Community partnership
It's a Playground and Art4Space have worked together since 2018 — running open Mental Health First Aid courses at Art4Space's Stockwell studios, and funded programmes with young people, adults and community participants in Lambeth.
How we met
In 2018, Jewels (Julie Norburn) from Art4Space attended a Mental Health First Aid course delivered by Laura Rigden, founder of It's a Playground. They quickly connected over their shared passion for supporting wellbeing, bringing people together and making a positive difference in their communities.
Although their organisations approached this work in different ways, they recognised how closely their values aligned, particularly their belief in the importance of human connection, creativity and creating inclusive, supportive spaces.
That initial connection grew into a lasting partnership, with Art4Space and It's a Playground working together to make mental health education and wellbeing support more accessible to their communities.
What we share
We both believe that community, connection, arts and culture support wellbeing — for individuals, for neighbourhoods and for society. Art4Space brings decades of community arts practice; we bring mental health training and prevention work. The two sit together well.
Open courses
We run open, in-person MHFA courses together at Art4Space’s Stockwell studios — full Mental Health First Aid courses for adults and for people who support young people, plus refreshers for existing MHFAiders.
Face-to-face
This link opens the official instructor listing, not a booking page for this date. If your course is not shown, contact the It's a Playground team on info@itsaplayground.org or support@itsaplayground.org.
Face-to-face
This link opens the official instructor listing, not a booking page for this date. If your course is not shown, contact the It's a Playground team on info@itsaplayground.org or support@itsaplayground.org.
Face-to-face
This link opens the official instructor listing, not a booking page for this date. If your course is not shown, contact the It's a Playground team on info@itsaplayground.org or support@itsaplayground.org.
Face-to-face
This link opens the official instructor listing, not a booking page for this date. If your course is not shown, contact the It's a Playground team on info@itsaplayground.org or support@itsaplayground.org.
Face-to-face
Where your booking goes: The partnership supports learning in the local community. Art4Space reinvests income from its programmes and commissions into inclusive arts provision. Reduced prices have previously been available for Lambeth residents; ask about current eligibility and how to arrange a reduced-price place before booking.
Learning
Course inclusions: Art4Space’s full-course information lists refreshments, a digital manual, a workbook and toolkit, an action-plan reference card and lanyard, and a certificate of attendance. It also describes an Association of Mental Health First Aiders invitation, wellbeing tips and access to monthly online wellbeing sessions during certification. These are full-course inclusions, not a promise about every refresher or Youth course; confirm what applies to your booking with the provider.
From the room
MHFA feedback published on Art4Space’s course page, with the original attributions.
“I could not have asked for a better course to further my understanding and help others in Mental Health First Aid. I even implemented mental health first aid just two days after the course and used my knowledge gained from Laura to help my employee.”
“Both courses we’ve done with you now have been fantastic. We really believe in supporting our staff and the wider workforce so courses like this are really beneficial to us.”
“The course was excellent, very useful in my role. I feel like I have improved as a result of the session.”
“Came into the course thinking it may be a bit wishy washy, but I was so wrong. Laura was engaging and informative. I have found the course has helped me personally as well as enabling me to help in the workplace.”
“I will go back and recommend that this gets extended to other sectors within the company.”
At the studios
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Beyond MHFA
The partnership has never been only about courses. Over the years it has included funded programmes and work with young people, adults and community participants — mental fitness and wellbeing sessions, and programmes connected with social prescribing and community wellbeing.
Funded programmes
Wellbeing sessions
Community wellbeing
About Art4Space
Art4Space is a non-profit community interest company and community arts centre in Lambeth, using art to create change and social justice since 1999. Their mission brings together arts, mental health, holistic wellness and social justice.
Their Creative Health work includes referrals from doctors and the NHS, with weekly supported creative therapeutic sessions, and their social action work runs with young people and schools.
Book directly with Art4Space, or talk to us about running Mental Health First Aid for your own organisation.
