The Lambeth Community Fund – happiness and wellbeing awards Cathy Togher senior programme & relationships manager

Supporting increased wellbeing Partnership between Lambeth Council, NHS South East London and LCF launched in 2011 – the Lambeth communities for health programme £80,000 grants programme with capacity building support Grants from £2,838 to £9,900 to 11 organisations Focus on physical health as well as overall aim to improve wellbeing for local residents Additional training from colleagues at SLAM on wellbeing and Mental Health First Aid training

1 st year highlights Springfield Community Flat – women and girls project

1 st year highlights 11 grants supported 460 residents two MHFA training programmes two tailored designed ‘what is wellbeing workshops’, two measuring wellbeing workshops and one fundraising session was delivered. 76 training placements were accessed by local organisations (reaching 31 organisations that were not funded through the main programme) 21 hours of one to one capacity building support was provided to grantees

Then came the Lambeth happiness and wellbeing grants… In 2012 Lambeth Clinical Commissioning Group agreed to run another programme – the Lambeth happiness & wellbeing fund Groups had shown that a small amount of funding can go a long way and have a bigger impact if community / user led £16,756 awarded to 11 local groups ranging from £1,161 to £2,000 A greater focus on improving wellbeing

Lambeth happiness and wellbeing grants Priorities based on consultation feedback from Lambeth groups: o Address the impact of welfare reforms and socio- economic differences o Give young people skills and tools to cope with stress and depression and build resilience o Tackle isolation and loneliness and improve, expand and strengthen social networks Encourage measuring the impact on the wellbeing of the beneficiaries – evidencing our approach

Lambeth happiness and wellbeing grants – what happened? 180 residents supported to improve their mental wellbeing to date 369 indirect beneficiaries Primary beneficiaries were children and young people 22.2%, adults and older people at 22.2% 8 out of the 9 groups used a form of wellbeing measurement 34 volunteers helped deliver the work – 16 of whom were new and also beneficiaries One group secured an additional £3,700 for their work

Case study – Art4Space Funding was to run the ‘Get Involved’ project; a five- week course for five young people from a local youth club to undertake a community arts project and gain accreditation. Worked with 19 young people in the end! Ran extra sessions Used short Warwick –Edinburgh scale – all showed at least a two point improvement in wellbeing Five young people gained NOCN accreditation Measuring wellbeing now used across all their work!

Case study – Southbank Mosaics To provide training in mosaic arts for 10 adults at risk of marginalisation due to mental ill health in Lambeth Used NEF dynamic model of wellbeing with limited success All participants have gained confidence and feel more social Team went through Mental Health First Aid training as a result Promoting ‘five ways to wellbeing’ with all attendees now Veronica’s story…

Case study - Colombo Centre They ran a ‘living well’ programme of activities for over 60s living in the local area. This included physical exercise, cookery classes, dance classes and social activities Supported 55 older people (original target was 30) Wellbeing questionnaires Beneficiaries showed 1 point improvement in self efficacy, 2 point improvement in health and sense of wellbeing by 1 point Continued friendship and activities after the project finished

Additional outcomes Long term benefits: o Groups using monitoring to secure new funding o 6/9 projects continuing work at some level o Beneficiaries – friends made through the work have continued after the project and continue to decrease isolation and improve wellbeing o Groups integrating wellbeing measurements into core work (recognising all that they do improves wellbeing!) o Partnerships – new relationships with statutory providers in particular

Measuring wellbeing Seen an increased take up Groups more likely to secure repeat or new funding with evidence of their impact Innovative models being used and adapted Still facing barriers – incomplete findings, presenting information, integrating into core delivery, following through

Measuring wellbeing What can we do to facilitate measuring wellbeing? Prefer being handed a framework and being made to use it? Developing own frameworks? Offering a selection of methods? Training and support? User led / action research approach? What do you think?

Lambeth & Southwark happiness & wellbeing grants Based on the successes of our small groups we are pleased to announce the launch of the Lambeth & Southwark happiness & wellbeing grants Groups working in Lambeth and Southwark Grants from £500 - £2000 Welcome cross borough applications! More details go to : grants/overview.aspx

Contact us Cathy Togher telephone: