Harnessing Community Strengths to Improve Mental Health: My Doctoral Research in Liverpool City Region
- Matty Caine
- Nov 29, 2024
- 7 min read
Mental health has become one of the defining challenges of our time, especially in communities like Liverpool City Region, where socio-economic inequalities have deeply impacted well-being, as mentioned here:
As someone with extensive experience in the field of mental health, I have dedicated my career to fostering positive change and promoting inclusive practice. Now, as I approach Year 3 of my Doctoral journey, I aim to explore innovative ways to address mental health disparities through community empowerment.
This research is deeply personal and professional for me. It builds on years of working with communities, listening to their stories, and collaborating on solutions. My aim is to investigate how social enterprises and asset-based approaches can sustainably improve mental health outcomes, ensuring that the people of Liverpool City Region can take the lead in creating the support systems they need. Our City has the capability to move mountains.
The Challenge: Mental Health Inequalities in Liverpool City Region
Liverpool City Region faces a unique set of challenges when it comes to mental health. Historical economic shifts, social exclusion, and unequal access to services have left many individuals and communities struggling to access meaningful mental health support. These challenges aren’t simply personal—they’re systemic, woven into the fabric of our society.
Traditional healthcare models, while vital, often overlook the power of local strengths and knowledge. My research seeks to change this narrative, focusing on how communities can mobilise their existing assets to foster resilience, well-being, and a sense of empowerment. Locally, I believe that this can be achieved from my work leading First Person Project C.I.C, where we have successfully pioneered a socially progressive mental health service. However, this research looks at the bigger picture - which is essential if we want to make this type of practice a reality across LCR.
Identity and Social Meaning
At the core of my research lies a fundamental question about identity and the social meaning of mental health within communities. Mental health is deeply intertwined with how individuals see themselves, their roles within their community, and the collective identity of the places they live. By exploring the connection between identity, social meaning, and mental health, I hope to uncover how social enterprises and asset-based approaches can foster not only better mental health outcomes but also a stronger sense of belonging and purpose.
The Role of Identity in Mental Health
In Liverpool City Region, identity is shaped by a rich history of resilience, cultural pride, and a strong sense of community. However, socio-economic disparities and health inequalities have disrupted this collective identity for many, leaving individuals feeling disconnected and undervalued. Mental health challenges often amplify these struggles, creating cycles of stigma and isolation.
Social enterprises and asset-based approaches have the potential to redefine these narratives. By valuing what individuals and communities already have—their skills, networks, and traditions—they can help people reconnect with a sense of purpose and place. For example, a social enterprise offering employment opportunities for individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges doesn’t just provide a job—it fosters a renewed sense of identity as a contributor, a builder, or a leader.
Social Meaning and Community Strength
Mental health doesn’t exist in isolation; it is shaped by the social environment and the meanings we attach to health, success, and resilience. Asset-based approaches inherently acknowledge this by focusing on community strengths and shared values. These approaches create spaces where individuals can connect with others who share their struggles and triumphs, building networks of mutual support.
Through my research, I aim to explore how these approaches contribute to a community's collective identity and social meaning. For instance:
How do social enterprises redefine the narrative around mental health in communities, challenging stigma and promoting inclusion?
How do asset-based approaches reinforce a sense of pride and collective ownership, helping communities see mental health as a shared responsibility rather than an individual burden?
By answering these questions, and others, I hope to show that improving mental health is not just about reducing symptoms—it’s about building environments where people feel valued, supported, and connected.
Why Identity and Social Meaning Matter
When people feel their identities are affirmed and their contributions are meaningful, they are more likely to engage with mental health initiatives and support others in doing the same. Social enterprises and asset-based approaches have a unique ability to create these affirming spaces, fostering environments where individuals can thrive.
For Liverpool City Region, this means moving beyond seeing mental health as a deficit to be fixed and instead embracing it as an opportunity to strengthen community ties, celebrate diversity, and build collective resilience. It means creating systems where mental health support is not just a service but a shared cultural value—something embedded in the identity of the community itself.
The Solution: Social Enterprises and Asset-Based Approaches
My research explores two transformative approaches to tackling these issues:
Social Enterprises (SEs): Social enterprises operate as businesses with a social mission. By reinvesting their profits into their communities, SEs combine financial sustainability with positive social impact. In Liverpool City Region, they are already playing a crucial role in providing health, education, and employment opportunities—but there’s significant untapped potential for them to focus more deeply on the elements constituting what it is to be mentally healthy.
Asset-Based Approaches (ABAs): ABAs shift the focus from what a community lacks to what it already has. These assets could be skills, knowledge, cultural traditions, or local networks. By leveraging these strengths, communities can co-create solutions that are not only effective but also sustainable and grounded in their unique context.
The synergy of these two approaches lies at the heart of my research. My question is simple yet ambitious:
How can social enterprises and asset-based approaches be leveraged to sustainably improve mental health outcomes in Liverpool City Region?
My Approach: Participatory and Ethical Research
This Doctoral research is not just another academic study; it’s a collaborative journey. I am using Participatory Action Research (PAR), a methodology that involves communities as active partners rather than passive subjects. Through PAR, I aim to ensure that my research is as relevant to Liverpool’s communities as it is rigorous in its academic contribution.
As someone deeply committed to ethical research, I am currently in the process of securing ethical approval. This step is vital to ensuring that participants’ rights are protected, their voices are respected, and the findings benefit the community as much as the academic world.
What Will the Research Look Like?
Once ethical approval is granted, I will engage with community members, social enterprise leaders, and mental health practitioners in a series of collaborative steps:
Building Relationships and Identifying Priorities: I will begin by meeting with stakeholders to listen to their experiences, identify key challenges, and refine the research focus. This will involve workshops and focus groups where the community can define its own priorities.
In-Depth Qualitative Research: Using interviews, focus groups, and participant observation, I will gather rich, detailed insights into how social enterprises and asset-based approaches affect mental health. This qualitative focus will allow me to capture the nuances of individual and community experiences.
Collaborative Action Planning: With the data collected, I will work with participants to co-develop strategies that build on their strengths. These strategies might include new social enterprise initiatives, capacity-building programmes, or innovative mental health solutions.
Implementation and Reflection: Once these plans are in motion, I will continue working alongside participants to evaluate their impact, gathering feedback to refine and improve the interventions.
Sharing the Findings: At the end of the project, I will work with community members to share our findings in accessible ways. Whether it’s through presentations, local events, or policy briefs, the aim is to ensure the knowledge generated benefits everyone involved.
Why This Matters: Building on My Experience
This Doctoral journey is the culmination of years of work and passion for community-driven change. My professional experience in mental health and community building has taught me the importance of listening, collaborating, and acting with integrity. Through this research, I aim to take that commitment to the next level, contributing to the academic field while making a tangible difference on the ground.
Liverpool City Region has a rich history of resilience and innovation. I believe that by harnessing the power of social enterprises and asset-based approaches, we can create a model of mental health support that is not only effective but also deeply rooted in the values and strengths of the community.
Looking Ahead: Ethical Approval and Beyond
As I await ethical approval, I am refining my plans and preparing to engage with the community in meaningful ways. This approval is more than a procedural step—it’s a commitment to conducting research that respects the dignity and autonomy of everyone involved.
Once this step is complete, I look forward to beginning the fieldwork phase of this journey. My goal is to ensure that this research not only contributes to academic knowledge and professional practice, but also leaves a lasting positive impact on Liverpool City Region.
An Invitation to Follow Along
This journey is just beginning, and I am excited to share updates, insights, and reflections along the way. If you’re interested in mental health, social enterprises, or innovative approaches to tackling inequalities, I invite you to follow along - maybe you could help me? Together, we can explore new ways to empower communities and create systems of support that are sustainable, inclusive, and deeply impactful.
Let’s build a future where Liverpool City Region becomes a leader in community-driven mental health solutions—one step at a time.
Concluding thoughts....
In Liverpool's heart, where the Mersey flows,
A city of stories, of highs and lows.
Through struggles faced, and triumphs seen,
Lives a spirit of hope, steadfast and keen.
With social enterprise, we light the flame,
Turning profit to purpose, not just acclaim.
From assets untapped, we weave a new way,
Where strengths are the stars, guiding the day.
Mental health matters, it’s more than a fight,
It’s building connections, restoring the light.
Empowering voices, each story, each name,
A tapestry woven, not burden or shame.
Together we journey, with hearts open wide,
To shape a new future with pride as our guide.
For in every soul and community’s care,
Lives the power to heal, rebuild, and repair.
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