Leveraging Performative Arts Programmes for Enhancing Skills and Well-Being in Global Majority Youth: A Public Health Approach to Sustainable Development in London
摘要
Persistent educational and health inequities continue to affect global majority youth in the United Kingdom, yet the role of culturally grounded creative arts as public health tools remains underexplored. This chapter investigates whether informal performative arts programmes can enhance emotional well-being, transferable skills, and social inclusion in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4. Using a qualitative mixed-methods design, the study draws on ethnographic observations and surveys conducted with participants aged 16 to 35 across five community-based creative spaces in London. Findings indicate that participation in culturally responsive arts initiatives promotes psychological safety, expressive freedom, and soft skills such as communication, resilience, and teamwork. Programmes that were co-designed, trauma-informed, and embedded within trusted community settings demonstrated the greatest impact by fostering confidence and belonging. To inform policy and practice, the chapter introduces the FACES framework which stands for Flexibility, Atmosphere, Contribution, Equity and Storytelling as a model for inclusive youth interventions. These insights position performative arts as a strategic lever for sustainable education and public health equity.