mistrust of institutions; community connections and belonging; staying close to cultural roots; safety of place; nature as sanctuary for mental health.

Conclusions: The research has produced new psychosocial knowledge to be used in next stages of the larger study to co-design interventions that encourage community engagement with cultural and green assets, helping reduce mental health inequalities.