Help on Your Doorstep is a company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales no 06960313 and a registered charity no 1133145. Registered office 13 Elliott’s Place, London N1 8HX.
New River Green Good Neighbours Scheme
Health and wellbeing insight report July 2017- August 2018
New River Green Good Neighbours Scheme
2 © Help on Your Doorstep, 2018
1. Introduction
The New River Green Good Neighbours Scheme (GNS) has been funded since
March 2014 in partnership with Islington Giving. It tackles isolation and improves the
health and wellbeing of residents of the New River Green estate through an asset
based Community Development model. We engage local residents who are
experiencing isolation, financial hardship, and poor mental or physical health in
community activities, enabling them to share their skills and lead and shape the
activities that are delivered.
The GNS is hyper local with all of the activities focussed around residents of the New
River Green estate in the Canonbury area. The GNS is run from our office at the
Walter Sickert Community Centre, Canonbury Crescent, London N1 2FB.
Over the past year, we have increased our focus on implementing the Five Ways to
Wellbeing (NEF 2008) within our work. This looks at enabling residents
1. Connect- talk and listen, be there, feel connected
2. Keep learning – embrace new experiences, see opportunities, surprise
yourself
3. Give – your time, your words, your presence
4. Be active – do what you can, enjoy what you do, move your mood
5. Take notice – remember the simple things that give you joy (also listed as be
mindful/ care for your mental health).
Evidence suggests that even a small improvement in these five areas of wellbeing
can help to decrease some mental health problems, improve physical health and
also help people to flourish.
Activities and developments to the scheme are run in a partnership between the
residents who volunteer and our Good Neighbours Scheme Coordinator, Nicky
Ludgate. Each group or activity offered by the scheme has residents who help to
support and facilitate them. New ideas which emerge from residents’ discussions are
explored.
For example this year the user or ‘reference group’ discussed going on more trips
but our budget would not stretch to that. As a result the residents designed and
delivered a fundraising event which raised £300 for a trip to Kew Gardens, which will
take place in autumn 2018. Examples of the residents really owning the community
this year include many participants spending time every day through the summer in
the communal garden outside project hours, and attending community activities in
Islington with each other outside of the project.
The regular activities delivered by the Good Neighbours Scheme include free yoga
and meditation classes, a community garden and gardening sessions, football for
young children, weekly arts and crafts sessions and coffee mornings, a lunch club
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and film nights. We also deliver seasonal events for the community to bring a wider
group of neighbours together and open up community spaces and deepen
community connections on the estate.
A relational approach is fundamental to the scheme. Friendships and mutual support
are valued and seen as a basis for improving individuals’ health and wellbeing in the
long term. We encourage people to share their stories and welcome new residents.
In fact, groups are more about relationships than the activities in themselves.
2. Methodology
We have used a wide range of evidence to put together this report, including
Statistical information on the numbers of group/ activity users and attendees.
An annual survey of a sample of residents which gathers in-depth feedback
about how the scheme impacts their wellbeing. This survey is based around
the Five Ways to Wellbeing and is influenced by the Warwick Edinburgh short
scale. We have used quotes from residents who have completed the survey
within this report and they are highlighted in coloured text.
Case stories to illustrate the improvements to wellbeing and reduction in
isolation that the Good Neighbours Scheme enables.
Feedback from a group discussion facilitated at a Good Neighbours Scheme
coffee morning about how the project impacts the wellbeing of regular users.
Feedback from Mums we talked to whilst the children were playing football at
one of the scheme’s weekly football sessions.
We are planning to use some loneliness scaling indicators in our evidence gathering
from 2019 onwards.
3. Overall numbers of people attending and activities, July 2017 –
August 2018
Average No of attendees per month: 180
No of new people in the year: 107
No of regular weekly volunteers: 20 (additional volunteers who assist at
events only are not included in this figure)
Total no of volunteer hours: 676
Formal volunteering average no of hours per month: 43
Informal/natural volunteering average no of hours per month: 9
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4. Regular groups and activities
Coffee Morning
Number of Groups run across the year: 47
Average monthly attendance: 43 people
Loneliness is a big issue these days and it’s good to come here and talk about
things and other people sometimes have an idea how to help you. I am sure
that there are more people in the flats who don’t come out who would like it.
(Coffee morning facilitated discussion, 11.09.18)
Lunch Club (Monthly)
Number of Groups run across the year: 11
Average monthly attendance: 11 people
I have a good routine which helps me manage my time. I don’t like getting
bored and need to be put to good use. I need to keep active and with GNS I
can do this in a group. Resident 6, a volunteer with a long term health
condition:
Over 55s Film Night (monthly)
Number of Groups run across the year: 9
Average monthly attendance: people: 9
Gardening
Number of Groups run across the year: 45
Average monthly attendance: 18 people (the average is lower because only a
few come in spring and autumn. In summer months of June, July and August
this year we had an average of 26 people).
“The garden is good, it shows how this is all about us meeting each other. We
open the garden most days and someone is there; and Nicky only leads an
actual session there on a Wednesday.” (Coffee morning facilitated discussion,
11.09.18)
Arts and Crafts
Number of Groups run across the year: 47
Average monthly attendance: 49 people
“I have learned about flower making, painting and making things. I have
enjoyed meeting people as well as the activities. My health feels better and I
look forward to going.” Resident 7
Yoga
Number of Groups run across the year: 41
Average monthly attendance: 54 people
“I am much more flexible and I have learnt breathing techniques which I use
when I get panicky.” Resident 22
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Mindful Meditation
Number of Groups run across the year: 41
Average monthly attendance: 24 people
“I am more patient with others and kinder to myself; for example when I am
feeling stressed and unwell I am more quickly able to recognise how I am
feeling and look after myself.” Resident 32
Football 5-11s
Number of Groups run across the year: 37
Average monthly attendance: 32 people
“My son has made more friends & developed better social skills” Resident 34
“I can’t afford any other after school clubs and this is local, so he meets local
kids and gets to run around and do what he loves. It’s great.” (Football Mums’
discussion, September 18)
5. Events
The seasonal events are very well attended, as detailed in the chart below and draw
people into the regular activities and to use our Connect service, which can help any
social support needs that they have.
Events run July 17 – August 2018
an Autumn Community Day in October 17
a Christmas 2017 fete
a stay and play Christmas party for young families
a Christmas lunch party for regular attending residents
a Spring wellbeing event promoting a variety of local health and wellbeing
opportunities, including blood pressure checks, health checks and various
positive activities such as massage and nail painting.
A Summer garden party open to all residents
a summer trip to Southend on 23 August 2018. This had a great community
feel, with younger residents supporting older ones.
020406080
100120140160
SummerTrip
Autumn FunDay
ChristmasFete
ChristmasStay and
Play
ChristmasLunch Party
SpringHealth andWellbeing
SummerGardenparty
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6. Evidence on wellbeing outcomes
In August 2018, we gathered 34 surveys which looked the GNS impact on the Five
Ways to Wellbeing. The 34 respondents attended a range of our regular activities
9 attendees of the coffee morning
7 from arts and crafts
5 from football
2 from gardening
2 from mindful meditation
1 from yoga
3 from the Southend 2018 trip
5 from people who listed more than three activities.
Full graphics showing the outcomes of the survey can be seen in Appendix 1.
Be Active
85% of respondents said that they were more physically as a result of taking part in
GNS activities (38% much more; 47% a bit more active).
79% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their health has improved as a
result of taking part in GNS activities. 7 people neither agreed nor disagree about
this, and one person did not answer.
Connect
82% of people said that they felt more positive about the neighbourhood, with the
remainder saying that they did not know.
74% of respondents feel more connected with their neighbours than before attending
the GNS.
Keep Learning
80% of people said that they had learnt new skills, which included teamwork, craft,
gardening, knitting, breathing, football and patience.
Take Notice
53% of residents said that they felt closer to others all often or all of the time and
38% of people said that they felt closer to other people some of the time/
occasionally.
63% of people consulted said that they felt more relaxed all of the time or often as a
result of taking part in GNS activities; 34% said that they felt more relaxed some of
the time or occasionally.
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7 © Help on Your Doorstep, 2018
44% of respondents felt better able to deal with problems all or most of the time;
44% they felt this way some of the time or occasionally. 12% either did not answer or
did not feel more able to deal with their problems.
59% said that taking part made them feel more optimistic about the future all or most
of the time; 32% said they felt more optimistic some of the time or occasionally, and
9% felt that participating did not make them feel more optimistic.
69% of residents responding reported that taking part made them feel more useful
often or all of the time. 25% said that they6 felt more useful some of the time. 6%
declined to answer.
Give
Of our respondents, 35% reported that they had often given time or shared their
skills with others since being part of the Good Neighbours Scheme. 44% had given
time occasionally, and only a fifth, 21% either declined to answer or said that they
had not contributed in some way. This reflects the project’s ethos of resident
participation in leading the project.
Wellbeing Highlights for Residents
We asked what people have enjoyed about being involved with the activities at New
River Green GNS. A range of the responses are listed below:
“I love it, it makes me want to get up in the morning as I have something to do
that day.” Resident 20
“Mixing with other people, laughing and helping each other.” Resident 23
“I am less isolated.” Resident 16
“I feel more confident.” Resident 15
“I don’t have to be lonely & I can feel safe in my neighbourhood.” Resident 13
We asked if people felt that their health and wellbeing is better since joining the GNS
and in what way; the range is again represented in the quotes below:
I feel much healthier and fitter since joining the group Resident 11
“I feel more positive about life and myself.” Resident 25
“Being more social.” Resident 8
“I have a focus for my week and I don’t get stuck inside navel gazing.”
Resident 6
“I am more active now and happier.” Resident 20
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8 © Help on Your Doorstep, 2018
7. Case Studies
We use the Five Ways to Wellbeing (New Economics Foundation, 2008) to help us
to assess our impact on residents’ health. The sample case studies below show the
impact of our work on residents for each of the Five Ways.
Connect
Preventing isolation for people with early stage dementia
A local resident who has lived on the estate for 30 years and has attended GNS
events over the previous years of the scheme has begun to attend weekly sessions
with a friend. She recently disclosed that she has been diagnosed with dementia.
She values attending since she lives alone and is isolated. She reports feeling like
she fits in at GNS, and is able to have frank and open discussions with other
neighbours about how their various difficulties affect them. She also said she leaves
feeling better from having a laugh and a chat.
Preventing isolation for single older people who have been bereaved
Another resident, who is a widower and lives alone, has been watching residents
meet in the garden throughout the spring and early summer from the window of his
flat. Nicky the coordinator noticed him watching each day and recognised him from
the neighbourhood. When he passed her in the street in early July 2018 she invited
him in to the garden for a cup of tea. He has since been attending the gardening
group and coffee morning lunch club and arts and crafts every week, and has shared
about his isolation and bereavement. He has become friendly with some of the other
male residents and he is already helping out with various tasks, contributing as well
as participating in the groups. He says he has really enjoyed getting to know his
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9 © Help on Your Doorstep, 2018
neighbours and says he was so bored for so long and he is beginning to make real
friends. He came to the trip to the coast and says he has not seen the sea since the
1960s.
Give
Volunteering
We have a young volunteer in her 20s who is unable to work or study at present due
to her long term physical health condition. She attends our coffee morning every
week and helps at other events and groups when she is able. She states that it gives
her a sense of value to input into the community and she has very good relationships
with some of the older residents.
The case study below in Take Notice/ Be Mindful also illustrates the value of giving
in rebuilding self-confidence for a participant with mental health difficulties.
Be active
Providing health promotion activities for people with long term health conditions
K is a resident in his late 30s who sustained a brain injury 8 years ago. He has
difficulties with communication and social skills, and is significantly overweight. He
has been known to our Connect team for some years but has only ever felt able to
speak to one member of staff. Our GNS Coordinator has consistently been friendly
towards him and invited him to participate. In spring 2018 he began to come to Arts
and Crafts group, and he was then invited to the user participation Reference Group
which he did. Following the discussion at this group about exercise classes, he has
been attending the yoga class. He says he is comfortable to start exercise at this
community class since we have built up trust with him over time. He wants to
improve his health, and his attendance at two groups each week also reduces his
experience of social isolation.
I think it’s great as it improves my flexibility and helps my mind having to think what
movement to make, I feel so much better I surprise myself. Case Study Jan 2018
Preventing obesity in children
Our football group provides some fun and intense exercise for children aged 5-11.
Most children in this group do not have access to a garden at home. Parents report
that it helps with physical health and also behaviour, and that the coaches are great
role models for the children and that the discipline is good. Three boys have gone on
this year from our community group to be selected places in a more advanced team
for older children.
“My son is more active because of this. He loves to be doing things and it makes him
happier at home. I just think it is fantastic for this community because lots of kids
here have problems.” Resident 29
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Learn
A resident with a severe mental illness has been sharing her artistic skills at various
groups, including the stay and play with parents and children. She enjoys being able
to have an outlet for her creativity and has been learning new skills at Arts and Crafts
and teaching others. She reports that that she has grown in confidence from her
participation.
Take notice/ Be mindful
Enabling people living with mental illness to gain confidence
A resident with a mental health condition has been attending for two years. He has
been a regular volunteer at the arts and crafts group and says that the GNS has
been a lifeline for him and has given him regained confidence whilst managing his
illness. Over the past year he has shared more of his story with our team and other
residents and has been supported to access more help through our wider range of
referral partners. This has led to him being able to re-connect with his family. We
helped him to obtain a gym membership since he wanted to reduce his weight and
increase his physical fitness, which he now attends regularly. Participation for this
resident has led to a significant improvement in both mental and physical health.
8. Links between the GNS and other Help on Your Doorstep
projects
New website and social media
Help on Your Doorstep launched a new website on 28 June 2018
(www.helponyourdoorstep.com). The new website includes enhanced information
about the GNS scheme (www.helponyourdoorstep.com/good-neighbours-schemes),
including information about all the events and activities provided by the scheme
(www.helponyourdoorstep.com/Pages/Events/Category/events?Take=32).
Between 28 June 2018 and 10 September 2018 over 1,700 new users have visited
our website. Since the launch of the website we have started to use social media,
including Facebook and Twitter, to promote GNS activities and events.
Connect advice and guidance service
Mrs G is an example how the links between the Connect outreach and referral
service and the GNS can benefit residents. She met our team when they were
knocking on doors on the estate and was offered support around a housing issue.
She then came in to the office and disclosed that she was very recently bereaved
and lonely since the death of her husband. She was encouraged to join one of the
GNS groups and she has become a regular participant and a natural volunteer,
always offering to help and supporting others. She feels more connected to others
and her community and says that she has gained comfort from talking to the other
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people in the group about her bereavement and how cope with the waves of
loneliness and loss.
“Helping others has helped me feel useful and like I have a purpose again.”
GP advice project
Since January 2018, a member of the Canonbury Connect Team has been attending
the GP waiting room at River Place Health Centre once a week to offer advice and
guidance and referral support to patients. She has met several local people who are
isolated who she has referred in to the GNS. Three of these older women have
engaged with the scheme.
Wellbeing partnerships
During the past year Help on Your Doorstep has been developing relationships with
local GP practices and we have extended the number of surgeries in which we
deliver outreach sessions. For example, we now run regular outreach in the waiting
room in River Place Health Centre near New River Green and in the surgery rooms
in Andover Medical Practice. We chose these two surgeries because they are near
our Good Neighbours Schemes and will promote the GNS projects alongside
supporting residents to access the support they need through our Connect referral
service.
Attendees at our GNS activities undertook the CCG surveys about their experiences
of primary care, which is being reported on in September 2018. We are also working
in partnership with Whittington Health in recruiting and screening people for the
Diabetes self-management and Expert Patients Programmes running in Islington,
and explaining and guiding residents with long term health conditions to join the
appropriate programmes.
In September 2018 we will also be launching our health and wellbeing information
service funding by Cloudesley. This will provide information about local opportunities
and activities around the Five Ways to Wellbeing to residents with long term health
conditions and/or disabilities via SMS and email. We have already started signing
people up to the service, and it will be promoted via the GNS. The information
service will send links to relevant information on our website and recipients will be
encouraged to contact our Connect service for more information/ help accessing any
of the opportunities that they are interested in. Initial information can be seen on our
website at www.helponyourdoorstep.com/Pages/Category/5-ways-to-wellbeing.
We facilitated a Bags of Taste group for four weeks in autumn 2017, which teaches
participants to cook healthily on a budget. This was very well attended with 24
people taking part In New River Green. We will re-run this programme in partnership
with Bags of Taste in 2018/19.
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9. Conclusion / plans for year ahead
Nicky, our GNS Coordinator, wants to build on the residents’ growing confidence in
shaping and leading the project by offering them more opportunities for leading and
encouraging them to run activities outside of programme hours. She would like to
offer a gentle exercise class for people with mobility issues, to add in a further
physical health opportunity since increasing numbers of participants have long term
health conditions. She is planning to develop her recruitment of new people to the
scheme in partnership with the Connect team’s outreach at River Place Health
Centre. We always aim to find new residents who might benefit from the scheme,
and Nicky continues to do weekly outreach to talk to residents about what is going
on in their community.
As an organisation we are planning to increase the teamwork across the Good
Neighbours Schemes and encourage increased sharing of learning and resources
across the different schemes in the Borough. We have recruited a new Community
Development team manager who will be leading the developments, starting in
October 18 and who will be working across all three projects, but based in Bemerton.
The Good Neighbours Scheme in New River Green continues to develop year on
year, and provide regular opportunities for community members to connect and take
part in activities which demonstrably improve wellbeing and decrease isolation.
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Appendix 1
Results of Resident Feedback Survey Conducted August 2018
How much more physically active are you as a result of taking part in GNS activities?
Do you feel that your health has improved as a result of taking part in the GNS?
Do you feel more positive about your neighbourhood since participating in the GNS?
Much more 39%
A bit more 49%
Not much more
6%
Don't Know
6%
More Physically Active
All of the time 53%
Some of the time 26%
Not at all 18%
No Answer 3% Health has Improved
Much more 48%
A bit more 26%
Not much 5%
Don't Know 21%
More Positive About the Neighbourhood
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Do you feel more connected with your neighbours than before attending the GNS?
Have you learned any new skills as a result of taking part in the GNS?
Taking part in the Good Neighbours Scheme has made me feel closer to people.
Much more 61%
A bit more 29%
Not much 3%
Don't Know
7%
More Connected with Neighbours
Yes 72%
No 9%
Maybe 13%
No Response
6%
Learned New Skills
Never 3%
Occasionally 13%
Sometimes 28%
Often 34%
All of the time 22%
Feel Closer to Others
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Taking part in the Good Neighbours Scheme has made me feel more relaxed.
Taking part in the Good Neighbours Scheme has made me feel more optimistic.
Taking part in the Good Neighbours Scheme has made me feel more useful.
Never 3%
Occasionally 6%
Sometimes 28%
Often 41%
All of the time 22%
Feel More Relaxed
Occasionally 6%
Sometimes 29%
Often 39%
All of the time 26%
Feel More Optimistic
Never 6%
Occasionally 0%
Sometimes 25%
Often 44%
All of the time 25%
Feel More Useful
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Have you given time or shared your skills with others since being part of the GNS?
What have you enjoyed about being involved with the activities at New River Green?
Do you feel that your wellbeing is better since joining the GNS? In what way?
Often 33%
Occasionally 46%
Not at All 21%
Given Time or Shared Skills
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Participants have enjoyed
00.5
11.5
22.5
33.5
44.5
How wellbeing is better
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Do you have any other comments or suggestions about the GNS?