Reflect to Perfect
A TEG has been successful in setting up a service user group that has led to improvements in services and contributed to service users’ employment skills and job prospects. Nina Langrish explains
Like many supported housing organisations, The Wallich offered a range of ways for service users to get involved but little opportunity at a higher, more influential level. A key objective of its involvement strategy was to involve service users in quality assurance process as ‘client assessors’.
A Tenant Empowerment Grant was used to empower a ‘Reflect to Perfect’ group of service users from The Wallich to work in partnership to develop a range of service standards that became known as ‘Great Expectations’. These will be used to ensure a high quality service is delivered across all Wallich projects and service users will be involved in ensuring these are achieved using a range of methods.
The TEG also succeeded in enabling a group of service users to develop their skills and knowledge in a range of different areas such as, Supporting People funding and services, understanding client groups, service assessment and inspection methods.
A significant part of the project focused on facilitated sessions to explore people’s experiences of the support process and these experiences were used to identify what makes an excellent service. From this exercise a set of standards were developed for the following service areas:
- at your project/office
- health and safety
- client involvement
- your support
- our staff.
Some comments indicated that people did not understand the support process so a simple diagram was produced outlining how support is provided. An attractive document has been developed that will be visible in all projects and offices.
During the course of the project some concerns were raised by service users about a specific project. Senior staff responded immediately and as a result it was felt that more information was needed from across the organisations regarding the services currently being provided. It was decided by the staff and Reflect to Perfect group members to carry out an organisation-wide survey of service users views. The questions were based on the new standards that had been developed and group members were involved in agreeing the questions.
The outlook satisfaction survey was completed during the project and the results will become a baseline for future surveys that will be carried out as part of service users’ six-month reviews. It is intended that Reflect to Perfect team members will contact service users from projects where there was a low response or where comments indicated more information is needed. The team members have been trained in communication and listening skills and interview skills in order to carry out this role.
The Reflect to Perfect team held a spring launch event to promote the project. Team members were fully involved in organising the event and spoke about their personal experiences and about the project. Antonia Watson, CEO from The Wallich, summed up the achievements of the project when she said: ‘It’s been the most transformative piece of work that I have seen in many years. Sharing power, working together and creating genuine change that is improving The Wallich.’
A service user reflected on the impact of the project: ‘I was a bit daunted at the beginning but I soon realised that my experiences could help make things better. It’s been informal but we have done lots of good work.’
Another service user said: ‘I believe my involvement in the project has contributed to me getting a job.’
The Wallich wanted to capture the process and outcomes of the project so it commissioned Zoom Cymru to make a film. The Reflect to Perfect group members were fully involved in the film making process both behind the camera and in front and the resulting film The Good, the Bad and the Preferred Outcomes was shown at the launch event. The film can be viewed on Vimeo.
The project was successful in many ways but one of its greatest outcomes was that three people who had been involved during the course of the project were in full-time work by the end of the project.
The significant outcomes of the project were:
- Increase in skills knowledge and confidence of those who participated in the project
- Service users know that their views are valued and acted upon
- Group members are closer to accessing work
- Three group members are now in full- time work
- A range of services have been improved as a result of service user involvement.
Outputs from the project
- A set of service standards that were based on service users’ experiences of the service and what they thought makes an excellent service
- A co-produced set of Reflect to Perfect guidelines
- A revised handbook based on service users’ views and decisions
- A revised complaints procedure based on service users’ views and decisions
- A detailed action plan – a solid commitment to take the project forward.
The next steps
- Expansion and rollout of Reflect to Perfect throughout Wales
- Reflect to Perfect assessors to target low scoring/responding projects
- Review involvement strategy
- Feed into business plan.
For further details contact Nna LangrishTPAS Cymru, 02920 237303, nina.langrish@tpascymru.org.uk or Jan Balsdon, The Wallich, 02020 668464, Janet.balsdon@thewallich.net
Key messages from all involved
- It’s important to know what to expect from a service and this needs to be clearly communicated to people who receive the service.
- People should have the opportunity to give feedback on the service whether good or bad and the service provider should ensure that poor service is addressed and improved and service users should be informed about the impact of their involvement.
- People need to be supported to get involved and given the opportunity to increase their skills, knowledge and confidence.
- Service users are willing and able to get involved in influential activities and decisions.