Today the government has announced the 15 local areas which will form part of its Changing Futures programme, in a bid to improve the wellbeing of people experiencing multiple disadvantage.
Changing Futures is a cross-government initiative which aims to test a more joined-up, person-centred approach for people facing a combination of issues including homelessness, substance misuse, poor mental health, domestic violence and contact with the criminal justice system. The selected areas will receive funding over three years to improve support for this group.
The new programme is informed by, and will sit alongside, the existing MEAM Approach and Fulfilling Lives networks, which have been working over the last decade to improve services and systems for people facing multiple disadvantage.
Commenting on the launch, Oliver Hilbery, Director of MEAM said:
“Too often, people facing multiple disadvantage are poorly supported by services designed to focus on singular issues, meaning that they do not get the help they need.
“We welcome the Changing Futures programme, which will be an important part of an evolving landscape of activity designed to join up services and improve responses for people facing multiple disadvantage.
“The new programme presents an exciting opportunity to test a government-led approach to funding local partnerships, and to compare and contrast this with existing models such as the MEAM Approach and Fulfilling Lives.
“To maximise its impact, it will be important for the Changing Futures programme to retain a focus on changing systems as well as delivering services. This will require the development of broad and inclusive local partnerships; supporting them to identify and address the barriers that prevent people getting the help they need; and using feedback from this work to drive the changes needed across government departments.
“MEAM will continue to work closely with local areas in our network that have confirmed Changing Futures investment. We will also refresh our support to areas outside Changing Futures, expanding the MEAM Approach offer and providing focused support to local areas which want to work on specific system challenges.
“Our links mean we are well-placed to support learning across the Changing Futures, MEAM Approach and Fulfilling Lives networks. We look forward to working with the government as the Changing Futures programme takes shape.”
Notes:
- Further information on the Changing Futures Programme is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changing-futures-changing-systems-for-adults-experiencing-multiple-disadvantage
- Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) is the national coalition of Clinks, Homeless Link, Mind and Collective Voice. meam.org.uk
- The MEAM Approach is a non-prescriptive framework which supports local areas to transform the way that services and systems support people facing multiple disadvantage. Developed in 2013, it is currently being used by local areas across England with support from the MEAM team. www.meam.org.uk/the-meam-approach