Social Sense Ltd chosen to build Dementia Lived Experience Platform
Social Sense Ltd, in partnership with Wirral based Hitch Marketing, has been chosen to build a ground-breaking platform to measure the real time ‘Lived Experience’ of people with dementia.
The platform will be used to record information about a wide range of factors that affect quality of life for people who are living with dementia.
The contract was awarded following a lengthy consultation with professionals and people living with dementia and is part of a combined mission for Greater Manchester to be the ‘best place in the UK for people living with dementia’.
The project is being funded by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership (GMHSCP) as part of the wider devolution programme commencing in 2016. It is being delivered through Dementia United, a programme within the partnership that is working to engage and involve Greater Manchester localities, carers and people living with dementia.
What form the platform will take has not yet been decided, although it is likely to be a digital tool and app that allows recording of information.
Its purpose is to bring together all the experiences that impact a person living with dementia, such as:
– their daily experiences at home or work, whether living independently or in a cared-for environment
– their interaction with family, friends and carers
– their interaction with health and care professionals
– their experience of interaction with society, from using public transport to going shopping
It may also be used to provide useful local information, such as inclusive activities, and a planner that could act as a prompt for key events.
The platform will be used by the person living with dementia, their family, friends, carers and health and care professionals.
Organisations which support people who live with dementia will be able to use the tool to evaluate the effectiveness of changes they make. Using this evidence should be used to introduce further change and improvements to the quality of life for people with dementia.
GMHSCP director of strategy and system development, and senior lead for dementia, Warren Heppolette explains:
“We are committing to this project to understand what it’s like to live with dementia in Greater Manchester, what makes a good day and what gets in the way.
“The intelligence we can gather from this platform will help us to achieve our ambition for Greater Manchester to be the best place to live with dementia.”
In addition to delivering a measurement tool, the aspiration of the partners is to quickly translate many of the features into tools that can measurably improve lives – for example making sure that local activities are more visible, accessible and friendly.
Social Sense Managing Director Gary Lovatt explains:
“Our aim is to create something that focusses not on the dementia, but the person and those around them. We want to capture everything that is positive, for example friendships and achievements alongside thoughts, feelings and concerns.
“Through this platform and partnership, we have a real opportunity to better understand and improve experiences across Greater Manchester and create new ways for people to connect with others and be heard.”
Hitch Marketing are leading on the technical elements of the project, drawing on years of experience of building mobile apps to drive social change.
Gary Wooten, CEO of Hitch says:
“It is a really exciting opportunity for us to be part of something so innovative that has never been done before.
“We have an opportunity to positively change lives and we’re looking forward to working together on this to deliver the best possible impact.”
For anyone looking to get involved in this project in Greater Manchester, please email info@socialsense.co.uk or call 0161 216 4080.
For those interested outside of Greater Manchester email adam@socialsense.co.uk
Mindful Me successfully concludes a project in Kent
Social Sense recently concluded a successful 12 months project with local secondary schools and youth groups in Kent, addressing emotional health and wellbeing needs.
Kent Police and Crime Commissioner provided funding to commission Social Sense’s Mindful Me Programme across 3 organisations with pupils and young people from 12 schools/colleges.
7 Ways to Make Mental Health initiatives work in schools!
Today marks the start of Children’s Mental Health Week and the launch of a number of new trials in schools each aiming to improve the emotional wellbeing of our children.
On the surface of it, this feels like really good news and a welcome boost within an area that has become a growing concern for parents and professionals alike over the past few years.
With so many schools and teachers already stretched beyond their current means however – added to a plethora of providers out there who are already offering solutions around similar themes – how we do really know if we’re solving or problem or simply creating a bigger pile of initiatives for schools, teachers and young people to drown under?
Key Fund backs Social Sense CIC with £90,000 Investment!
Salford Quays based Social Sense CIC has secured £90,000 from the Key Fund to help scale its impressive social impacts in the areas of Mental Health, Domestic Abuse, Knife Crime plus adolescent Risk Behaviours including Alcohol and Substance misuse.
The Sheffield based Social Investor has committed to Investing from its Northern Impact Fund. A mixture of grant and loan finance has been received via Access – the Foundation for Social Investment, with funding from the Big Lottery Fund and Big Society Capital.
Social Sense CIC was born out of the Ltd company using surpluses, pro-bono support and various new commissions to help it achieve a successful first year of trading.
Change Up estimated to “Reduce Domestic Abuse by 10%” says University of Salford
University also estimates a £8.29 society benefit for every £1 spent on Social Sense’s Healthy Relationship project
Social Sense has recently concluded a successful 12-month project with local secondary schools in Salford, promoting healthy relationships and tackling the misperceptions that exist around domestic violence and abuse (DVA).
It’s #InternationalVolunteerDay – How volunteering can improve your mental wellbeing?
Most people would agree that giving to others is a good thing, however it can also do a lot of good for your own mental wellbeing.
Small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering in your local community, can give you a sense of purpose, make you feel happier and more satisfied with life.
Changing Social Norms around carrying knives in Liverpool!
RiseUp CIC and Social Sense Community have secured Home Office funding for a pioneering social norms programme focused on knife crime with over 600 year 8 pupils in Liverpool.
On the back of 150,000 young people participating with the programme and a recent award at the UK Public Sector Communications Awards, the Home Office has commissioned Social Sense Community’s RU Different? programme for a pilot study on knife crime with young people.
The study, which is due to start in November, will be delivered in three Liverpool schools. Rise Up CIC will deliver the project, with Social Sense Community leading on the marketing and evaluation.
Photo: Adam McCooey, Social Sense CIC (Left) with Ashleigh Nugent, Rise Up CIC (Right).
