Social Value UK

Document Keyword: mental health

  • Artists for Mental Health Mindfulness Project Social Return on Investment Evaluation

    Artists for Mental Health Mindfulness Project Social Return on Investment Evaluation

    “Artists for Mental Health, located in Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), is a non-profit organization engaged in increasing mental health awareness to artists in communities in Vancouver, BC, and the UK. The organization started in 2018 in response to meeting the needs of struggling artists who have no avenue to turn to for mental health support.

    The organization encourages and strengthens “our inclusive community. We aid by providing resources and support to those who experience mental illness” (Artists for Mental Health [A4MH], n.d., para. 1). Many individuals with mental health problems often have a difficult time integrating with others in society, and they often experience isolation, depression, and low confidence (Gwinner, Knox, & Hacking, 2009, para. 1).

    Engaging other participants in the community helps with A4MH’s (n.d.) vision by “providing resources and support to those who experience mental illness” (para. 1). One way the organization has done this was by piloting a mindfulness workshop in January of 2020.

    The purpose of the forecast SROI project for A4MH includes:

    1. To complete a Social Return on Investment (SROI) report that accurately reflects the
    value of the mindfulness project,
    2. To support A4MH in identifying ways to measure outcomes that could help enhance
    the program to the participants,
    3. To provide an SROI report that helps the organization with changes for a future
    program.”

  • Samaritans Wales Impact Report 2015/2016

    Samaritans Wales Impact Report 2015/2016

    “In Wales, between 300 and 350 people die from suicide each year. While causes of suicides are complex, we do know that there are factors which increase the risk for specific groups and individuals. These factors include poor mental health, deprivation, gender and alcohol misuse.

    Suicide is now the single biggest killer of men aged under 45 in the UK, with 76% of all suicides in 2014 being men. Men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women in the UK and in Wales; the rate is at its highest since 1981. In 2014, 81% of all suicides in Wales were by men.

    The link between socio-economic deprivation and increased risk of suicide is well established. Previous academic studies have shown us, for example, that men from the lowest socioeconomic group living in the most deprived areas are at greater risk of suicide than those in the most affluent group living in the most affluent areas. Every local area in Wales has a unique geography, economy, and population. It follows that a profile of deprivation and associated suicide risk will also vary between local populations.

    The breadth of complex factors involved in suicide risk highlights the need for multi-agency and cross-governmental action. This is not a single task for any particular organisation or sector in isolation. It is instead, a local and national imperative and one that should be seen as a major and urgent priority in the national public health agenda in Wales. We must be able to give people the best chance to turn their lives around when they are struggling.

    In Wales, we work to reduce suicide across our nation. We reach out to high risk groups and communities, we work in partnership with prisons, schools, hospitals and rail staff and we engage with Welsh Government and the National Assembly to influence policy and legislation.”

  • The capabilities approach, adult community learning and mental health

    The capabilities approach, adult community learning and mental health

    Capabilities ApproachThe capabilities approach (CA) developed by Amartya Sen and others has been extremely influential as an approach to evaluation, social assessment and policy analysis and development. In the context of the current UK policy arena, this paper outlines Sen’s CA and argues for its utility as a theoretical framework for understanding and evaluating the relevance of adult community learning to mental health. It shows how the CA can be employed for this purpose and discusses the relevance of gender and other social inequalities for understanding in this area, thereby contributing to a growing body of literature on developing a social model of mental health.

  • Scotia Clubhouse SROI

    Scotia Clubhouse SROI

    The Scotia Clubhouse is part of the worldwide movement of ‘Clubhouses’ offering an important different way for people who suffer with severe and enduring mental health problems to contribute and engage with the world. Scotia is more than a “service” for this group of people. It provides an accepting environment which is to all intents and purposes a physical work place. People who access Scotia become its members and they are responsible for the operation of the Clubhouse. Staff are also members and there is a deliberate blurring of the boundaries between staff and other members. Areas of work include a cafe, learning activities, administration, finance and care for other members. There are deliberately not enough staff for the project to run, thus members have to be the main workforce, with staff being mainly facilitators. There
    is an active membership of around 160 people at any one time.

    Scotia is set in the heart of the East End of Glasgow where the assumption is commonly held that the hope of employment is scarce for most people. It quickly became apparent during the course of this study that Scotia’s culture is one of hope in a difficult environment.

    Moreover, the facts indicate that Scotia is actually successful in placing people in work situations and helping people gain employment. This SROI study focuses on measuring ‘the value to society of the impact of the relationship between members and the Clubhouse as a multi-faceted working environment on mental health, social integration and work readiness.’ The study was conducted between April – November 2010. The research explored the story of change as experienced by members, using in depth one to one semi-structured interviews. The following key findings are evidenced by this work:

    1. There are significant improvements in the quality of relationships for members that last a long time. This improves and contributes to mental health recovery through maintaining members confidence and self esteem and was highly valued by members.
    2. A sense of regular place (workplace) is key to the impact of re-accessing skills and mental health recovery. Members use Scotia to practice the more subtle arts of workplace survival and thriving, such as developing
      team working, cooperative working and social competence. Without these skills, most prospective employees do not prosper.
    3. The longer term nature of Scotia membership is important to ongoing mental health. Mental health recovery is not a uniform upward curve. There are dips and set backs along the way. Scotia is there for members at these times, providing a safety net that is as valuable to members as it is to the state in preventing resource draining relapse into poor mental health, with all the associated implications.
    4. Scotia is by far the main contributor to change in members lives. The concept of attribution of credit for change is a key SROI technique and this study measured this thoroughly, with the above result.
    5. The model of facilitated peer support consistently came out as a valued experience in members mental health recovery. Highly valued by members was the sense of self esteem and self worth they felt as a result of
      feeling needed by Scotia and other members within it. This is a unique finding. Most other services provide support to people, rather than facilitate people to sup-port each other. Making members responsible for aspect of Scotia’s operation was also key to this.

    The total present value of Scotia Clubhouse is calculated as £1,621,891 over five years. The total invested to generate the total present value was £301,197 per year invested in the main by the Mental Health Partnership. Therefore the net present value is £1,320,694.The SROI index value is that for every £1 spend on this project our society gets back £5.38 in a variety of ways.