COVID-19 has shown us how fragile our wellness is. The pandemic has already had an impact on mental health and will continue to do so. Using the lived experiences of people who are often marginalised by society, this briefing examines how wellbeing can be better supported for everyone. We believe that the answer lies in seeing wellbeing as a set of core values that should underpin how we work with people, to fundamentally address issues surrounding wellness in our society.

The evidence that has informed this briefing has come from Community Reporter stories from across Greater Manchester. Specifically, the stories are from young people in the care system, sex workers and people experiencing health, housing and economic inequalities. This has been supported locally by:

• The Men’s Room: An arts & health charity that supports men and trans people across Greater Manchester.
• Gorsehill Studios: A youth-focused charity based in Trafford that works in creative education.
• Winning Hearts and Minds: A joined-up approach to improving people’s long-term heart and mental health in Manchester.

We have also run a knowledge exchange event based on the findings in this briefing. You can download the slides from this event here.