WHY

More than 75 million European adults meet with family or friends at most once a month, and around 30 million European adults regularly feel lonely. Over the past two years, these feelings of loneliness have been reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which left older people in particular unable to have contact with friends or relatives for months at a time. Poor health, unfavourable economic conditions and living alone are all associated with higher rates of loneliness. 

WHAT

The ‘Culture on Prescription’ project will introduce cultural activities facilitated by informal learning and training offers for adults. It will not be a prescription for traditional medicine, but a ‘recipe’ entitling people to a free educational offer that builds on and emphasises their talents, interests and strengths. This will also increase the sense of belonging and connection with the other participants.

In this way, the Culture on Prescription project will contribute to better health and increased well-being for these people. The emphasis is on health promotion rather than disease.

WHO

Over the next two years, a consortium coordinated by ISIS Institut für Soziale Infrastruktur (Germany) and the Frankfurt Health Department (Germany) and also with the participation of SHINE 2Europe (Portugal), AFEdemy (Netherlands), the Dublin City University (Ireland), GEAC (Romania) and European Association for the Education of Adults (Belgium) will develop and implement a study pilot in Portugal, Romania, Germany and the Netherlands that aims to validate the intervention in these countries.

TO WHOM

We target people who feel lonely, have mental health problems or people who are interested in learning together and/or engaging in cultural activities to help change or improve their own situation. We will also support facilitators who offer or are willing to offer informal learning experiences of Culture on Prescription.

Additionally, we will establish contacts with health and social care professionals to create a smooth exchange between organisations, which are familiar with the target groups. We will also liaise with policy makers and community members.

OUTPUTS

Compendium “Health promotion through cultural learning experiences – Facts, figures and good practice”

Voucher ‘Culture on Demand’ for a free educational offer, aimed at developing the cultural strengths and talents of the participants.

Training kit that facilitates the conduction of courses lasting 5 to 6 months, tested and evaluated by the participants and the trainers.

E-learning platform with a virtual library, tools to prepare, run and sustain learning experiences and a forum to exchange experiences.

Recommendations for decision-makers in municipalities and associations

Culture on Prescription results will be developed in the course of the project and this website will be updated accordingly.