The European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), the Belgian partner organisation of the Culture on Prescription project, has conducted extensive desk research in the fields of culture, psychology, medicine, and adult education to address the approach of Culture on Prescription.
The research was carried out in three different regions: The Flemish (Dutch speaking), the Walloon (French speaking) and the deutschsprachige Gemeinde region (German speaking). The three community regions each have their own (regional) government and administration.
The research revealed that mental health is increasingly coming back to the spotlight and some regional initiatives promote cultural activities against loneliness and mental issues. However, in Belgium, there is no structural recognition, which means that there is not a committee or ministry responsible for this topic. Added to that, the research did not show any initiative about health prevention through social prescription.
Although the desk research provided interesting input for the different regions, first-hand experience would have been needed from stakeholders involved in these initiatives, for instance, gatekeepers working in mental health and/or social institutions. However, despite our best efforts to get in touch with them and conduct interviews that would enrich the information available to the country none of the approached, were willing be interviewed nor didn’t feel responsive.
National reports providing more detailed research results from other project countries will be available from the section ‘Materials’ on the project page in autumn.