Change Model

Our Change Model was developed following a theory of change approach. The Model helps us to describe the need we are trying to address (our aim), the changes we want to make (our outcomes) and what we plan to do to achieve the outcomes (our activities).

The Change Model supports us to develop our programmes and schemes, and share our vision with potential grantees and funders.

Aim

Everyone who experiences mental illness has the right treatment, care and support for them.

Outcomes

• Greater equity in care and support.
• Better quality treatment is widely available.
• Care and support are shaped by diverse expertise and experience.
• Intervention is as early as possible.
• More people live well with their illness.

Activities

We fund solutions

• We fund quality improvement, research, innovation and the scaling-up of what works.
• We support work that improves access to evidenced and effective care and treatment.
• We draw on a diverse range of perspectives and evidence to understand the problems that we’re trying to solve in order to remove obstacles to excellent care and support.
• We actively encourage collaboration between frontline clinicians, researchers, people with lived experience of mental illness, their families and carers, and voluntary and community organisations.

We focus on those most failed

• We target the majority of our resources towards people who are most in need of but least likely to receive mental health care in the way and at the time they should.
• We shape our programmes drawing on evidence about the impact of racism, discrimination and socio-economic disadvantage. We are committed to combatting discrimination and inequity in mental health care.
• We fund projects and research that support people at different stages – from addressing first signs of an illness through to helping people manage their severe, life-long mental health condition.

 We leverage our close relationship to the NHS.

• We are an independent charity with a large portion of our funding going to NHS teams to improve and enhance services and patient wellbeing. Our partnerships and independence grant us a unique perspective on the mental health care system and where it may be falling short.
• We work closely with South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, with which we share our history, location and ambition for improving the lives of people with mental ill health.
• We support others outside the NHS, including community organisations, to partner with or provide complementary and alternative services to NHS care and support.
• We fund research undertaken at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) that uses the best evidence to drive improvements to care and support.

We amplify impact

• We identify and support projects with high potential for impact.
• We operate primarily and target impact within the four boroughs served by the Trust (Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark), however the work we fund has the potential for wider adoption and learning at both national and international levels.
• We partner strategically with national organisations whose priorities align with our own to extend our reach and strengthen our impact.
• We built and operate the ORTUS Centre on the campus of South London and Maudsley and the IoPPN to provide space and opportunity for people to connect and learn from each other.