Create+ is a creative wellbeing programme for MFT staff that uses creative activity as a tool to improve self-care, wellbeing and resilience at work. The programme is for MFT staff who are returning to work after sick leave, and staff who are in work but who need some ‘time out’ due to high levels of stress/anxiety.

The programme has been running for over a year with positive participant outcomes including.

• Reduction in Perceived Stress Scores.
• Improvement in ONS4 measures of wellbeing.
• Participants’ self-identified concerns at the start show improvement by the end of the programme.
• 45% of participants felt that the Create+ programme had made them want to stay in their job.
• Read full Create+ Evaluation Report June 2023

Create+ is a friendly and informal six week workshop programme, based at our Lime Studio on the Oxford Road Campus. Staff will attend a 2.5hr workshop each week in a small group of no more than 6 people. Workshops are delivered by professional artists and accessible to everyone – staff do not need any previous arts experience.

Staff can attend Create+ before they return to work, before they return to full working hours/ phased return or during work time – All Create+ participants must have their line managers approval to attend the course.

Who is Create+ for? 

Create+ is for staff who are categorised into one of three groups:

• Those who have been on sick leave due to stress or anxiety related illness.
• Those who have been on sick leave with other illness e.g. broken leg, cancer treatment etc, but who are experiencing high levels of stress/anxiety about returning to work.
• Those currently in work but who are experiencing high levels or stress/ anxiety + approaching ‘burnout’

Create+ Aims:

• To provide a non-medical referral option for staff to improve wellbeing + resilience at work.
• To support staff with stress/anxiety to better self-manage their symptoms.
• To help improve quality of life at work, and outside of the hospital.
• To alleviate and improve symptoms of stress, isolation, anxiety, depression.

Benefits to staff: 

• The Lime Studio will act as a ‘halfway house’ for staff who may be anxious about returning to work, introducing them back to site at a neutral/nonclinical space.
• Workshops will have no more than 6 participants, creating a sense of community in the group and connecting staff who are returning to work at a similar time.
• Workshops will provide opportunities for staff to meet others with ‘shared experience’ and promote self-care through creative activity and peer support.
• Workshops are fun and provide opportunities to express, explore and learn new skills.
• Lime will develop knowledge and links within community settings to enable signposting for staff who wish to continue creative practice on completion of the six-week referral programme.

How to sign up :

MFT Managers can refer staff simply by emailing us at [email protected].

The Lime Arts team will then contact the manager and/or referred member of staff to discuss the programme further, arrange and visit to the Lime Arts Studio, and allocate a workshop group.

Managers referring staff who are currently at work will need to factor in time for them to attend the whole programme (15 hours over 6 wks). 

Our current 6 week programme is running from 7 November to 14 December 2023 and places are now closed for this.  New places will become available for our next block in early 2024. Email us at [email protected] to be placed on a waiting list and receive notification once dates are released.