Dragon’s Den: Raising Social Capital As A Means to Tackle Inequalities

Getting Started – Vote 1 How much do you know about social capital in a health context? (select one only) Press ‘1’ – Nothing Press ‘2’ – A little Press ‘3’ – A reasonable understanding Press ‘4’ – A good understanding

Getting Started – Result 1

Scotland in Europe

Life expectancy trend by deprivation

The contrasting experience of Scotland’s communities How should we respond?

Individuals and communities have deficiencies & needs Individuals and communities have skills & resources

Features of asset-based working Identifies and supports protective factors, such as Individual level: resilience, self-esteem, sense of purpose, commitment to learning Community level: supportive networks, intergenerational solidarity, community cohesion Approaches involve Doing with rather than doing to (shifts in power, engagement and control; different decision-making processes) Seeing people and communities with needs as part of the solution not the problem Placing a premium on skills for resilience, relationships, and sustainable improvements Building mutually supportive networks

A bit about social capital Bonding capital – links with similar people, similar outlooks and values, strong ties, good for “Getting by” Bridging capital – links with people with different outlooks and values, weak ties, good for “Getting on” Linking capital – links with people and structures that make decisions that affect your life and community. Good when distance between is short. Best when community are involved in decision making.

Different areas of focus offer different opportunities Bonding capital – good for day-to-day psychological support, “bouncing back” from crisis Bridging capital – good for knowing about and taking advantage of new opportunities (e.g. jobs), and for adapting to changing circumstances Linking capital – good for creating an empowering environment; co-production and interests being heard and acted upon.

The policy context Integral to a shift towards prevention and health creation Supports the continued move to partnership and integration Reflected in the Scottish Approach to public service reform Fundamental to the success of reshaping services, personalisation, and investment in community-based service delivery …yet there are many inherent challenges

Contemporary challenges Increasingly atomised and individualised lifestyles Personal networks and associations becoming less grounded in geographic place Separation of networks between affluent and deprived individuals/ communities creates barriers to opportunity and social solidarity Workforce practices and expectations

Dragon’s Den - Context Community ‘X’: Discrete estate on the periphery of Big Town Population of 5,000 In top 5% of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation since the Index began in 2004 Recently undergone a process of physical regeneration resulting in marked improvements in housing stock quality Life expectancy is low Rates of hospital admissions, drug and alcohol problems and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants are high Usual activity supported but no significant impact seen

Dragon’s Den – Your brief as a ‘Dragon’ You’re a Senior Public Sector Manager: One of your key objectives for the next two years is to identify an approach that has the potential of improving outcomes for people living in ‘X’ in long-term Approach must be capable of delivering sustainable change Approach must also help to reduce NHS spend associated with the community in longer-term Total budget for the two years is £200k Five parties are pitching for some or all of this budget, but you are only going to hear one today whose aim is to raise social capital Reflecting on what Carol has said, listen to the pitch and decide if you are going to invest

“You what?”

Raising Social Capital – Aims Aim 1 - By doing things together and helping each other, individuals build new trusting relationships; helping to enhance their view of themselves and the community they live in. Aim 2 -Individuals and communities are more resilient and have greater capacity to address the challenges they face.

Raising Social Capital – Approach Individual and community engagement and asset- mapping Getting activities started Nurturing individuals and groups Reflection

Raising Social Capital– What’s Different? A focus on local people’s assets & building their capacity Community-led, not about external agendas Worker autonomy to adapt project to local context Flexible funding to turn ideas into action quickly Workers value and respect participants

Raising Social Capital Any questions before we vote?

Dragon’s Den – Vote 2 Are you persuaded enough by the proposed approach to Raising Social Capital to invest in it? Press ‘1’ for ‘Yes’ Press ‘2’ for ‘No’

Dragon’s Den – Result 2

Dragon’s Den Revisited – Your brief You’re a Senior Manager in the Public Sector: Same brief as before, but the project you have just heard about (‘Raising Social Capital’) is a real programme called Link Up and has been operating in ten communities for the past 2 years You’re going to be given an overview of the impact of the Link Up programme in those communities Based on what you hear, you will be asked again to decide if you are going to invest

Link Up Impact – Social Connections

Link Up Impact – Transformational Outcomes 7,376 social connections between people that might otherwise not have met 487 volunteering and helping others in their community 79 previously isolated but now engaging 102 attained skills/competency based/qualification/award 82 expressing desire to work 26 employed 72 attained food hygiene qualification 27 reduced alcohol consumption 66 re-engaged with formal decision-making structures Increasing self-efficacy (and resilience?) 21 reduced tobacco consumption 13 reduced drugs consumption 15 reduced some form of daily medication

Link Up Impact – Tales from Muirhouse BingoTRIM Community Shop Old Butcher’s Shop Open Cafe A’s story Sep 2012Sep 2013 B’s story

Dragon’s Den – Vote 3 Based on what you now know about the impact of the existing Link Up programme – would you invest in the Raising Social Capital project for community X? Press ‘1’ for ‘Yes’ Press ‘2’ for ‘No’

Dragon’s Den – Result 3

Potential barriers to Raising Social Capital Insufficient evidence-base Strategy & policy (including associated targets) not aligned Standards and practices inhibit raising social capital Organisational culture does not value social capital Workforce development does not support raising of social capital

Barriers – What do you think? (Vote 4) Based on your experience, what do you think is the most significant barrier to raising social capital? (only select one) Press ‘1’ - Insufficient evidence-base Press ‘2’ - Strategy & policy not aligned Press ‘3’ – Standards and practices inhibit raising social capital Press ‘4’ – Organisational culture does not value social capital Press ‘5’ – Workforce development does not support raising of social capital

Barriers – Result 4

Reducing inequalities and creating health – The importance of social capital In conclusion

Evaluation – Vote 5 Do you understand better now the potential of increased social capital to improve outcomes for individuals and communities? Press ‘1’ for ‘Yes’ Press ‘2’ for ‘No’