Learning about the feelgood factor

Young people in Renfrewshire can share ideas on how arts and culture can positively impact on mental health and wellbeing.

The You Matter Always event, part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, will be held at St Matthew’s Church in Paisley on Friday between 2 pm and 4pm.

The ideas developed will shape a Youth Mental Health Arts Festival in Scotland’s Year of Young People in 2018 and will also be included in Paisley’s UK City of Culture bid 2021.

There will be live performances from local musicians Linzi Clark and Lisa Kowalski, as well as a short film about mental health.

Alan Clark, of Create Paisley, which organised the event, said:“The main thing we are trying to do is give young people the opportunity to engage around topical questions on mental health and the arts.

“We want to ask what would help them with their mental health and wellbeing, what things could be better and what we could do more of in the area.”

Other groups who will take part include Youth Services, the Recovery Across Mental Health charity, Active Communities and See Me, which aims to end mental health stigma and discrimination.

On the evening of the event, a special fundraiser will also be held at Blend Coffee Lounge at 7.30pm with Rachelle and Brittany Davies to raise funds towards 2018’s festival.