New pocket guide showcases creative ways to challenge stigma
- Area of Work: Health and Social Care Academy
- Type: News Item
- Published: 20th March 2026
Learn how creative methods can open conversations, reduce barriers and support meaningful participation
The Health and Social Care Academy has launched a new pocket guide highlighting how creative approaches can help tackle stigma and promote more inclusive, rights-based practice.
Designed to be practical and accessible, the “Pocket guide to creative methods in tackling stigma” explores how creative methods – including photography, zine-making, theatre and games – can support people to share their lived experiences in ways that are empowering and meaningful. These approaches can help reach people who are often excluded, rebalance power relations between professionals and communities, and open up new ways of communicating beyond words.
The guide is underpinned by evidence from the Academy’s research, “Developing a picture of creative engagement in anti-stigma work”, which found that creative engagement can deepen conversations around complex issues, support wellbeing and foster participation. A key strength of creative approaches is their ability to shift perspectives and challenge stigma at both individual and societal levels. As one participant reflected;
“If you change how you speak about things… [it] changes how people approach policies”
The pocket guide also includes practical tips for using creative methods effectively, from co-producing projects with people with lived experience to creating safe, inclusive spaces and reducing barriers to participation. It highlights how these approaches can build confidence, connection and a sense of belonging while contributing to wider social change.
You can download the pocket guide and read the full report in the resources section below.
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