The ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ project in Tunbridge Wells explores how collaborative storytelling and imaginative play can support adult mental wellbeing, particularly for neurodivergent individuals and those who may not engage in traditional arts-based wellbeing activities.
Background
The Amelia Scott, an innovative multi-use building comprising museum, library, adult education centre, tourist information and council services hub has a dedicated Creative Health Projects Officer, funded centrally by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.
The Amelia has developed a range of creative health groups, drawing on the museum’s collection and traditional arts-based interventions. This creative health approach has been very successful, delivering tangible positive impact for a wide range of residents, including people with dementia and their carers and older adults who are lonely.
While the arts-based approach is effective, the project team were eager to expand the creative health programme and explore more diverse forms of creativity to broaden participation and reduce barriers for residents who might not engage with traditional arts activities.
The Amelia partnered with West Kent Mind, who received funding for ‘Creative Minds’, a three year project to deliver creative groups across West Kent. The first joint project was called Creating History and was a traditional arts- and collections-based project supporting adults who wanted to improve their mental wellbeing. Following the success of this group, The Amelia was asked to develop another course. This led to ‘Roll for Initiative!’, a project using the tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons (D&D).
The project was initially met with some scepticism: How could playing a game be creative? Would people want to take part?
Despite this initial resistance, West Kent Mind agreed to pilot the program.
There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that tabletop role playing games have significant benefits, particularly for neurodivergent individuals. ‘Roll for Initiative!’ has seen excellent outcomes from the first two pilot programmes.
Objectives
The council and West Kent Mind designed the ‘Roll for Initiative!’ project with the following aims:
- Test the value of non-traditional creative interventions, moving beyond arts and crafts to reach a wider demographic.
- Build social connection and reduce isolation, particularly among neurodivergent individuals.
- Engage a wider demographic of residents into council services, using the D&D project as a gateway into other services and offers at The Amelia Scott.
Setting up and delivering the project
The creative health team consulted widely to learn from creative health experts and practitioners, as well as Dungeon Masters experienced in the D&D game. There was lots of interest in the initiative, including from academics at the University of Plymouth who partnered with the team to lead on an academic evaluation of the programme.
Two six-month programmes were delivered: one in-person and one online. Both included:
- Collaborative storytelling sessions guided by a trained Dungeon Master.
- Creative character development, including 3D printed character models for participants to design and paint.
- A 24 week structure, with weekly two hour sessions, allowing for participants to develop closer social bonds and more sustained wellbeing outcomes.
- Optional workshops at the end of the programme for aspiring Dungeon Masters, encouraging further development of confidence, leadership and communication skills.
Recruitment was carried out by West Kent Mind with simple criteria: Over 18, living within their catchment area, and seeking to improve mental wellbeing. The Amelia Scott promoted the programme across its social media and website.
Unlike the council’s typical creative health participants, the D&D programme attracted a younger demographic with a balanced gender mix. Notably, all participants in the first cohort were neurodivergent, which was something the team had anticipated but not at such scale.
Impact
The D&D initiative produced exceptional results across both cohorts. Significant improvements in wellbeing were recorded using the standardised WEMWBS tool, with qualitative interviews further evidencing increased confidence, reduced anxiety, improved creativity and a sense of belonging and safety. The diversity of the programme, including activities like designing and painting participants’ own characters to support the storytelling, was a clear strength.
One of the clearest outcomes of the project is reduced social isolation and improved social connection. Of the twelve participants in the in-person cohort, eight continue to meet every week to play together independently, renting a room from the council, providing ongoing wellbeing benefits and generating income for the venue.
“I have left the house more than I have in years. I have made so many friends and feel more confident in my social circle. This has truly been the highlight of my week.”
– ‘Roll for Initiative!’ programme participant
The project has also strengthened the council’s internal case for creative health. Following such positive outcomes from the ‘Creative Minds’ programme, creative health is increasingly embedded across council approaches to community wellbeing, attracting further funding, including from the Museums Association for a new two year programme focused on people in housing need and recently bereaved residents.
Key learning
- Creative health is not just a 'nice to have'. Creative health interventions not only support residents’ wellbeing but also produce measurable financial savings by reducing demand on health and social care services. It is an effective approach.
- Non-traditional creative activities broaden engagement. Programmes like D&D can successfully reach younger participants, men, and neurodivergent residents, overcoming barriers associated with conventional arts-based activities.
- Longer interventions produce deeper and more sustained impact. The 24 week format demonstrated lasting benefits and supported strong participant relationships, with activity continuing independently beyond the funded programme.
- Robust monitoring builds credibility and unlocks further funding. Using tools like WEMWBS and capturing qualitative stories helps demonstrate value to decision makers and funders.
- Internal buy-in enables scaling and embedding. Creative health flourished in Tunbridge Wells due to strong support from senior leadership and a dedicated creative health officer post. Councils should align creative health with strategic priorities, such as community wellbeing, to secure sustained commitment.
Contact: Daniel Huckfield, Creative Health Project Officer, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.