REC-CONNECT Building local pathways to community capital, social capital and connectedness to improve wellbeing outcomes: Building professional networks in local communities

Professor David Best Michael Edwards Sheffield Hallam University, UK

Aims of the presentation

• Provide you with background on our research work and the rationale for the project

• Describe the REC-CONNECT project: - Who is involved - How we are doing it - What we have done so far - What we plan to do next - How the project advance the principles and core objectives of 'recovery cities'

The central values of the centre: • widening access to justice • promotion of human rights • ethics in legal practice • overcoming social injustice • enabling desistance and

recovery • promoting criminal justice

accountability

@SHULawCrim

www.shu.ac.uk/dlc/helena-kennedy-centre

Rationale

• Two of the best predictors of long-term recovery are engagement in meaningful activities and participation in recovery support groups

• However, many clients are reluctant to do this without support and 'introduction'

• This requires effective mapping of community resources (ABCD) and partners who can do the linkage (connectors)

The ROSC model

Assertive linkage through community connectors

• Credible and engaging sources of CHIME • Strong links and networks in and commitment to

the community • Ability to engage with professionals and peers • Willingness and ability to be a ‘visible’ icon for

recovery • Commitment to supporting peers and making the

connectors group work

“We do that already”: Normal referral processes are ineffective

Alcoholic outpatients (n=20)

Standard 12-step referral (list of meetings & clinician encouragement to attend)

Intensive referral (in-session phone call to active

12-step group member)

0% attendance rate

100% attendance rate Sisson & Mallams (1981)

Manning et al (2012) – rationale and setting

• Acute Assessment Unit at the Maudsley

Hospital • Low rates of meeting attendance while on

ward • RCT with three conditions:

– Information only – Doctor referral – Peer support

Manning et al (2012) – findings

Those in the assertive linkage condition:

– More meeting attendance (AA, NA, CA) on ward – More meeting attendance in the 3 months after

departure – Reduced substance use in the three months after

departure

Project partners • Sheffield Hallam University, Department of Law and

Criminology / Helena Kennedy Centre • Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust • Sheffield Alcohol Support Services • Sheffield City Council Public Health, Drugs and Alcohol

Co-ordination Team • The Health Foundation (funder) • New partners (recruitment): Addaction, Phoenix Futures

Basic model and progress

Project duration of 15 months in 3 phases:

• Phase 1: Recruitment and training of clinical staff and volunteers (n=20) Trained 41

• Phase 2: Recruitment and training of community connectors (n=15) Trained 21

• Phase 3: Engagement of clients and follow-up assessment of impact on outcomes (n=20) 8 recruited to date; ongoing

What methods and measures we use

Workers and volunteers • Engagement / identification of assets / participation in

community connector phase Clients • REC-CAP assessment of clients functioning at baseline

and follow-up • Social identity mapping (SIM) • Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) and

introduction to the appropriate community connectors • Map engagement and social networks • Assess impact on client outcomes

What workers and volunteers do

Phase 1: • Be trained in the principles of assertive linkage (0.5 days) • Participate in ABCD mapping exercise (2-3 hours) Phase 2: • Take part in community connector training (0.5 days) • Meet regularly with other connectors (1 hour every 2 weeks) • Make links in the community (2-3 hours per week) Phase 3: • Make client introductions to, or become, appropriate community

connectors (as appropriate) • Assist in mapping client engagement and social networks, i.e. SIM (1-2

hours per week) • Assertively link clients to community assets (as appropriate)

What to link to 134 assets identified in 4 domains during ABCD exercise

MUTUAL AID GROUPS RECREATION AND SPORT

VOLUNTEERING, EDUCATION AND

EMPLOYMENT

PEER AND RECOVERY COMMUNITY GROUPS

Assets: recreation and sport

Assets: mutual aid groups

Assets: peer and recovery community groups

Assets: volunteering, education and employment

Phases 1 & 2 training sessions:

evaluation findings - organisational readiness for change

• A total of 63 workshop evaluations were returned over the course of phases 1 and 2 of the project

• Broadly positive responses to value of training, benefit to job and clients, and increased knowledge, with highest average scores across these domains

• Concerns around time and resources to utilise methods, with lowest average scores in related domains

Phases 1 & 2 training sessions:

evaluation findings (1) 1 2 3 4 5

4. Will be useful

17. Benefit and encouragement materials

1. Satisfied

2. Relevant

3. Feel comfortable

14. Support director

18. Materials regular and sustained

15. Other staff interested in learning

12. Train others

16. Like help one another

11. Good instructions and examples

10. Practice sessions

9. Adequate background and training

13. Follow-up

5. Enough staff capacity

6. Adequate office space and budget

7. Enough preparation time

8. Not likely to implement

Implementation of Training and Materials

Average Response (1 - Disagree Strongly, 5 - Agree Strongly)

Phases 1 & 2 training sessions:

evaluation findings (2)

1

2

3

4

5

Barriers to Implementation

Average Response (1 - Disagree Strongly, 5 - Agree Strongly)

1

2

3

4

5

Key Areas of Learning

Average Response (1 - Disagree Strongly, 5 - Agree Strongly)

Community connector launch:

evaluation findings (1)

1 2 3 4 5

4. Will be useful

16. Like help one another

17. Benefit and encouragement materials

1. Satisfied

2. Relevant

14. Support director

9. Adequate background and training

18. Materials regular and sustained

3. Feel comfortable

13. Follow-up

12. Train others

15. Other staff interested in learning

11. Good instructions and examples

7. Enough preparation time

5. Enough staff capacity

6. Adequate office space and budget

10. Practice sessions

8. Not likely to implement

Implementation of Training and Materials

Average Response (1 - Disagree Strongly, 5 - Agree Strongly)

Community connector launch:

evaluation findings (2)

1

2

3

4

5

Barriers to Implementation

Average Response (1 - Disagree Strongly, 5 - Agree Strongly)

1

2

3

4

5

Key Areas of Learning

Average Response (1 - Disagree Strongly, 5 - Agree Strongly)

Phase 1 & 2 comparison to launch event findings

• Launch event group generally more favourable to implementation of the training

• Both groups strongly endorsed the relevance, satisfaction and usefulness of the training

• Phase 1 & 2 group believed there would be less barriers to implementation

• Launch event group scored slightly higher on key areas of learning and were more enthusiastic about the future of REC-CONNECT

(Data was only available from 13 of 20 participants from the launch event group at the time of analysis)

Next steps • Active on-going engagement with community

groups

• Recruit clients, gather baseline data, match with connectors

• Evaluate client / recovery capital change 90 days after baseline

Principles of restorative practice

• Building and repairing relationships • Empowerment of individuals, teams and

communities • Mutual accountability • Shared responsibility • Outcome and solution focused

Principles of recovery cities

• Connectedness • Hope • Identity • Meaning • Empowerment (CHIME; Leamy et al, 2011)

• Workforce development and worker wellbeing

• Community-focused

• Family inclusive • Partnership-based

Core objectives of recovery cities • Inclusive • Re-integrative • Clear pathways to housing, employment,

and access to community celebration • Increased public awareness • Evidence-based

Questions?

Thank you.

Contact Details

MICHAEL EDWARDS

Michael.Edwards@shu.ac.uk Department of Law and Criminology

Sheffield Hallam University Collegiate Campus Sheffield S10 2BQ