Poor mental health is widespread within the homeless community, with homeless people being nearly twice as likely to experience a mental health disorder when compared to the general population.
Concerningly, homelessness is on the rise. From 2023-2024, the number of homeless households in the UK increased by 8% to a record 320,000 households.
Working in a care home that aids in ending homelessness and rebuilding lives has been an eye-opening experience for me.
I've spent the last ten months volunteering at St. Mungo's, a nonprofit organization that helped over 28,000 people, in 2024 alone, who were homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. My role at St Mungo’s is to lead arts and crafts workshops where participants engage in painting, collaging, ornament decorating, and much more.
In this article, I aim to illustrate how a small action, like dedicating one hour a week to volunteer, can make a big difference in other people’s lives.
Benefits of Arts & Craft:
Arts and crafts workshops have been incorporated into many settings such as hospitals, elderly care homes, and public health sectors.
There are two methods when incorporating arts into a healthcare setting. The first involves a trained artist who helps patients explore creative experiences such as producing art on the wall, musical performances, or group knitting. The second approach requires a trained professional using art to help patients with specific health problems that they wish to improve. This form of therapy can be implemented through poetry, dance, and drama.
The popularity of arts and crafts is based on its ability to allow an individual to explore their inner creative and aid in processing their emotions, indeed this aspect of arts and crafts has been shown to reduce anxiety symptom. Art can be utilised as a mindfulness tool, allowing individuals to relax and practice living in the present by focusing on specific tasks such as painting which can help those suffering from anxiety, trauma, and depression.
According to The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine producing art can lower cortisol levels, improve concentration, help in reflecting on emotions, aid in making decisions, and improve self-expression and communication skills.
Furthermore, art has a profound impact on the brain, as shown by a recent study that scanned people’s brains (using MRI) whilst they were shown various classical works of art. The study found a 10% increase in part of the reward circuit of the brain (specifically the medial orbital frontal cortex) which governs feelings of pleasure. In the author’s own words, this indicates that viewing beautiful art “induces a feel-good sensation direct to the brain”. Interestingly, the increase in activity was proportional to how much the individual liked the painting.
Not only does art positively impact your mental well-being but it also engages complex processes such as intuitive analysis which aids us in understanding information through recognising patterns. Through art, engaging this process improves our cognitive skills like problem-solving and thinking critically. It enhances our brain’s ability to process information effectively hence improving our memory, focus, and our ability to connect with others.
What does taking part do for individuals?
I have observed a multitude of benefits to the participants of the sessions I run. Taking part in these sessions gives the residents the chance to interact with one another on a deeper level. As we know, social interaction takes effort, especially for people who have been through intense isolation. This is particularly relevant in the homeless community because they experience social and personal relationship breakdowns and are prone to feeling more distant and lonely. So, these interactions give them the opportunity to get to know the people that surround them, whether that's the staff or others that reside in the building. These sessions bring together individuals and allow them to connect and share their stories about their favourite artists, their life experiences, and their childhoods. The simplest action of getting out of their rooms and socializing with the rest of the residents brings smiles and laughter to their day.
Moreover, taking part in creative activities brings them a sense of achievement. When I introduce a new activity, it can seem intimidating to the class, but with a little bit of encouragement, they finish the work feeling proud of what they have achieved. This is important because low self-esteem and feelings of powerlessness are very common within the homeless community so when they achieve something, in this case a piece of art, it builds their confidence and reminds them that they can still create something beautiful, despite the challenges they have faced.
An individual’s sense of identity is challenged when they become homeless. They lose their possessions, their homes, their former lives, and much of their autonomy. Art empowers homeless individuals, providing the opportunity to reconnect with their sense of self. Providing them with a blank canvas stimulates their imagination and boosts their memory skills which encourages them to think of ideas beyond their everyday routines. Making decisions as simple as the colour they’re going to use or the type of drawing they're going to produce allows them to exercise their autonomy and illustrate their personal touch.
It is also important to acknowledge the benefits of physical activity involved in art which benefits coordination, fine motor, and manual dexterity skills.
My experience as a volunteer:
Volunteering in this way has given me a chance to deepen my understanding of the different challenges the residents are facing both physically and mentally. With my sessions, I hope to help them to escape their worries, express themselves through art, and allow them to share their hard work with others. When planning the art sessions, I tailor the activities based on seasons and holidays, often revisiting the creative endeavours from my childhood. For example one of my favourite sessions involved a pumpkin decorating workshop that raised conversation about Halloween and sparked curiosity on the simplest subject of how pumpkins grow. Working alongside the staff in making the residents feel included and welcome to new and lived experiences through art has truly felt impactful.
This journey has not only been rewarding for me but also has shed light on these individuals' lives allowing them to express themselves and unlock their innate creativity.