Deveron Arts introduced the position of the Cultural Health Worker in 2013, since then artist Catrin Jeans has taken on this role. Catrin has set up a blog to document her activities.

The Cultural Health Worker strives to nurture cultural health by working with the immediate social complexities of the local community, engaging individuals and groups in cultural activities that can influence their situation and hopefully empower them. At Deveron Arts we see cultural health sitting alongside physical, mental and social health and contributing to the general wellbeing of a person, as well as that of a community.

As the Cultural Health Worker, Catrin uses a methodology modelled on successful modes of engagement used by community health practitioners. These approaches include:

• Cultural Health promotion - outreach to local community groups and schools, facilitating lectures, workshops and one-off expertise sessions.
• Prescribing for preventive care - connecting with the local health centre in order to increase the public's access to cultural activity and sociability.
• From cradle to grave - working with all ages but creating opportunities for them to come together over mutual interests.

In her time at Deveron Arts, Catrin aims to build strong relations with individuals and the community in order to listen, support, and advise. She will take a look at the broader picture and explore: what are the Cultural Health needs of the community and individuals of Huntly?

Our audience and participation in Huntly, since the start of this post in July 2013 has not only taken a sharp rise in numbers; it also engaged entirely new participants in our events, in particular people from hard to reach groups, such as young mothers, older people, church goers, commuters and people with mental health issues.