Final report 6 4 17

Consultancy report

Consultancy Report March 2017

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Consultancy report

March 2017

Consultancy Report Background - taken from successful Shine Fund application In January 2016 Tyneside Recovery College and Launchpad successfully moved in to a new community location on the fifth floor of Broadacre House in the centre of Newcastle. This move was made possible with initial financial support from NTW NHS FT and Newcastle Gateshead CCG, with the clear expectation that a plan for future sustainability would be put in place within the first year.

This initial support provided by our statutory colleagues was to ‘pump prime’ what should become an independent entity with a strong VCS and user led focus. After further discussions with senior colleagues from NTW NHS FT and Newcastle Gateshead CCG we agreed that additional project management capacity is now urgently needed in order to significantly develop the existing service offer and manage the transition to the new organisational structure. It has also been agreed that Chilli Studios have the necessary experience and expertise to provide the requisite project management and leadership for the projects sustainability planning.

Proposed schedule for development within Shine fund over 18 months (Points with* referenced in Doc S1-S23) 1. *Form a legal structure that allows service to deliver objectives, unifies the collective and supports financial Sustainability. Suggested structure - Charity Ltd by Guarantee 2. *Identify key board member representation from all interested parties (NTW, CCG, MHC) and those with appropriate skills 3. *Open Bank account – pending information 4. Gain quotes and purchase liability insurance 5. *Create a timetable of funders to approach – grant tracker 6. Engage trainers to upskill collective/staff in organisation operations – 7. *Conduct an in-depth feasibility, evaluation and business study from identified partner in Disability North 8. *Confirmation of selected Outcomes 9. *Devise future staffing structure 10. *Develop fit for purpose policies and procedures 11. *Use data collected from studies to form the basis to numerous stage one core grant (H.Smith, Comic Relief, Reaching Communities etc.)

12. *Develop plans further, plan for project based grants 13. Apply for successful stage one – in stage two grants 14. Integrate monitoring aligned to specified grant outcomes 15. Achieve required core funding (KEY stage) 16. Outsource support with payroll and management accounts - recomendations 17. Recruitment process/confirmation of partner agents staffing input 18. Purchase of items identified as required 19. Schedule evaluation (costing in application) 20. Commence promotional push, engage fully in networks 21. Develop sustainability plan 22. Investigate future location (Long term security issue identified) 23. Disengage from service lead role

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Consultancy report

Summary of the consultancy support provided Over the first 6 months of my official involvement, I’ve attempted to understand how to make this exciting but inherently complex coming together become sustainable. This has involved numerous meeting and lines of communication in particular with Key individuals; Steve Nash VOLSAG, Angela Glascott Recovery College Coordinator and Alisdair Cameron Launchpad, hereafter referred to as the team.

(S1 & 2) Following significant work by Steve Nash and myself company registration for The ‘Recovery College Collective Limited’ (hereby referred to as ReCoCo) was confirmed on 19 th January 2017, Company Number 10573524.

The vision articulated, as a supportive partner, during the conversations of July 2016 focused on setting up a Charity (Charity registration in progress) that would be able the source funding. The perceived movement of travel required towards achieving this has brought up many challenges. I started on this journey with the perception that the details presented within the Shine Fund application where a guide for the key partners working together to achieve sustainability.

Because I perceive certain elements of the journey require the team to readdress their position within the future Charity, this presented challenges that I have tried to resolve but still struggle to navigate towards a shared vision. I appreciate that differences of opinions are natural in any process like this, however in the model we have chosen some of these differences I believe to be significant barriers to fulfilling good governance, and therefore hinder progression towards achieving sustainability.

As part of this I asked Victoria Armstrong- CEO of Disability North and who has experience of collaboratively working with partners to achieve common goals- to facilitate a number of development sessions to assist the team in overcoming some of these challenges (part of S7). The first session was held on 23rd November 2016 with the aim of working with the team to begin to explore what a shared vision would look like, including considering what the team want ReCoCo to look like in the future and begin to consider how they might get there. In actuality the session raised the important and key question about establishing a structure that all parties could agree on, these conversations provided an important foundation for how the ReCoCo structure then developed (see below). The second development session was held on the 13 th February 2017 and this was a more structured session based on discussion around the draft partnership agreement. It was agreed that this document was a working document but structure was agreed with an understanding that this would need to be reviewed as ReCoCo evolved. At the second development discussion the team also discussed the then recent Communities Fund application for a development worker and it raised questions and discussion within the team about whether this was the right approach for ReCoCo; some members of the team expressed the need for/wanted to prioritise more funding for the day to day running of ReCoCo rather than a new member staff. The third and final development session was held on 3rd March 2017 and focused on the ReCoCo student journey now and thinking about what the team would like that journey to look like in two years’ time. The rationale for this session was to consolidate where ReCoCo are, define any ‘sticking points’ (these could be related to organisational ethos, operational, capacity, funding etc.) and discussing with the team how this may be resolved from the perspective of the student experience. The most significant difference between what ReCoCo looks like now and what the team would like it to look like in the future was around funding for volunteers and sustainability of ReCoCo, along with the need to establish student pathways out of ReCoCo-including making innovative links with local businesses and other organisations.

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Consultancy report

Consultancy outcome Gantt chart

Key issues Having the Trust’s Recovery College Co-ordinator and Launchpad’s Manager solely lead and manage all the work within the new organisation presents difficulties. Not because of any concerns about their substantial skills and abilities, but in so much as, these individuals would not be responsible to the board of ReCoCo. Furthermore, it would raise concerns that the service is the responsibility of either a statutory based service or another company. I have attempted to resolve this by: 

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Enquiring if the NGRC Co-ordinator would consider a change of employer from NTW to ReCoCo in the future. This is an understandably risky personal decision and therefore seen as workable for now.

Develop a partnership agreement, which if formally agreed would give charitable funders reassurance of the Trusts and other’s providers financial commitment to the cause, and allow for partners within the agreement to apply on behalf of ReCoCo. Because the Trust’s NGRC Co-ordinator has invested so much into the designing and delivering the current service, it is my perception that they have developed an ownership of the project and feels this would remove their capacity to lead its progression. I believe this different perception has therefore hindered the progression of developing a role existing within ReCoCo. 4

Consultancy report

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The NGRC Coordinator has expressed uncertainty regarding their long-term availability within this demanding role, which heightens from my perception for the stability a role accountable to ReCoCo’s board of trustees could bring.

I feel if an agreement can be reached regarding a new position that fulfils the roles referenced in Recommendation point 1. This position would both complement and support the existing delivery team.

An opportunity that change perceptions for a period ‘The Communities Fund’ presented an opportunity, that following communications with Newcastle City Council and myself as the consultant, allowed the Council to formally apply for funding to support the main areas of need (Rental and Salaries). To achieve this; a partnership agreement would be required and work was done to complete a draft to share. When this proposal was initially presented, it received resistance, however after support from The Trust Deputy Chief Executive it was agreed as workable. In Feb 2017 we received confirmation that the applications was unfortunately unsuccessfully due to unprecedented demand (over 800 applications recieved), and now the concept of a role within the charity is no longer supported by the full team.

Recommendation 1 The agreement of the need for an ReCoCo employee (S9)Following the decision to incorporate ReCoCo as a registered organisation, it is recommended that a position within the new Charity be created to: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Report to the board of trustees regarding all activities delivered under the title of ReCoCo. Adhering to all responsibilities laid out in the Mems and Arts to Companies house and The Charities Commission (following registration).

Management of staff and volunteers under the responsibility ReCoCo Ltd In charge of recording staff annual leave including & volunteer/member attendance Managing budgets and processing payments for activities delivered by ReCoCo’s funds.

Handling cash/standing orders/cheques Maintaining correspondence with accountant regarding ReCoCo activities Work in collaboration with all partner agents and report and lead developments via The Partnership group Lead on implementation of policies and procedures under the responsibilities of ReCoCo Ltd Develop the long term sustainability of the Charity (grant applications and generation of income via charitable activities) Identified as lead on funding applications for reporting financial, monitoring and evaluation requirements.

In charge of the promotion of service within networks.

Ensure relationships with stakeholders (staff, volunteers, members, trustees, referral agents, carers, partners and supporters) maintained through lines of communication Start investigating new options for relocation (due to issues with lease discussed later)

For a suggested Job description, see (Appendices 1)

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Consultancy report

Recommendation 2 Partnership agreement To ensure the commitment from partners (including the team) into ReCoCo, a formally partnership agreement is recommended.

Following discussions with relevant stakeholders I have attached 2 separate documents. One is concise and will aid the speed of the agreement process. The other will provide a template for an agreement that fulfils the expectation of many charitable funders. If a relationship is developed with a funder prior to an application this may negate such detail being required. (Community foundation have expressed this possibility see recommendation 13) See Partnership agreements (Appendices 2 & 3)

Toolkit and Recommendations To support ReCoCo to progress with future development and provide the information required for applications I have reviewed all the key areas of concern and made further recommendations.

Organisation From the feedback provided in the development sessions I have constructed a brief description of how the team see ReCoCo: ReCoCo is an agent of social change with compassion and realism at its core. Negotiating the obstacles of health to deliver something that is refreshingly uninhibited by traditional limitations.

It an umbrella organisation which combines the NTW NHS FoundationTrust’s Tyneside Recovery College and The Mental Health Collective which is led by Launchpad but encompasses several voluntary sector mental health organisations working across Tyneside.

It is a vibrant, user-friendly resource, which is popular and very well accessed by the local service user community, whether to participate in a Recovery College course or give input into a meeting hosted by another mental health organisation.

Aims, Mission Statement During the process of registration as a company a wide range of Aims where provided: • • • • • • • •

To provide a peer led, peer delivered education and support service where people can learn from each other’s insights, skills and lived experience.

To nurture a community of warriors and survivors towards a sense of belonging and acceptance for who, what and how they are.

To enable connection and friendship To provide opportunities that allow students to aspire to be their best selves, identifying and recognising their innate strengths and talents and their ability to help others.

To promote recovery through peer led education and other peer led activities.

To provide a focus for peer leadership, peer support and recovery orientated practice.

To be directed by people who use (or have used) mental health services.

To enable collaboration between mental health service providers and organisations that support these aims.

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Consultancy report

Recommendation 3 It is my recommendations that these Aims become the mission statement for ReCoCo and a brief and succinct Aim be incorporated to ensure the vision is easy to describe to funders AIM - Collectively connecting people towards wellbeing

Structure of organisation Prior to my engagement in the consultancy role, numerous possible models had been reviewed by the team without finding a suitable model to take forward. It was my opinion, when requested, that the coming together in Broadacre could become sustainable by becoming a charity. Then once constituted the input into ReCoCo could be used as leverage to support funding opportunities. This vision was seen as a viable opinion and conversations around how to support my time where commenced.

Once on this journey the details of achieving the charitable vision became at times in conflict with the teams individual perception of what they wished ReCoCo to be. Therefore, the recommendations around structure need to be viewed with an understanding of the direction we entered into.

Coordination of activities currently begin delivered are provided by seconded staff provided by Tyneside Recovery College which is under management of NTW while Launchpad which is hosted by Mental Health Concern (MHC).

Current organisational management is now via the Board of ReCoCo and guidance could be given via the partnership group. How this relationship could work is described in the recommendation 4 model below.

Recommendation 4

Opportunities for funding

Staffing 7

Consultancy report

Below is a list of the current key staff inputting into the service delivery Angela Glascott - Patient and carer involvement coordinator at Northumberland and Recovery College Coordinator, Tyne & Wear NHS Mental Health Trust (NTW) Alisdair Cameron - Team Leader at Launchpad Peer Support Worker input via Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Mental Health Trust Denise Toward and Sarah Hilditch As well as additional input from a variety of input into ReCoCo from: Further Peer Support Workers, Engagement Lead, Pharmacist & Clinical Lead It is accepted and greatly valued that the progression to date under the banner of ReCoCo has been achieved by due to the amazing input from the Team as well as input from some very supportive individuals and organisations with in the wider collective As Stated in Recommendation 1. Because of registration as an independent organisation, I believe it is in the trustee’s interest that the organisation has a role that has to report back what are the legally responsibilities of the Board.

Volunteering ReCoCo holds great value in having peer led support at its core, with hundreds of courses facilitated by individuals with personal experience of mental health issues and recovery. These peers/facilitators are often engaged in the service as Volunteers.

Recommendation 5 If a Volunteer registers through ReCoCo they are managed and supported by an employee of the organisation, if volunteering under a partner agent then are managed and supported via the partner unless an agreement is in place for ReCoCo to do so.

Sessional staf Currently there is only one self-employed member of staff that I’m aware of who ReCoCo has paid; via Chilli Studios whom is managing the employee. Though this has been changed as a show of good will as of Jan 17.

If project based funding is secured in the future this may become a regular occurrence as specific skills required will need to be sourced from external partners.

Policies and Procedures 8

Consultancy report

(S10)Due to the close partnership, working the policies and procedures provided alongside this report have all been designed to align with those in operation through most relevant partners and stakeholders. (NTW/Launchpad/MHC)      

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Safeguarding Children Safeguarding Adults at risk Complaints policy and procedure Confidentially declaration DBS employers guide/Online instructions/check list Health and Safety

What to do if an adult is at risk Managing allegation flow chart Personal Safety Exclusion Social Media & privacy policy Volunteer application form/policy Expenses form ICT policy

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Recommendation 6

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In an arrangement where a partner agent employs someone delivering activities within ReCoCo an agreement needs to be place as to whose policies they must follow. It is recommended that this done with consideration as to the organisations ability to ensure robust policies are adhered to and supported. If a conflict of interest is raised this should be discussed and resolved with the individual, the ReCoCo staff lead and Partner agents.

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All policies and procedures should be agreed by board in due time with Safeguarding Adults/Children, health and safety and Personal safety reviewed first.

 Who will ReCoCo Serve? 

Client Group

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Mental ill health can affect everyone; because of this, the service works with a broad remit of client groups, inclusive of:

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Mental health service users Learning disabilities Families BME communities Veterans Carers

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Mothers LGBT Women’s and Men’s groups Drug and Alcohol misuse Homelessness Physical disability

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Each client group can present a wide range of needs and issues, as well as opportunities for access to resources.

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I believe there is no formal referral process in place other than from NTW channels whom provide information to NTW Staff.

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Recommendation 7

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I recommend mechanisms be in place to ensure an assessment of risk is conducted where possible. Within Chilli Studios we request whether there are any networks of support in place, then communicate with those services with greatest awareness and share key points with the staff team. Formal information, which is keep securely, is only requested if significant risks are identified. If an individual has no mental health based services involved we can still work with them if they agree their GP can be contacted via letter if required.

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Keeping a service both inclusive and safe requires the board’s direction.

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Recommendation 8

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As individuals with pronounced needs (particularly relevant to those with Learning Diabilities) may have been be allocated an individual payment/personal budget to support their wellbeing, it would be advantageous to have a cost assessment done of the service (this may only include ReCoCo incurred costs i.e rental) to charge for courses out of personal budget allocation. This would then become an avenue for supporting long-term sustainability

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Area of concern

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ReCoCo supports people in the communities of Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead and South Tyneside.

 Finance  

Management of accounts

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Because of the infancy of the organisation there are no funds currently to manage, however if sustainability is achieved this will become vitally important as well as a legal responsibility to provide transparent and well-managed management accounts.

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If various grant streams are eventually achieved the management of these will require significant time and expertize, funders will require a full breakdown of expenditure against income and often have differing start dates to the organisations own financial year.

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Recommendation 9

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The management of the finances I believe needs to be the responsibility of an employee of ReCoCo, to ensure they correctly record the details of income and expenditure against allocated cost centres. I recommend that ReCoCo additional employ the services of a recognised Voluntary sector accountancy service. This would support the staff member

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reporting to the Board a true summary of the accounts and support the board’s ability to agree forecasts going forward 

Accounts management, options to consider

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Approaching a larger organisation with strong affiliations like MHC or NCVS (Ellison services).

The cost of this service will vary according to the level of support required but will probably range between £500 -£1500

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Banking (S3)

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As previously stated due to the organisations infancy and lack of funds an account is yet to set up. Research has been done and communications towards doing this though have been made.

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Recommendation 11

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After reviewing the various banking services for Charities, below is a list of the top 4 accounts services for Charities.

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Santander - Treasurer Account Co-operative bank – Community Direct Plus Lloyds Bank – Treasure Account Reliance Bank – Charities Account

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Following direct experience of the procedures involved in setting up a Bank account, it is recommended to set up an account with Santander whom have a business manager who assists in the process. (lee.vickers@santander.co.uk Business manager at Santander Newcastle, Northumberland Street branch)

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Required information

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Copy of ReCoCo’s constitution and Company house certificate List of Board members currently recorded on Companies house List of intended signatures

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Reserve policy

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Even though this may seem like an area which is not yet relevant it is important to be ambitious and pragmatic about planning for the future

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Higher reserves can affect some funding opportunities negatively however likewise it can also attract funding because reserves help mitigate any financial risks; the charity is more likely to be able to withstand unforeseen pressures on future income and be able to continue to sustain the investment in changing circumstances 11

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Recommendation 12

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It is recommended that ReCoCo attempts to build reserves by generating income via activities; ReCoCo therefore should endeavour to develop 50% of annual expenditure in reserves within a 5 year period, whilst reviewing this target annually.

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I am aware of at least one Charitable funder (Greggs Foundation) who actively supports charities which have lesser reserves, therefore are perhaps more likely to support a charity at this early stage. However grant providers change their position regularly and this needs to be reviewed.

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Budget

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Below is a basic template that could be used to design a forecast, I have populated it with an estimated range of costs based on personal awareness of managing a service with similar outputs.

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 Funding 

Following discussions around the urgency to apply for funds I have compiled a Grant tracker with 59 possible funders which I have identified due to their suitability, for details of these funders and when to apply see:

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(S5)Appendices 4 – Grant Tracker, Identified grants

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(S12)A Grant template has been created which can be used for grants providers that request a standard 2-4 page letter of application.

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Appendices 5 – Grant template

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Two grants have been applied to, for reference see:

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Appendices 6 – Communities Fund

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Big Celebration (available if required but as applied for in Sept16 less relevant)

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As applications to charitable grants may be restricted by the fact ReCoCo is still in the early developmental stage, a grant application has been populated using Launchpad as the lead/host organisation and now requires Launchpad’s completion to send:

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Appendices 7 – Awards for All

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Recommendation 13

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ReCoCo uses the funding template provided to guide applications for funding opportunities identified within the grant tracker.

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Following a very productive meeting with The Communities Foundation an application to them should be actioned. This was encouraged with the stipulation that the partnership agreement is agreed by the identified partners

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Income generation

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ReCoCo will greatly benefit if it could generate income from a number of areas. Below are various areas to consider

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Charitable grants – see grant tracker Delivering training sessions externally – this has been mentioned as viable by the team Corporate Social Responsibility – using any possible links to develop relationships Personal/individual budgets – requires a cost assessment of courses (rental/expenses/materials) Commissioning – ReCoCo may require a period of consolidation before suitable Public health monies – The team has expressed knowledge in this area Donations/charges – Suggested cost of courses/refreshments/printing etc Development of Commercial enterprise – Seizing opportunities and utilizing student skills Crowdfunding – Skills available via relationship with Roots and Wings may help Sponsorship/Advertising revenue in prospectus - if advertiser in keeping with ethos

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Social Investment Bonds - this has been investigated and is not currently a suitable option Funding in Kind – this is already active and should continue Partnership funding agreements – partners may apply Links to Universities – Possible revenue streams could be made available

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Recommendation 14

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Approaching sustainability from numerous angles is imperative as it is seen by the standard voluntary sector funders as innovative and forward thinking.

For example- Though charging students may seem counterproductive for wellbeing in a time of significant austerity, it is worth acknowledging that not all students will be financial destitute and will gladly pay a small but valuable ‘donation’ when able towards courses. This can also increase a sense of ownership and provide confidence to those delivering sessions.

 Needs    

Needs identified and addressed Because of the broad range mentioned within the Client group section there are many possible needs identified, below is a possible summary of the key points in relation to Mental Health, taken directly from Chilli Studios successful Reaching Communities application (2015).

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Mental ill health affects 1 in 4 people (Mental Health Foundation {MHF} 2014). Literature suggests the effects of a mental health problem, such as stigma, discrimination, social isolation etc. can permeate to such a degree it can have a devastating impact on all areas of life including employment, parental rights, housing, immigration, health care and access to justice (MHF 2012; Time to Change, 2012; Mind, 2008; Sayce, 2000). That said, a report by Mind (2014) indicates local authorities spend an average of 1.36% of their public health budget on Mental Health. Spending on prevention and improving Mental Health represents a staggeringly low 0.001% of NHS Mental Health budget. Regionally, Newcastle Council has lost £218 per adult compared with some councils that have faced cuts of less than £27 (Newcastle City Council, 2014). Set against the backdrop of the North East which has some of the highest indicators of poor health (CLG, 2010) and the evidence that common Mental Health issues are strongly affected by social deprivation factors, the need becomes graphically evident.

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Recommendation 15

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When describing the needs, back up the augment with recognised evidence and data. If the project is serving a geographical area also refer to this. Keep to the facts and use concise and clear language, never expect the person assessing to understand the need without explanation.

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How does ReCoCo difer from other service providers?

Compiled from elements of information provided at development sessions 14

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ReCoCo offers something different by proving a space where people can receive the support from peers with lived experience, to move at their own pace from student to volunteer to peer to employment, it provides a meaningful vocational pathways for people with mental health needs.

United by a unique collaboration between the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), the Mental Health Trust (NTW), ReCoCo combines NTW’s Newcastle and Gateshead Recovery College and The Mental Health Collective, which is led in turn by Launchpad and encompasses several VCS mental health organisations.

ReCoCo is a safe place that is peer led, informal, non-clinical and provides people with structure and meaningful activity. ReCoCo is an agent of social change wrapped up in compassion and realism. Negotiating the obstacles of health to deliver something that is refreshingly uninhibited by traditional limitations and incorrect assumptions.

The transition between hospital environments and independent living is littered with pitfalls for its broad range of vulnerable client groups. ReCoCo provides meaningful activities, courses, information and self-help groups that are peer led, whilst managed by VCS and statutory provider expertise.

 Outcomes and Indicators          

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What are Outcomes?

Outcomes are the changes that ReCoCo can make over time to address the need identified.

They are the result of what ReCoCo does, rather than activities. For students and Peers, this might be things like improved health, new skills, more confidence or getting a job.

What are indicators?

Indicators help funders understand the signs of change and track progress towards achieving the change. An indicator is a sign that the outcome, or change, is happening.

ReCoCo will need to prove it provides a progressive yet flexible way for service users to utilise their lived experience for the benefits of other service users empowering themselves in doing so. This process provides an opportunity for skills and possibilities of paid work to be developed. Its Students and Peers are enabled and encouraged to explore their strengths.

Most funders will ask for a small number of outcomes that should be backed up by various indicators Funders often expect that outcomes are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely Recommendation 16 It is advised that within applications that request evidence of how the outcomes targets where reached that Students feedback is used:

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"I feel equipped to deal with more now than before. I feel like I'm on my way to progressing and want to work towards employment" "Attending has given me the motivation needed to move forward and leave the house They must also be being clear, well researched and ambitious. ReCoCo should then prove its service is the most appropriate way to address identified needs. Most funders will expect clearly defined beneficiary groups, which may be problematic with ReCoCo’s broad client group.

 Suggested outcomes    

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(S8) The outcomes listed below are only suggestions and are best decided by those more closely aligned to the service delivery within ReCoCo. According to The Mental Health Foundation ‘Peer Support also has benefits for peer support workers themselves, increasing levels of self-esteem, confidence and positive feelings that they are doing good. Peer-support workers often experience an increase in their own ability to cope mental health problems.’

Therefore, I suggest Outcome 1 could be focused on the Peer Workers themselves Recommendation 17 (Outcomes and Indicators)

  OUTCOME 1               

Peer Workers increase Self-esteem, confidence and have greater resilience.

Indicators Current Peer support workers delivery more sessions and report greater confidence New Peer workers identified through increased self-esteem of students Peer support worker become actively involved in outreach work through increased resilience The indicator targets could be linked to increases in peer support opportunities for beneficiaries in three distinct ways: • 25 existing peer support groups are supported • 10 new peer support groups established • 5 external peer support awareness training provided, embedding peer support and user-led principles in activities.

 OUTCOME 2   

Improved wellbeing for individuals with mental health issues In outcome 2 cold focus on the students and their wellbeing. Researching the concept of what wellbeing means has provided these recognized features: Competence, Emotional stability, Engagement, Meaning, Optimism, Positive emotion, Positive relationships, Resilience, Self-esteem (Features of flourishing from the European Social Survey) 16

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Reflecting many of these attributes is the excellent measurement tool (Empower Flower) whose 8 measures will provide significant evidence of improved mental health Indicators Students report a sense of greater empowerment Students are evidenced to move onto other non-hospital based services Students increase overall self-assessment on Empower flower Indicator levels Because of ReCoCo’s strong working partnership with statutory health care providers, evidence of reduction in repeated hospital admissions could be utilized. i.e those attending courses have a 30% reduction in readmission Due to the relationship with the wider Collective a record of moving on to other services could be recorded. 50 students started attending other voluntary sector providers

      OUTCOME 3                         

Beneficiaries will have increased employability skills Indicators Students report confidence to support others Students and Peers partake in external training programmes Peers achieve employment or move onto FE courses Indicator levels 10 Students become Peer Support workers 30 students and peers took part in University lectures in peer support 2 students achieve employment, 8 take further education opportunities

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In order to know whether ReCoCo are making progress towards achieving outcomes I have constructed a chart that can be used alongside suggested outcomes: Outcome

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Indicator

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Increased peer support opportunities

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Current Peer support workers delivery more sessions and report greater confidence (Continued operation of existing peer led group) New Peer workers identified through increased self-esteem of students (Increased number of Peer led groups) Peer support worker become actively involved in outreach work through increased resilience (Peer facilitators influencing policy) Student feel more

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Improved wellbeing for

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Indicator level – scores (X) can be related to years within a grant X groups continued X report improved self confidence

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X groups started X report improved recognizing of strengths

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X Peer facilitators influencing policy (link to Launchpad) X Report increased levels of taking responsibility

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X% recording increased 18

Students/individuals with mental health issues 

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Beneficiaries will have increased employability skills

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empowered

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Students take up more opportunities (move onto other non-hospital based services)



Students will complete courses that support employability Student take part in internal training/educational programmes





   



  

Students move closer to employment

     

overall score

X% reduction in hospital readmission X amount move onto other voluntary/educational services X students complete courses in X & Y X students report an increase in knowledge X Student take part in internal training programmes X students become Peer support workers X Students become Volunteers within other services X students become volunteers in external agencies X students become employed

  

    Delivery       

Activities ofered NGRC and Launchpad have already offered over 240 courses under the banner of ReCoCo since it started in Broadacre house.

ReCoCo has as of Jan 2017; 500 students enrolled on 41 courses (Jan-March term), this more than a 1000% increase since The Recovery College relocation into its community base in Feb 2016.

Peer involvement

19

 

Increased capacity has been achieved by a combination of co-production between the VCS and Statutory providers as well as the support from a pool of dedicated peers.

 Relationships







    

  Key Partners  Launchpad is a registered company hosted by the North Easts largest mental health provider Mental Health Concern (MHC). Delivering a service that is ran by mental health service users for mental health service users. It has provided for 18 years a platform for people with lived experience to be involved in the design, delivery and scrutiny of services.

Northumberland Tyne and Wear Mental Health Foundation Trust (NTW) are the main supporters of the developments to date and have agreed to continue generous support with clinical staff into Newcastle and Gateshead Recovery College Recovery college, which has now evolved through a partnership agreement into ReCoCo Newcastle and Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) as the commissioning body for NTW have invested additional moneys to support the development towards sustainability.   Key Stakeholders  Voluntary Sector Advisory Group (VOLSAG) which is also hosted by MHC is heavily invested in supporting the developments within ReCoCo Gateshead Clubhouse Supporter of the work and a vital link into day services in Gateshead Gateshead Mental Health User Voice Co Chair and supporter of the service Northern Creative Solutions Landlord and supporter 



Working closely with over 30 organisations everything done under the banner of ReCoCo is co-produced between clinicians, voluntary sector community providers (VSC), universities and peers. Peers are individuals with lived experience of mental health recovery and are central to ReCoCo’s delivery.

 Location  

   

ReCoCo is located within an ideal central location within Broadacre house, however like all tenants of the building faces a significant risk of early termination of tenancy. The rental is peppercorn (£31.5K per anon) and means similar opportunities with longer tenancy will be hard to identify. Though little financial investment has been made into renovation, significant time and energy has been made.

Recommendation 18 Once the board has had time to settle into role it would be advisable to start a scoping exercise around possible new locations. It may also be worth discussing any asset transfer opportunities with the councils.

 Presence  

The branding and publications of ReCoCo are visually strong and seem to have a good presence from a stakeholder’s perspective. However I have received feedback suggesting

20

     

service users have struggled to get the information easily they wish from the prospectus and online blog page.

Recommendation 19 Utilize the relationships with the wide-ranging stakeholders such as the PHD Marketing Student to improve ReCoCo’s presence on line

                         Financial summary of Consultancy time      

I have kept a diary of time spent and attempted to break this down into key areas: 5 days planning and delivery of development sessions, 6 days on emails/phone correspondences/additional meetings, 6 days on bid writing and communication with funders, 21

            

6 days research (bids, evidence, structure, feasibility), 2.5 days on developing constitution, 1 day on getting familiar with ReCoCo sessions and funding requirements, 4 days on partnership agreement development, 2 days other (bank, networking, board, external relationship in support of), 1.5 day on job role development, 1 day report/minute writing, 1 day arranging external support, 1 day on grant template 3 day policies and procedures 5 days on compiling final report 5 days on populating Grant Tracker



TOTAL 47 days of consultancy work (equals 1.5 days per week over 30 weeks involvement) at £125 per day = £6250



Victoria Armstrong’s time 10 days at £200 per day = £2000 (Invoices available)



TOTAL cost from first 6 months £8250



Total released to Chilli from Shine Fund for first 6 months (till 16th March) £8225



Total allocation spent

        

 Appendices 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Development worker Concise Partnership Agreement Full Partnership Agreement Grant Tracker (see excel attachment) Grant Template Communities Fund Application 22

7. Awards for all Application (see attached PDF) 

1.

 Job Title: Development worker 

Other titles: Co-ordinator/manager/fundraiser



Salary circa £21,000-26,000



Options – Make post part time, flexible working, self-employed (contracted)



Example:

     

22.5hours per week (3 days) £22 per hour Self employed - £22,797 Employed - £25,740



Accountable to: Chairpersons of Recoco



ReCoCo is forging a new way of working and a new approach to mental health, centring on community development and peer support skills, to improve user-led capacity in Newcastle, Gateshead and beyond which also provide a platform for service users to experience employment.



The space at Broadacre House is ideal for collaboration, pooled/shared training, joint events, for larger organisations to buddy/assist smaller ones and also to act as an incubator for service users who wish to start something (be that a group or a business opportunity) within a supportive, understanding and assisting environment.



Recoco is peer led and peer run. This means that everyone who works there has his or her own lived experience of recovery and survival. Our courses are developed around what people have already found to be helpful in their own recovery.



We acknowledge that many students have had difficult pasts and so it is important to us that students feel safe enough to be able to explore their emotions, connect with others, and feel supported to recognise their own innate resilience. We want you to feel a sense of belonging. All courses are free and open to anyone who would find them helpful in their recovery from mental illness, substance misuse, trauma or distress.



Job Purpose: To develop to new Charity, working closely with key partner organisations.



We are looking for someone with passion and drive to support the development of a new innovate, peer led, educational based service called Recoco. This newly incorporated charity will seek to build on an existing partnerships developed with NTWMHFT and N/G CCG based within Broadarce house.

Role

23



The successful candidate will become the central point of contact for the charity and assist in developing the current offer by seeking charitable grants to sustain and expand the service offered. They will be required to manage budgets within the Charity, develop robust procedures for working and able to provide valuable support and management to the emerging staff team and volunteers.



Face to face contact with service users will be an expectation of the role, so personal experience of mental health issues or at least evidence of an empathic nature of MH is essential.



Due to the unique relationship developed with both statutory and VCS providers a key role will be to support communication between all parties and ensure a safe and successful service is delivered



Key roles

1. To work within the inclusive ethos of the charity and have knowledge of a broad range of mental health related issues.

2. Be expected to manage the overall co-ordination of the service, working closely with the numerous partner providers at delivering a broad range of peer led educational activities.

3. Be expected to contribute to the ongoing revenue generation aimed at helping the Charity achieve its objectives.  

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

     

Have a strong awareness of mental health issues Very strong communication and interpersonal skills to inspire support and confidence.

Significant experience of working in the third sector at Management/ Board level.

Experience of successfully managing relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders.

Experience of representing a charity or company in public Demonstrable ability to translate strategic goals into effective and achievable operational plans monitoring progress and delivering results.

Able to initiate and lead programmes of change, generating new ideas and innovative ways of working.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills: particularly the ability to convey ideas and concepts to a varied audience.

General IT skills including Microsoft Office, Access, Excel, PowerPoint and Windows XP etc.

Ability to identify training needs in the individual and organisation Fundraising experience for the Charitable sector 

     

 The Recovery College Collective - ReCoCo  Draft Concise Partnership Agreement 

5th April 2017 v3 24

 Context  

 History of development towards this partnership 



 

 

     

 



In January 2016 Newcastle and Gateshead Recovery College (NGRC) and Launchpad (LP) successfully moved in to a new community location on the fifth floor of Broadacre House in the centre of Newcastle. This move was made possible with initial financial support from NTW NHS FT and Newcastle Gateshead CCG, with the clear expectation that a plan for future sustainability would be put in place within the first year.

This initial support provided by statutory colleagues was to ‘pump prime’ what should become an independent entity with a strong user led and VCS focus After further discussions with senior colleagues from Northumbria Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (NTW NHS FT) and Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group (NGCCG) additional project management capacity was recommended in order to significantly develop the existing service offer and manage the transition to the new organisational structure.

Chilli Studios has been contracted to support ReCoCo in the early stages of organisational development. The Recovery College Collective is now a registered Company Ltd by Guarantee with a board of 6 Directors (initially) and is referred to within this document as ReCoCo. This draft Partnership Agreement attempts to articulate a structure for those stakeholders whose input and support is critical to the ongoing success of ReCoCo, especially during its current phase of transition.

Aim of partnership The partners named in the Partnership Agreement agree to support, develop and promote ReCoCo as a peer led initiative where people who experience or have experienced mental health difficulties can come together, make connections and develop their knowledge and skills in relation to recovery.

ReCoCo acts as a collaborative hub, at present primarily combining the work undertaken by NGRC and Launchpad. The ReCoCo offer comprises a variety of creative, educational and support-based classes and groups. All courses are free and open to anyone who would find them helpful in their recovery from mental illness, substance misuse, trauma or distress, or to anyone who might find them beneficial to their wellbeing.

  Details of Core Partners 

Currently:25

            

NTW NHS Mental Health Trust (Lead contact) James Duncan NGRC (Lead contact) Angela Glasscot Launchpad (Lead contact) Alisdair Cameron NHS Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group (Lead contact) Chris Piercy

 Financial commitments   Details of funding    

 

Support has been agreed for the period of the partnership as follows:

• Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust of £59,174 current core staff costs £17,850 (for non-substantive staffing input) , £6,000 for travel expenses and running costs, £15,500 identified for Rental (staffing input and student expenses)  • Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation NTW’s Shine Fund £24,675 -25% will have been allocated by April in Chilli time/facilitator/governance.

Launchpad £44,000 Newcastle & Gateshead CCG £15,500 identified for rental    Details of other Stakeholders   Mental Health Concern  Northern Creative Solutions  (Launchpad host organisation and  (Landlord) ReCoCo development fund holder)  Stephanie Cole  Brendan Hill  Broadacre House  Buttress House  Market Street  Brenkley Way  Newcastle upon Tyne  Seaton Burn  NE1 6H   

1.

2. Length of partnership   

Enter any agreed dates

 26

 AIMS  All Core partners will support ReCoCo in its aim to:  Collectively connect people to support wellbeing           

To provide a peer led, peer delivered education and support service where people can learn from each other’s insights, skills and lived experience To nurture a community of warriors and survivors towards a sense of belonging and acceptance for who, what and how they are Enable connection and friendship Provide opportunities that allow students to aspire to be their best selves, identifying and recognising their innate strengths and talents and their ability to help others Promote recovery through peer led education and other peer led activities Provide a focus for peer leadership, peer support and recovery orientated practice Be directed by people who use (or have used) mental health services Enable collaboration between mental health service providers and organisations that support these aims

 Working together - Core Partners will agree to:   

  

  



Openness and transparency We will adopt the principles of openness and transparency in all aspects of operation and communication. This means that we will share information in a timely and accurate manner; that we will raise issues and problems as soon as possible and work creatively and constructively to find a resolution and that we will raise questions and queries promptly and share knowledge and expertise.

Sharing good and best practice We recognise that each of us has something to contribute to ReCoCo and that equally we have something to get from it. We will share learning through identifying good and best practice. Each partner will be encouraged to adopt best practice that they see elsewhere and to share examples widely within the partnership for the benefit of everyone.

Commitment to flexibility Core partners acknowledge that there is much to learn from each other and that there may be times when things do not go according to plan or to expectation. We will therefore be flexible in terms of how we operate and be prepared to make changes, often at short notice. We will also demonstrate our commitment to flexibility in terms of our relationships with each other and will endeavour to learn about the different constraints placed on each of our organisations and how these affect how we operate.

27



   

 18.     

Signed Declaration of all partners

By signing this declaration, each partner commits to comply with the terms and conditions of the partnership.

Partner name



 

ReCoCo

                         



Lead individual name









Newcastle Gateshead CCG



    

Steve Nash & Mish Loraine (Co-chairs)

Chris Piercy



NTW NHS FT





James Duncan



NG Recovery College





Angela Glascott



Launchpad





Alisdair Cameron



Stakeholders Mental Health Concern (host)

 

    

Brendan Hill

 

Norther Creative Solutions





Stephanie Cole



D at e

Signature

Page 28 of 48

      

 The Recovery College Collective - ReCoCo  Draft Full Partnership Agreement 

5th April 2017 v3

3. Context  

1.1





 

 

   

History of development towards this partnership In January 2016 Newcastle and Gateshead Recovery College (NGRC) and Launchpad (LP) successfully moved in to a new community location on the fifth floor of Broadacre House in the centre of Newcastle. This move was made possible with initial financial support from NTW NHS FT and Newcastle Gateshead CCG, with the clear expectation that a plan for future sustainability would be put in place within the first year.

This initial support provided by statutory colleagues was to ‘pump prime’ what should become an independent entity with a strong user led and VCS focus After further discussions with senior colleagues from Northumbria Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (NTW NHS FT) and Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group (NGCCG) additional project management capacity was recommended in order to significantly develop the existing service offer and manage the transition to the new organisational structure.

Chilli Studios has been contracted to support ReCoCo in the early stages of organisational development. The Recovery College Collective is now a registered Company Ltd by Guarantee with a board of 6 Directors (initially) and is referred to within this document as ReCoCo. This draft Partnership Agreement attempts to articulate a structure for those stakeholders whose input and support is critical to the ongoing success of ReCoCo, especially during its current phase of transition.

1.2

Aim of partnership Page 29 of 48

 

 



The partners named in the Partnership Agreement agree to support, develop and promote ReCoCo as a peer led initiative where people who experience or have experienced mental health difficulties can come together, make connections and develop their knowledge and skills in relation to recovery.

ReCoCo acts as a collaborative hub, at present primarily combining the work undertaken by NGRC and Launchpad. The ReCoCo offer comprises a variety of creative, educational and support-based classes and groups. All courses are free and open to anyone who would find them helpful in their recovery from mental illness, substance misuse, trauma or distress, or to anyone who might find them beneficial to their wellbeing.

4. Details of Core Partners                           

Currently:NTW NHS Mental Health Trust (Lead contact) James Duncan NGRC (Lead contact) Angela Glasscot Launchpad (Lead contact) Alisdair Cameron NHS Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group (Lead contact) Chris Piercy

Details of other Stakeholders Mental Health Concern Mental Health Concern (Launchpad host organisation and ReCoCo development fund holder) Brendan Hill Buttress House Brenkley Way Seaton Burn

         

Northern Creative Solutions (Landlord) Stephanie Cole Broadacre House Market Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6H

5.

6. Length of partnership  

TBC Page 30 of 48

 

7. Principles 

                 

4.1

Guiding Principles

AIMS All Core partners will support ReCoCo in its aim to:Collectively connect people to support wellbeing As a partnership we agree individually and collectively to support ReCoCo's guiding principles: To provide a peer led, peer delivered education and support service where people can learn from each other’s insights, skills and lived experience To nurture a community of warriors and survivors towards a sense of belonging and acceptance for who, what and how they are Enable connection and friendship Provide opportunities that allow students to aspire to be their best selves, identifying and recognising their innate strengths and talents and their ability to help others Promote recovery through peer led education and other peer led activities Provide a focus for peer leadership, peer support and recovery orientated practice Be directed by people who use (or have used) mental health services Enable collaboration between mental health service providers and organisations that support these aims

 Working together - Core Partners will agree to:   

  

  

Openness and transparency We will adopt the principles of openness and transparency in all aspects of operation and communication. This means that we will share information in a timely and accurate manner; that we will raise issues and problems as soon as possible and work creatively and constructively to find a resolution and that we will raise questions and queries promptly and share knowledge and expertise.

Sharing good and best practice We recognise that each of us has something to contribute to ReCoCo and that equally we have something to get from it. We will share learning through identifying good and best practice. Each partner will be encouraged to adopt best practice that they see elsewhere and to share examples widely within the partnership for the benefit of everyone.

Commitment to flexibility Page 31 of 48



      

Core partners acknowledge that there is much to learn from each other and that there may be times when things do not go according to plan or to expectation. We will therefore be flexible in terms of how we operate and be prepared to make changes, often at short notice. We will also demonstrate our commitment to flexibility in terms of our relationships with each other and will endeavour to learn about the different constraints placed on each of our organisations and how these affect how we operate.



8. Structure 



 

Partnership members are associate non-voting members of the ReCoCo Board, providing an advisory and supporting function. The ReCoCo Board of Trustees has responsibility but part of their considerations will be with the wider partnership.

This gives the partnership no formal status independent from the ReCoCo Board but ensures that key partners are obliged and committed to maintaining their existing contributions and to working together to develop ReCoCo.

                 

9. Membership 



Membership of the partnership has the capacity for growth as required. This will be possible through the networks supported by VOLSAG, and the Chair of VOLSAG is coChair of the ReCoCo Board.

Page 32 of 48

  

Membership of the partnership will be agreed at ReCoCo Board meetings prior to a new proposed partner attendance. All new members must sign up in full to this partnership agreement first.

1. Communication between members 

    

The Partnership will meet every quarter providing an advisory and supporting function.

Outside of meetings we will communicate by email.

Board meetings will be chaired on annual basis by agreement.

Student Union meetings will be facilitated by Gateshead user Voice, who will represent student voice at the partnership meetings/and ReCoCo Board.

Minutes for both Partnership and student meetings will be taken by Admin support provided by NTW.

2. Making Decisions 

 

The Board of ReCoCo will have the ultimate responsibility to make decisions effecting ReCoCo. The Partnership will provide valuable direction to the Board.

3. Resolving problems 



  

Where there is a conflict, dispute of difference within the Partnership, in the first place we will try to resolve the matter through senior managers of the parties concerned. If there is still no resolution then we will involve the Board of ReCoCo to reach a decision on how to proceed.

7.

 7.1 





Membership roles and responsibilities Range of services

 Each partner will deliver the services as agreed and set out in Annex B  Brief description of Roles Lead Agent: NTW NHS Mental Health Trust: Provision and management of staffing offer into ReCoCo; provision of student expenses; access to Trust systems and support re clinical data, risk management; administrative support to the Partnership Meetings  NG Recovery College: Lead on enrolment, understanding student strengths and needs. recording participation and measuring student progress, marketing of service, producing reports, ensuring health and safety within space is adhered to, data protection, equal opportunities, quality standards, volunteer coordination and support, supervision and appraisal, additional administration support, course development liaison with partners (with Launchpad), partnership development (with Launchpad) and liaising with NTW NHS FT service areas.  Page 33 of 48







 

ReCoCo: Has accountability to ensure that the limited company meets all the conditions set out in the company's Memorandum and Articles, and keeps all of its legal obligations including delivering its charitable aims, sustainability, financial reporting, safeguarding, recording and sharing of monitoring information, development of embedded evaluation tools, strategic planning, payments, subcontracting of work, recruiting beneficiaries.  Launchpad (CHAIR OF PARTNERSHIP): User Voice representation within partnership, peer worker support, provision and coordination of specific activities and groups, information sharing, networking, recruiting beneficiaries  NHS Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group: Identifying and supporting service development opportunities Monitoring the alignment of outcomes with national directives    Stakeholders  Mental Health Concern: Management support for Launchpad and VOLSAG:   Northern Creative Solutions: Ensuring the venue is suitably managed for service user groups and fully accessible, informing partnership of any changes in tenancy in advance.

Continue strong lines of communication with ReCoCo, joint coordination of media activity relating to project provision, providing public liability relating to the space, provision of rooms and refreshments for ReCoCo Board meetings.  

 7.2 Attendance at partnership meetings & sub groups 



 

All partners are expected to attend partnership meetings and where possible send the same representative each time to ensure continuity. If a partner is unable to attend then the onus is on them to find out what was discussed and agreed at the meeting.

Sub groups to deal with particular issues can be arranged when required; feedback by identified representation needs to be given at next partnership meeting

  8.     

Quality standards

The Partnership will adopt the following quality standards and all partners are expected to comply: Agenda items for each meeting must be sent one week before and set by the ReCoCo Co Chairs (agenda items can be requested by partners) Minutes are taken at each meeting by NTW Admin support and sent out within the week to all partners Page 34 of 48

   

Attendance at partnership meetings & sub groups is expected and if not possible apologies sent at least one day before The Chair role should ideally be rotated on a yearly basis

 9.    

Insurance requirements

Each partner is responsible for maintaining relevant insurance policies including public liability, employer’s liability and professional indemnity

 10. Health and safety   

Each partner is responsible for the health and safety of their staff, volunteers and beneficiaries in accordance with their and ReCoCo’s health and safety policy and should have suitable risk assessment systems.

 11. Data protection    

All partners should comply with the requirements of the data protection act

 12. Monitoring and reporting    

Monitoring and reporting information will be fed back to the partnership by ReCoCo according to what the partner’s request.

 13.  

Policies and Procedures

Each organisation will follow its own policies and proceedures unless arranged otherwise 

 14. Financial and contractual arrangements 

 14.1 Details of funding    



Support has been agreed for the period of the partnership as follows:

• Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust of £59,174 current core staff costs £17,850 (for non-substantive staffing input) , £6,000 for travel expenses and running costs, £15,500 identified for Rental (staffing input and student expenses)  • Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation NTW’s Shine Fund £24,675 -33% will have been allocated by April in Chilli time/facilitator/governance.

Launchpad £44,000 Page 35 of 48



Newcastle & Gateshead CCG £15,500 identified for rental 

 14.2 Payments and claims  

 



Partners can provide goods and services to ReCoCo (for example payments to run occasional training courses or professional services such as accounting or legal work).

Partners can only do this if it is in the best interests of the charity and if the payment is reasonable (and should be cheaper than buying in the goods or service from other sources).

Out of pocket expenses can be provided with the agreement from the partnership and with evidence of expenditure. Travel reimbursement will be set at a limit of £5 (50p per mile) and will require a travel expenses form to be filled and signed by the Lead agent. Both where possible will be reimbursed via ReCoCo Petty Cash.

 14.3 Overpayments  

If an overpayment is made, a letter explaining the breakdown/overpayment must be provided by the Lead Agent, this then needs to be agreed and signed by the Chairman of ReCoCo Board before a request for payment back is sent out.

 15. Terminating this agreement 

 15.1 Giving notice   

A member of the Partnership may give three months’ notice to terminate their membership by writing a letter to the board of ReCoCo stating the reason for ceasing the partnership and from which date.

 15.2 Breach of agreement  



If there is a breach of this partnership Agreement the Lead partner with assistance from ReCoCo Board representation, will endeavour to resolve the matter swiftly and in writing. The partner in breach may have their membership suspended during this time in which case they will not be able to act on behalf of the partnership. If the breach cannot be rectified, the member may be asked to leave.

 16.   

Branding and Publicity

All communications representing the work of ReCoCo must have the appropriate terminology and branding. No critical comments may be shared publically and must be dealt with within the partnership meetings.

 17. Sustainability Page 36 of 48

 



An updated sustainability plan must be presented to the partnership with the possibility of sub groups formed to support these plans prior to presentation if required. This plan will currently be provided as part of the consultancy provided by Chilli Studio.

           18.   

Signed Declaration of all partners

By signing this declaration, each partner commits to comply with the terms and conditions of the partnership.

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Partner name

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ReCoCo

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Lead individual name

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Newcastle Gateshead CCG

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Steve Nash & Mish Loraine (Co-chairs)

Chris Piercy

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NTW NHS FT

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James Duncan

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NG Recovery College

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Angela Glascott

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D at e

Signature

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Launchpad

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Stakeholders Mental Health Concern (host)

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Norther Creative Solutions

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Alisdair Cameron

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Brendan Hill

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Stephanie Cole

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 ReCoCo  5th Floor  Broadarce House  Market St, Newcastle upon Tyne  NE1 GHQ

 Project title Adjustable variables

Project Brief ReCoCo requires funding to run a substantial range of peer led and professional artist led recovery based courses, for one term (12 weeks). ReCoCo is to become an agent of social change with compassion and realism at its core. Negotiating the obstacles of health to deliver something that is refreshingly uninhibited by traditional limitations, through an innovative relationship created between voluntary and statutory sector providers.

This project activity has piloted with the support of the statutory providers and has a wealth of evidence supporting its delivery outcomes.

Request for Funding: Details of planned expenditure Materials, facilitator costs, rental, vol expenses

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Total cost £000

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Requested from ………

Foundation £000

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Organisation Status and Management Page 38 of 48

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ReCoCo is a registered company (Company Reg Number ? ) with a board of 6 directors with a range of important skills and experience of mental health related issues.

  Key Partners Launchpad is a registered company (Company Reg Number ? ) hosted by the North Easts largest mental health provider Mental Health Concern (MHC). Delivering a service that is ran by mental health service users for mental health service users. It has provided for 18 years a platform for people with lived experience to be involved in the design, delivery and scrutiny of services.

Northumberland Tyne and Wear Mental Health Foundation Trust (NTW) are the main supporters of the developments to date and have agreed to continue generous support with clinical staff into Newcastle and Gateshead Recovery College Recovery college, which has now evolved through a partnership agreement into ReCoCo Newcastle and Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) as the commissioning body for NTW have invested additional moneys to support the development towards sustainability.

Voluntary Sector Advisory Group (VOLSAG) which is also hosted by MHC is heavily invested in supporting the developments within ReCoCo 

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Working closely with over 30 organisations everything we do is co-produced between clinicians, voluntary sector community providers (VSC), universities and peers. Peers are individuals with lived experience of mental health recovery and are central to ReCoCo’s delivery.

ReCoCo already has offered over 240 courses. In Dec16 ReCoCo received an award from The National Positive Practice Award for Partnership Working, beating over 50 national initiatives.

Progression to where we are; The twin forces of the Recovery College and Launchpad, with all of the creative networking and alliances have combined to provide a new service called ReCoCo. Based on the 5th Floor of Broadacre House in central Newcastle upon Tyne, it is has become a vibrant, user-friendly resource, which is popular and very well accessed by the local service user community, whether to participate in a Recovery College course or give input into a meeting hosted by another mental health organisation.

United by this exciting collaboration between the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), the Mental Health Trust (NTW), ReCoCo combines NTW’s Newcastle and Gateshead Recovery College and The Mental Health Collective, which is led in turn by Launchpad and encompasses several VCS mental health organisations.

ReCoCo is a safe place that is peer led, informal, non-clinical and provides people with structure and meaningful activity. ReCoCo is an agent of social change wrapped up in compassion and realism. Negotiating the obstacles of health to deliver something that is refreshingly uninhibited by traditional limitations and incorrect assumptions.

The transition between hospital environments and independent living is littered with pitfalls for our vulnerable client group. ReCoCo provides meaningful activities, courses, information and self-help groups that are peer led, whilst managed by VCS and statutory provider expertise.

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It is this shared vision that works; as the students express:

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"The attitude of the people around makes you feel valued and accepted"

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"I feel equipped to deal with more now than before. I feel like I'm on my way to progressing and want to work towards employment"

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"Attending has given me the motivation needed to move forward and leave the house"

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This project activity has piloted with the support of the statutory providers and has a wealth of evidence supporting its delivery outcomes.

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Mission Statements To provide a peer led, peer delivered education and support service where people can learn from each other’s insights, skills and lived experience.

To nurture a community of warriors and survivors towards a sense of belonging and acceptance for who, what and how they are.

To enable connection and friendship To provide opportunities that allow students to aspire to be their best selves, identifying and recognising their innate strengths and talents and their ability to help others.

To promote recovery through peer led education and other peer led activities.

To provide a focus for peer leadership, peer support and recovery orientated practice.

To be directed by people who use (or have used) mental health services.

To enable collaboration between mental health service providers and organisations that support these aims.

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Enrolment Process

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Qualified mental health practitioners enrol all participants as students of the college.

Information is collected about individual’s personal details, aspirations, needs and situation.

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During this process and we conduct an in-depth assessment of their wellbeing utilizing a bespoke assessment tool called ‘The Empower Flower’. This is a Self-Reported Measurement Tool is based on the principles of Peer Support. That means the student decides which number on each petal best relates to how they feel at this point in their life. After a few months, it is reviewed to identify whether progress has achieved.

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The petals on this ‘Flower’ relate to: Feeling connected, Recognising strengths, feeling hopeful, Taking control, Taking responsibility, Self-worth, Having a purpose, Keeping myself safe.

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Service Delivery ReCoCo has as of Jan 2017; 500 students enrolled on 41 courses (Jan-March term), this more than a 1000% increase since The Recovery College relocation into its community base in Feb 2016. Increased capacity has been achieved by a combination of co-production between the VCS and Statutory providers as well as the support from a pool of dedicated peers.

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This increased workload has dramatically increased costs for areas such as expenses, materials, administration and placed significant strain on the workload of the staff.

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Need

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Mental ill health affects 1 in 4 people (Mental Health Foundation {MHF} 2014). Literature suggests the effects of a mental health problem, such as stigma, discrimination, social isolation etc can permeate to such a degree it can have a devastating impact on all areas of life including employment, parental rights, housing, immigration, health care and access to justice (MHF 2012; Time to Change, 2012; Mind, 2008; Sayce, 2000). That said, a report by Mind (2014) indicates local authorities spend an average of 1.36% of their public health budget on MH. Spending on prevention and improving MH represents a staggeringly low 0.001% of NHS MH budget. Regionally, Newcastle Council has lost £218 per adult compared with some councils that have faced cuts of less than £27 (Newcastle City Council, 2014). Set against the

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backdrop of the North East which has some of the highest indicators of poor health (CLG, 2010) and the evidence that common MH issues are strongly affected by social deprivation factors, the need becomes graphically evident.

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ReCoCo is totally committed to the principle of equal opportunities and to creating a working environment in which staff, volunteers and service users are treated with dignity and respect, that is free from unlawful discrimination, victimisation or harassment on the grounds of: race, colour, gender orientation, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origin, age, gender, gender reassignment or marital status, sexual orientation, pay rate, or disability.

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Needs Addressed – Focus on the funders areas of concern

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We provide courses for a wide range of client groups, some are open groups and others are designed to provide benefit to selected communities. Current provision includes sessions for:

 • service users  • disabilities  •  • communities

Mental health Learning Families BME

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• Veterans • Carers • Mothers • LGBT community

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• Women/ Men’s groups • Drug and Alcohol misuse • Refugees and Asylum seekers • Homelessness

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Outcomes

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For small applications these may be limited and be focused on specific activity outcome

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Outcome

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Indicator

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Improved wellbeing for Students/individuals with mental health issues taking part in activity 

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Student feel more empowered

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Indicator level – scores (X) can be related to years within a grant X% recording increased overall score

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Evaluation

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Enter any evaluative data relevant to activity request

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Bank Account details

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Enter details to ensure funds received are to the correct account

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Policies and Procedures

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ReCoCo has developed a full range of policies and procedures: list optional

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Yours Sincerely

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Person applying

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Co-Chairs

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Independent referee

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Optional

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Remember to add logos of current funders to show a future funder their logo will be shown in future

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Communities Fund – Bid Form

1. Applicant details 

Local authority (accountable Body for project)

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Newcastle City Council

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Name of project lead

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Ang Jamson

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Title

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Commissioner, Social Care

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Address

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Newcastle City Council Room 104 Civic Centre Barras Bridge Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QH

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Email

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angela.jamson@newcastle.gov.uk

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Partners

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Newcastle City Council and The Recovery Collective (ReCoCo)

2. Which grant phase are you applying for (please tick one only)?  

Phase one (2016/2017) 2017

Funding will need to be spent by 31 March

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Phase two (2017/2018 2018

Funding will need to be spent by 31 March

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CLEAR CRITERIA

3. Which services or service areas are you interested in redesigning? Why have you chosen these services/areas? (300 words)

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In Jan16 Tyneside Recovery College at St Nicholas Hospital and Launchpad successfully moved in to a new community location on the fifth floor of Broadacre House in the centre of Newcastle. Financial support from Northumberland Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle Gateshead CCG was provided with the clear expectation that a plan for future sustainability would be put in place.

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In Jan17 a board was created and registered under the title of ReCoCo with Companies House, registration as a charity will follow soon. To support its delivery a partnership agreement has been designed which includes Newcastle City Council as the lead body.

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Our chief focus is mental health, but viewing that in a broad sense in order to acknowledge and accommodate the complexity of people’s problems, which often cross-over with learning disabilities, drug & alcohol misuse/addictions, dementia, domestic violence, neurological problems, autistic spectrum disorders.

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There are many good and valuable services and organisations that assist with service users’ issues, but they lack cohesion, and a means of collaborating in a shared space with service users central to the operation and direction.

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ReCoCo already has offered over 240 courses. In Dec16 ReCoCo received an award from The National Positive Practice Award for Partnership Working, beating over 50 national initiatives.

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We wish to make the ReCoCo a hub in the creation and provision of meaningful vocational pathways for people with mental health needs focused on real outcomes. A place where people can receive the support they need to move at their own pace from student to volunteer to tutor to trainee to employment, perhaps as a peer support worker or self-employed basis. To achieve this we are involved in the development of a new innovative business incubator model that focuses on the pathway to recovery being a sustainable economic opportunity.

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CLEAR PLAN

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What models/approaches are you considering? What success criteria may be used, how will these be measured and how are you looking to make the project sustainable if successful? (300 words)

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ReCoCo use a multi-purpose Community Hub model, acting as a safe place seen as attractive by people with Mental Health problems because it is peer led, informal, and non-clinical. It provides people who need it with structure and meaningful activity.

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At its core will be a Developmental role that co-ordinates the broad range of service providers and develops a clear plan for sustainability, which will incorporate the strengths of its students. It will have a transparent, mutually-assistive way of operating, open to all, and every mental health group being positively welcomed to use its space, rooms and resources.

This aids peer support in three distinct ways:

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• Allowing interested service users to establish new peer support groups

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• Working with service providers to embed peer support and user-led principles in activities.

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The key to ReCoCo is that it not only centers on user-led peer support, but also that it is “open source” or non-proprietary, working across organisations within the locality. This gives the most supportive, progressive yet flexible way for service users to utilise their lived experience for the benefits of other service users, and to empower themselves in doing so, working across different agencies and communities without barriers

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Being in the same place brings systemic benefits and synergies: improving the connectivity and networking between services, bringing them closer to user-led initiatives, thus lowering the barriers between organisations and promoting user-centered and user-led working.

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We developed the Empower Flower, which acts as self-reporting visual representation of a student’s strengths and needs. Feeling hopeful, feeling connected, keeping safe, having purpose, taking responsibility, recognising strengths, self-worth and taking control, which is self-assessed before and after courses. We also have a wealth of evidence of how important connection and opportunity is fostering real hope from recognised bodies.

Up-skilling and boosting capacity for existing peer support groups

  RESOURCES 4. How much money are you applying for, what would you spend the money on and what dedicated resource would you apply to this project?

(300 words)

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We are requesting a total of £69,675. This comprises of:

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General running costs of £3,835 (Materials, Volunteer expenses, Office, Equipment IT AV related), Staffing £31,640 (Recruitment £300, Service Development Worker with on costs £26200, facilitator fees £5440) Rental £31,200 Administration of grant fee £3000 by council.

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With this proposal comes a substantial commitment of resources from:

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Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust of £17,850 (staffing input), Newcastle & Gateshead CCG £32,000 (current rental till April), NTW’s Shine Fund £24,675 (Consultancy support, insurance, training, promotional fees), Northumberland Healthcare £680 (professional development), Northumbria University £3170 (partnership research), Roots and Wings (design) £7800

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 This is as well as over 2000hrs of volunteer time from individuals and practitioner with personal experience of Mental Health related issues 

With this proposal comes the opportunity to have a dedicated role to develop the engagement of new providers and partners that allows the offer to substantially grow and aid future sustainability

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PARTNERSHIP

5. Who will form the partnership and how we this aid delivery? (300 words)

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The partnership agreement with Newcastle City Council and ReCoCo will be a core part of a wider partnership agreement that include:

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Gateshead City Council, Northumbrland Tyne and Wear Mental Health Foundation Trust, NHS Newcastle Gateshead CCG, Northern Creative Solutions (Landlord of location), Launchpad - hosted by Mental Health Concern VOLSAG (Voluntary Sector Advisory Group) - hosted by Mental Health Concern.

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This Partnership will have Newcastle City Council as the lead body managing the fund.

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The agreement will support the delivery of a service that will become a center of excellence locally and nationally for embodying a truly peer led ethos, supporting individuals on the path to recovery, in whatever way that is meaningful to them.

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The partners will report via the Service Development Worker to the board of ReCoCo and ensure the ReCoCo can lead, advise and train others in how to establish and nurture peer support. To provide a peer led, peer delivered education and support service where people can learn from each other’s insights, skills and lived experience.

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The Partnership Agreements Aims will be to:

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* To nurture a community of warriors and survivors towards a sense of belonging and acceptance for who, what and how they are.

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* To enable connection and friendship

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* To provide opportunities that allow students to aspire to be their best selves, identifying and recognising their innate strengths and talents and their ability to help others.

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* To promote recovery through peer led education and other peer led activities.

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* To provide a focus for peer leadership, peer support and recovery orientated practice.

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* To be directed by people who use (or have used) mental health services.

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* To enable collaboration between mental health service providers and organisations that support these aims

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LEARNING

6. Do you agree to share your learning with others as per prospectus and participate in the evaluation until 2020 (please tick one only)? 

Yes

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No

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