As part of our Best For You programme, we are creating outstanding environments in which professionals can care for young people’s mental and physical health in new and bespoke ways.
With help from our community of supporters, the first of these spaces opened in November 2023. Arc is a purpose-built space in north-west London that provides a one-of-a-kind model of family-based treatment for young people with eating disorders. It also hosts a range of wellbeing programmes run by Best For You partner organisations.
Arc was co-created with young people, family members and carers, healthcare professionals, designers and artists. We involved users at every stage of the process, to ensure that the finished environment would meet their needs.
With wellbeing always our key consideration, we focused on creating a welcoming and safe environment that would support patient-centred care and destigmatise mental illness.
The light, bright space goes above and beyond traditional NHS estate, featuring an array of enhancements including comfortable furniture, adjustable feature lighting, and bespoke artwork created in collaboration with young people.
Artists Anna Jane Houghton and Carlos Peñalver attended in-person and virtual workshops with young people to co-create the art for Arc.
The aim was to build a sense of belonging and ensure that the space reflected young people’s creativity.
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