Project Aim
…To test and develop the
contribution that formal befriending schemes can make to ending rough sleeping by
supporting current and former rough sleepers…
Project Outcomes
• To improve clients’ confidence, motivation, social networks, mental well-being and use of time
• To increase the skills of volunteers to become befrienders and mentors
• To encourage the development of further volunteering and befriending schemes
• To continuously improve the quality of the scheme
Method
• 14 month project running from Jan 2011- March 2012
• Referrals from night shelters, day centres and agencies
Robes, Haringey and Kingston night shelters, Hope WorldWide, Connection at St Martins, St Mungos, the Manna Centre, the Marylebone Project
• 60 people attended mentoring trainings, some of whom were from organisations wishing to set up their own mentoringWest London YMCA, the Simon Community, night shelters
Method
• Clients choose if they want a mentor (goal focus) or befriender (social)
• Assessment and goal setting using the Outcomes Star
• Mentors and mentees meet for 1-2 hours/ week for 6 months
• Meetings take place in a public place
Support
• Introductory 3-way meeting• Coordinator calls both parties to
check in• Group supervision for mentors• Midway 3-way meeting• Closing meeting
Resource pack & support to set up independent mentoring
projects• Resource pack written for night
shelters interested in starting their own mentoring or befriending project
• Training or support offered to those wishing to set up their own mentoring or befriending project Connection Crew, London City Mission – Webber Street, Folkestone Night Shelter, West London YMCA, Simon Community, Street Lytes(Camden C4WS are successfully running their own mentoring project following support offered last year)
Mentors & Mentees…
• 14 successful relationships - lasted 6 mths
• In addition other 9 relationships were
set up but they didn’t last for the full 6 mths – reason for this were: - change in mentees’ circumstances - lack of motivation from mentee
M&M clients • Living in private rented accommodation or
supported housing
• Age range: 22 – 71• Average age: 44
• 3 female / 11 male
African 5 British 7 (5 White British and 2 Black British)
European 1 Pakistani 1
Volunteers
• 60 people attended mentoring trainings in year 2
• 36 people were in a position to be volunteer mentors in year 2 (i.e. applied, screened and trained)
• Of these 36, 15 had volunteered in year 1 and 21 were new
• As M&M is now ending, 15 volunteers are moving on to mentor with another charity
M&M Year 1 compared to year 2Year 1 (2010-11) Year 2 (2011-12)
No. of successful relationships 17 14
No. of relationships that weren’t fully ‘successful’
5 9
Age range of mentees 22-64 22-71
No. of women mentees 2 3
Evaluation method
A pre and post Outcome Star carried out on 14
clients
Semi structured interview conducted on 14 clients
Areas of greatest improvement
• Meaningful use of time - up 2.3 pts• Social network and relationships –
up 2.3pt• Motivation and taking responsibility
– up 1.7 points • Emotional and mental health - up
1.2 pts
M&M outcomes year 1 compared to year 2
Area of change Year 1 (2010-11)Outcome improvement
Year 2 (2011-12) Outcome improvement
meaningful use of time 2.1 2.3
social network and relationships 1.2 2.3
motivation and taking responsibility
0.9 1.7
emotional and mental health 1.6 1.2
overall 5.8 7.5
Areas of little or no change
• Living skills (0.9% change)• Substance use (0.3% change)• Managing tenancy (0.5%
change)• Physical health (0.3% change)• Offending (no change)
This is very similar to year 1
Mentees feedback
See Word document ‘In Mentees’ own words’ to read about the impact that some of the mentees feel the project has had on them.
Cost
• £36,000 direct project costs
• £2,570 per relationship • £24 - 26k cost per year of a
homelessness episode
http://www.homeless.org.uk/costs-homelessness
Bench marking
• Compared to agencies providing floating support using the Homeless Outcome Star the M&M Project had comparable outcomes (we had marginally higher success, 0.2%)
• This is impressive given that in the M&M Project the mentoring is carried out by volunteers, unlike staffed projects
Longitudinal impact – follow up on year 1 mentees
Of the 17 mentees from year 1, Jan- Dec 2010:
• 1 had passed away (heart attack)• 2 were uncontactable • 14 were contactable
Longitudinal impact – follow up on year 1 mentees
Of the 14:
• 6 were in work• 3 were homeless (1 squatting, 1 sofa surfing
and 1 sleeping rough)• 9 were in PRS, 1 in supported housing, 1 in
council housing
Recommendations
• The M&M Project is ending for the time being and it is important that the learning from M&M is not lost.
• Housing Justice should retain capacity to support and train organisations working with homeless clients to run their own mentoring projects through:
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