The WY-FI project started its work on 1st June 2014. During its first year of operation, it has:
- Been in contact with 142 people
- Half of those people are now receiving full support from the programme
- Trained 21 Peer Mentors
Touchstone is just one of the partners within the project. Particular achievements by our staff have been:
- BME Engagement Worker successfully overturned a welfare payment sanction.
- Multi-agency release plan put in place for two beneficiaries following release from prison.
- Three Peer Mentor courses have been delivered. The course has been written and facilitated by individuals with lived experience.
- One Peer Mentor has been recruited to the first paid Trainee Role in WY-FI. The Trainee role has been developed and the evaluation of this role has been through co- production.
- Supporting Peer Mentors with a range of needs for example, successfully supporting a Peer Mentor to overcome their anxieties of working with men and supporting a learner to achieve their personal goals.
- Peer mentors achieving ETE (education, training and employment) outcomes, including; paid trainee roles, volunteer roles and paid employment.
- Links with social justice teams have been developed. For example, a Peer Mentor was supported to overturn a 3 month benefit sanction, as the ETE team advised on a letter of appeal and used existing links to the social justice team.
- A variety of ETE opportunities links have been made and the team are exploring how to engage beneficiaries in volunteering and education.
- Working with Navigators, the Service User Involvement Officer and Workforce Development
- Officer a strategy to support individuals in recovery into the workplace is being developed.
The full end-of-year report not only details the achievements of other members of the partnership, but also discusses plans and learning for the future delivery of WY-FI and highlights feedback from service users.
Download report.
