Following the successful completion of the MinD project in February 2020, collaboration in the field of design and dementia continues through the MinD Network.
Our aim
The aim of the MinD network is to promote design for supporting people living with mental illness, dementia and neurodiverse conditions, and related stakeholders, with wellbeing and mindfulness. The reason for this aim is that design can offer great benefits, both as a process and in form of interventions. As a process, co-designing can bring benefits through genuine inclusion in the development of products, services and environments, empowering and giving agency to people with lived experience. Their inclusion in itself can offer wellbeing benefits to people and it can also help produce more relevant design interventions. As interventions, design can offer a salutogenic approach that promotes wellbeing, prevention and resilience, rather than narrow medical or technical applications. However, these benefits of design are as yet not widely recognised and implemented. The MinD network therefore seeks to promote design and its benefits to design and care professionals, and policy makers.
Our vision
We envision a world where:
- Design interventions are recognised as an effective way to support people living with mental illness, dementia and neurodiverse conditions and related stakeholders with their wellbeing.
- Design innovations, including environmental, service and product innovations, are informed by a mindful design approach to promote wellbeing, self-empowerment and social engagement.
- Design and care professionals are aware of, and trained in, mindful co-creation methodologies, including mindful co-design and co-production, to facilitate wellbeing, respect and dignity within these processes.
- People living with dementia and/or mental illness as well as related stakeholders are involved in the co-creation of all design interventions to ensure their relevance and appropriateness.
Our values
- Person-focussed design values to recognise people as individuals with a voice and agency.
- Mindfulness values to promote wellbeing, self-empowerment, respect and dignity, both within the design process and through its outcomes.
- Co-creation values, including co-production and co-design, to provide an inclusive and equitable environment and processes that allow for the evidence-based development of designs that are relevant, appropriate and fit for purpose to improve people’s quality of life.