Government Announces Social Prescribing Schemes Will Receive £4.5 million

The funding plans to allow GPs to refer more patients to social activities or other types of support to improve health and wellbeing, and to reduce demand on NHS services.

The government has announced investment plans of nearly £4.5 million to put towards social prescribing programmes that will refer patients to their local voluntary and community services, including walking groups, arts and crafts sessions or gardening activity across England.

Research suggested that social prescribing can reduce demand on NHS services: a UK study found that after three to four months, 80% of patients referred to a social prescribing scheme found that they relied on Accident & Emergency departments less, and made fewer outpatient appointments or became inpatient admissions less often.

23 social prescribing projects in England are to benefit from a share of the funding to either extend current social prescribing schemes or develop new ones.

Gardening is viewed as a form of social prescribing

Social prescribing schemes include a focus on:

• Reaching out to people who may be socially isolated, such as those with mental health problems or learning difficulties
• Providing support for those affected by health inequalities, such as transgender people or people from BAME backgrounds
• Helping people with particularly complex needs who regularly access health services

The funding will come from the Health and Wellbeing Fund, part of a programme of government investment in the voluntary sector. The projects will be fully funded through the scheme in their first year. Additional joint funding from local commissioners will be agreed for the subsequent two years.

Care Minister Caroline Dinenage commented by saying that:

"The voluntary and community sector has such a vital role to play in working with our health system to provide the kind of support that you can’t receive at your local GP surgery or hospital.

"This new funding will mean that many more people receive support that looks at their needs holistically, enabling them to live happier, more independent lives. I look forward to seeing these projects put their plans into action and provide support to hundreds of thousands more people."

VSNW manages the North West Social Prescribing Network. To become a member or discuss being a member please contact Jo Ward by email: jo@jowardchangemaker.org.uk or telephone: 07708 428096, or you can complete our registration page and sign-up online.

Three North West Charities Win Weston Charity Awards

Liverpool Mencap, Care Network Blackburn with Darwen and Blackburn and Darwen District Without Abuse (BDDWA) have been announced as 2018 Weston Charity Awards winners and will each receive a core grant of £6,500 and a year’s strategic planning support.

Mencap Liverpool

The Weston Charity awards celebrate and support front line charities which generate incomes under £5 million and are located in the north of England, the Midlands and Wales. Criteria for inclusion includes the delivery of youth, welfare or community services. Nearly 200 small charities applied but there were just 20 winners.

The award applications revealed that small charities seek support to maximise their impact and help more people. This is backed up by research carried out by Weston Charity Awards among 234 small charity leaders indicating that they expect to deliver more with fewer resources in 2018. Three in five small to medium sized charities expect to support more service users in 2018, despite most not feeling confident about income growth this year.

Philippa Charles, Director of the Garfield Weston Foundation behind the awards, said:

“Small charities have stepped up to deliver essential services in their communities and are extremely adept at being highly creative with limited resources. Their directors wear many hats as they juggle multiple roles but they need support.”

According to the UK Civil Society Almanac, half of England’s charities are based in London, the South East and South West – with 3.2 charitable organisations per 1,000 people in the South West compared to just 1.9 in the North West). This highlights how charities in the North have to work disproportionately harder to meet the needs of the communities they support.

The directors of the 20 winning charities will be matched with teams of senior business leaders for a programme of mentoring and coaching, to strengthen their organisations and increase impact. They also receive £6,500 of unrestricted funding from the Garfield Weston Foundation to take part in the programme, as well as access to the advice and support of Pilotlight.

Gillian Murray, Chief Executive of Pilotlight, said:

“Large charities have been in the spotlight in recent months for the right and for the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, up and down the country small charities are quietly facing rising demands for their services. Our programme is an opportunity for the award winners to develop the skills they need to make the maximum impact, even as they are being stretched to capacity.”

Community Leaders join Greater Manchester’s Devolution Reference Group

The Greater Manchester Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Devolution Reference Group has welcomed two new members.

Khadija Tily, Operations Manager with KYP, an independent charity which aims to empower individuals and communities to bring about socio-economic prosperity for Rochdale and surrounding areas. Her 20 year vision for Greater Manchester is to see a marked change and improvement in specific localities that have not seen sufficient development in the last 30 years. She fears that the dialogue and landscape have changed very little in that time.

As a nominee from the GM BME Network, Khadija feels that there may be multiple, complex barriers holding the region’s black and minority ethnic communities back and that there ought to be research into the causes. She also believes that change will only occur with the political will, supported by high level strategic measures and accompanied by action that redresses the situation. Khadija is keen to connect with the LGBT Foundation and other equalities groups to learn from their achievements, link into the BME Leadership Group and also work with the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership to try to make an evidence base for difficulties within BME communities.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi (pictured below) is the new faith representative in the group and he aims to, “act as a bridge between the VCSE Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the Faith & Health MoU”, which is under development. He works with colleagues at Faith Network 4 Manchester (FN4M) and the Greater Manchester Interfaith Network. Charles would like to see greater inclusivity in the region, with more role models from BME communities at senior levels, and greater knowledge and transparency in order to remove barriers to his vision of this becoming a reality.

Charles believes that:

“Many communities miss out on key messages as they don’t use social media, and more needs to be done to make sure that people can identify with the messages that are being developed. There needs to be work around cultural competency and how we resource cultural awareness in NHS funding priorities. Work also needs to be done on the practicalities of how we support local communities to drive change.”

The GM VCSE Devolution Reference Group aims to promote the role and involvement of the VCSE sector and communities in devolution. The members come from voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations from across Greater Manchester.

The group works to support sector engagement across Greater Manchester’s devolution agenda and with Mayor Andy Burnham. It has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and signed the Accord with the Combined Authority.

Members such as Khadija and Charles are nominated by their own networks to join the reference group, acting as voices for their communities and working under a signed protocol agreement. Reference Group members are then expected to be ‘catalysts and connectors’ on behalf of their sector, bridging the gap between the people they represent and the public services that the public rely on.

North West Social Prescribing Network

The North West Social Prescribing Network (NW SP Network) is part of a national network which is supported by NHS England and coordinated by the University of Westminster. In the North West it is hosted by VSNW and co-chaired by Jo Ward, Changemaker, and Warren Escadale, Chief Executive of VSNW.

Our core objective is to be at the forefront in social prescribing and we aim to:

• Engage and support health and social care leaders and decision-makers
• Develop the evidence base for excellence in social prescribing
• Build stronger working relationships between acute, primary, community and social care and effective, sustainable, local community action

Want to know more about Social Prescribing?

We have developed a set of resources. There is also an excellent article from healthcare charity The King's Fund, 'What is social prescribing', which succinctly explains the term.

Different potential sources of support for referrals

Become a member of the network

We are particularly interested in public sector leaders and decision-makers (from organisations such as the NHS, CCGs and councils), local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) strategic leads and those running or playing a lead role in social prescribing schemes operating in the North West. Plus anyone who is advancing the evidence base for excellence in social prescribing.

To become a member or discuss being a member please contact Jo Ward by email: jo@jowardchangemaker.org.uk or telephone: 07708 428096, or you can complete our registration page and sign-up online.

Calls to action

We have two initial ‘calls to action’ for our NW SP Network members.

Firstly, we want to emphasise the importance of a ‘vibrant community’ in social prescribing. Social prescribing will be successful if it is supported by its community. And we need to understand how to drive forward this work, in particular through local voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCSE) activity.

Aligned to this, we need a clearer understanding of how we include the VCSE sector, support the right investment frameworks, and develop a social prescribing agenda that drives not only new models of care (where there's a shift in control to the public) but that also supports an effective population health agenda capable of articulating its merits to emerging Integrated Care Systems in the North West.

Secondly, we plan to adopt a regional commitment to deliver the first free social prescription to support maternal well-being and the best start in life for a child. This should engage non-healthcare sector partners in a social prescribing conversation that cuts across policy silos and draws collaborators in from across the nation. It also provides a link to a potential wider conversation with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Arts, Health and Wellbeing about alignment with their national recommendations.

Further Links

·         National Network

·         NW SP Conference 2017: presentations

·         NW SP Conference 2017: report (launched in Parliament)

·         Social Prescribing Resources

·         Biographies for Jo Ward and Warren Escadale

Singing in the City 4: Celebrating the NHS 70

A nationwide event at various venues including The Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester

Sunday 8 July 2018, 11.30am - 4pm

Singing in the City 4 will bring many diverse choirs together to perform for each other and the public, drawing on all kinds of music genres. The principle of this event is simple; singing is good for you, whether you perform or listen. The event is FREE to both choirs that take part and for the public to attend. It's supported by the North West Social Prescribing Network, which advocates the benefits of non-clinical interventions in their role of promoting wellbeing and recovery, and is a volunteer-led event sponsored by Voluntary Sector North West.**

This year's event marks the NHS' 70th anniversary since it began and this event is a celebration of workplace wellbeing initiatives in the NHS. To mark the occasion, the event is moving to a unique new venue and extending its programme. A composer and a songwriter have produced a specially-written score and lyrics to encourage mass participation in these celebrations.

Learn and perform a new song that celebrates NHS 70

Choirs that would like to join Singing in the City will still have the opportunity to sing a set of songs reflecting their own unique style and repertoire. The specially commissioned song, We Will Overcome, can also be accessed and downloaded for FREE at the links below. All the choirs will perform this song together on the day under the direction of the Singing in the City MD. You can listen to this composition below to give you an idea of the melody that you use as a basis.

Develop a performance anywhere

Choirs that can't make it on 8 July can still download We Will Overcome (both the song and music) for FREE and develop their own performances.

Write your own lyrics for NHS 70

Choirs who are participating on 8 July are also invited to write their own lyrics to an NHS 70 music score. Choirs that are registered can then compete with each other on the day to see who has created the finest new lyrical composition. Any choirs who are not involved on the day can still write their own lyrics to demonstrate local talent and creativity.

Want to get involved at the Whitworth?

Choirs who want to join the Whitworth event on 8 July just need to register to secure a place on the day. The deadline for registration is this Friday 27 April to ensure all choirs have sufficient time to learn We Will Overcome, the NHS 70 song. Choirs who also want to write their own lyrics just need to register for the Whitworth NHS 70 song writing competition at the same time.

How to mark the NHS 70 day in your community

NHS England has set up a website to support public engagement with celebrations. They encourage people to celebrate the NHS 70 wherever they live or work, and especially for any choirs to get involved throughout 2018.

Here are your FREE downloads:

• The NHS 70 song We Will Overcome (music and words)
• The We Will Overcome music if you are writing your own lyrics
• The We Will Overcome bass score
• The We Will Overcome mezzo soprano score
• The We Will Overcome soprano score
• The We Will Overcome tenor score

Contact

To get started contact the Singing in the City team and tell them how you'd like to be involved. Simply email: admin@jowardchangemaker.org.uk or telephone Jo on 07708 428096. Jo will also provide a simple toolkit and advice to support you to develop your event if you are hosting your own.

*Copyright notice: The composer Jake Few and song writer Kirstin Paisley Pearce have granted a time limited FREE not for profit licence for anyone wishing to celebrate the NHS 70 throughout 2018 with their score and/or lyrics. The licence allows choirs to perform the piece with live singers in any event associated with the NHS 70th anniversary, and also record the piece professionally, as long as it's within the context of an event and it is not-for-profit.

**Organisations that would like to become members of VSNW can register here.

Cancer Champions Grant Fund now live

Small grants of £250 and £500 to host events to recruit Cancer Champions

We are inviting groups to apply for funding to put on an event, or extend a current meeting/event, that recruits new Greater Manchester Cancer Champions. This can of course be from your business, team or network, as long as individuals are residents of or workers in Greater Manchester.

Open to organisations from across Greater Manchester

Download full details and an application form at Salford CVS

Application deadline is Sunday 26th November 2017.

Voluntary sector will play leading role in Cheshire and Merseyside STP

VSNW convened a roundtable last week with the head of the Sustainability and Transformation Plan, Louise Shepherd, and VCSE sector representatives from across the region. The STP is the strategic plan for health and social care across the whole of Merseyside, Cheshire and Warrington from 2017 to 2021, building on NHS England’s Five Year Forward View. The plan aims to develop out of hospital care and improve prevention, increase the quality of hospital care, reduce costs and improve partnership working to deliver transformation.

It was clear at the roundtable that there are several ways that the sector can offer answers to improving health and wellbeing, including leadership and co-design opportunities, educating people about the depth and breadth of VCFSE expertise, effecting cultural change, and supporting sector involvement in the Integrated Care Partnership. Warren Escadale attended the inaugural meeting of the System Leadership Board.

“Closer engagement with the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector is positive in itself and could have broader benefits. This is an opportunity for the VCFSE sector and the local health and social care system to develop answers that improve outcomes.

If we’re going to transform our health system, we need a new working relationship with communities and residents and the sector offers an important means to make this happen.”

— Louise Shepherd, Head of Cheshire and Merseyside STP

VS6 Chair Ellen Loudon appointed VCFSE advisor to LCR Mayor

VS6 Chair Rev Cannon Dr Ellen Loudon has been appointed as a non-voting member of Liverpool City Region's combined authority board. Ellen will be an advisor for the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector to Mayor Steve Rotheram.

The appointment of Mayoral advisers is about utilising independent strategic advice from talent across the Liverpool City Region who will support the programme and vision of the Metro Mayor.

This follows much of the work done by VSNW and VS6 in promoting the interests of the voluntary and community sector in Liverpool City Region.

Ellen's Profile

Background

Cultural/ academic background, having studied for two BAs (Drama with English, and Theology), one MA (Popular Music), and a PHD again in Music. Ellen also taught Drama at Edge Hill University between 1995 and 2006. Ellen read both her PHD in Music and BA in Theology at the University of Liverpool, and has lived in Liverpool since she was 18.

Work

After being involved with theatre, both at the Blah Blah Blah! Leeds Theatre company, and then teaching performance and popular theatre at Edge Hill University at Birmingham, Ellen has been in roles at the Liverpool Diocese since 2008. Since May 2017, she has been Director for Social Justice for Liverpool Diocese and Canon Chancellor for Liverpool Cathedral. Ellen has been Vicar for St Luke the Evangelist Walton Church since 2012.

Interests

Ellen is still involved with music and the arts, e.g. co-ordinating Liverpool’s ‘River Arts’ network for Christians involved with creative work, and speaking on her PHD which studied 19th century music hall in Liverpool.

Ellen says that her belief that all are deserving of equal opportunities has led her to the most marginalised in society, for whom she is often called upon to be an advocate to those who struggle to find justice. Ellen’s church is a foodbank collection point and she regularly tweets about poverty, inequality, and women’s issues in Liverpool.

Ellen is involved with the community through the Walton Youth Project and being Vice Chair of Governors at Gwladys St School. Ellen has an online presence via her twitter.

More information on VS6's work can be found here.

VS6 is a partnership of 14 organisations working with the 8,600 VCFSE groups operating across the Liverpool City Region.

2017 General Election: What can the next Government do to support charities?

The next government has a big role to play in supporting the VCSE sector, volunteers, and catalysing wider change in the country. NCVO have published a manifesto with five key asks from the next Government. They are:

Making it easier and more rewarding for people to volunteer

• Allowing employers time off work for volunteering
• Providing a support fund to address barriers to volunteering for people with disabilities.
• Recognise the difference that volunteers make to their communities
• Strengthening volunteer development and management

Supporting local communities for a generation to come

• Create income-generating endowment funds
• Put more assets in community ownership

Facilitating charities and volunteers to support our public services

• Services such as the NHS should be asked to set targets for the management and development of volunteering
• Senior public service leaders should be asked to become volunteering champions - raising greater awareness

Enabling people to develop their skills and employment opportunities

• Replace European Union programmes that help people get back to work
• Make it easier for unemployed people looking for work to volunteer

Giving everybody a stake in post-Brexit Britain

• Ensure the right to stay of EU national is resolved without delay
• Simple and effective visa requirements should be put in place to enable people from overseas.
• In the voluntary sector alone, around 5% of staff are non-UK EEA nationals, with this proportion increasing at a higher rate in recent years than the private or public sectors

““Over the next few weeks, people across our country will be talking about their vision of what a good society looks like, what a more social economy looks like, and what post-Brexit Britain looks like. Our message to candidates from all political parties is that this is a good time to think about how we can support and encourage the people and charities who want to help in their communities.””

— Karl Wilding, Director for Public Policy and Volunteering at NCVO

These five areas all draw upon the idea of the next government acting as an enabler for the sector to develop and flourish even further. Charities and volunteers across the country and in all communities are already making a difference to people’s lives and changing things for the better. With the right support and opportunities, they can do even more.

For further details, NCVO's full manifesto is available here.