We operate a vibrant, large wood workshop and wood recycling social enterprise. We compete in the marketplace, supplying indoor and outdoor wooden furniture and products to local authorities, universities, schools, businesses and private customers. Our Wood Recycling service contacts with many house builders and developers. We also operate a large retail outlet, selling reclaimed wood and products.
The difference with RAW is that 85% of our Crew will be living with or recovering from a variety of issues or life-experiences. Our amazing Crew currently includes people with mental health issues, those in recovery from addiction, folks with learning and/or physical disabilities, those who have seen the wrong side of the criminal justice system and young people who have become disengaged.
We created RAW. We’re ambitious, resilient and determined to show that people who live through adversity are Exceptional, Not The Exception.
We operate a vibrant, large wood workshop and wood recycling social enterprise. We compete in the marketplace, supplying indoor and outdoor wooden furniture and products to local authorities, universities, schools, businesses and private customers. Our Wood Recycling service contacts with many house builders and developers. We also operate a large retail outlet, selling reclaimed wood and products.
The difference with RAW is that 85% of our Crew will be living with or recovering from a variety of issues or life-experiences. Our amazing Crew currently includes people with mental health issues, those in recovery from addiction, folks with learning and/or physical disabilities, those who have seen the wrong side of the criminal justice system and young people who have become disengaged. We recently started engaging with refugees from war zones in the Middle East. We’re also part of an innovative third-sector partnership that will see is working with young people referred to us via Oxon CAMHS.
We believe that mental health affects us all and crosses boundaries beyond commissioning. One can argue that many people who suffer an addiction have an MH issue. Likewise, the huge increase in MH illness amongst the prison population points to a need to redefine where and how we engage with mental health issues. RAW is a place for all and, whatever, a person’s ‘diagnosis’ or definition is, we believe recovery is possible.
We don’t chase someone else’s ‘outcome targets’ or have a ‘program’. What we do is help people to realise that they are remarkable, more talented than they ever thought and to feel truly valued. That leads to increased self-esteem, energy and societal belonging.
We do have training opportunities but we don’t focus on them. What we focus on is what people FEEL about themselves and their place in the world. Emotional wellbeing, a sense of pride and being part of the RAW brand is what works. It may well be, once the feelings are right, people want to gain more skills – that’s their choice and we’ll help them do that. But only when they desire it and that comes from within.
We redefined ‘outcomes’: Somebody not being at home alone, watching Jeremy Kyle, and being with us instead is an outcome. If RAW can be the reason somebody wants to get out of bed in the morning and comes to work, that’s an outcome. If somebody holds their head a little bit higher, feels less isolated and is creating their own story, that’s what we call outcomes.
We created a place for all. No matter what a person’s background or story, we’ll find them a place that they will gain from. We don’t label people. All history and life paths have value.
We break down stigma not by given worthy talks about ‘everyone having value’. We do it by making products and providing services that the public and organisations are impressed by and want to purchase. Judge us not by definitions, labels or conditions, judge us by how good our products and services are. They are our loudest. most powerful voice.
In terms of the ‘bigger picture’…Happier people, who are positively engaged, tend to: stay well for longer (= less call on clinical services), be less likely to self-medicate (=reduced impact of addiction/ASB on NHS, Police and Courts), have better home lives (=greater family cohesion/inter-generational benefits).
Wider Active Support
We work closely with a broad range of partners, supporters and collaborators. Top of that list is RESPONSE (www.response.org.uk) who have supported, fuelled and inspired our journey. We also work and collaborate with organisations including:
RESPONSE
Oxford Health NHS Trust
Turning Point
Thames Valley CRC (probation service)
Kennedy Scott
Connections FS
Oxon Employment Services
Job Centre
SOFEA
Oxford Community & Voluntary Action (OCVA)
Oxfordshire County Council (Care Leavers)
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford City Council
We are currently taking referrals from the above, producing on their behalf and/or co-developing person centred access to RAW.
Co-Production
– Our new Workshop Manager is embedding a regular Crew meeting for feedback and innovation
– We encourage Crew to design their own pieces which may then go into production
– Management Team have weekly meetings to explore how we can always be ‘More Exceptional’
– We positively encourage ideas for improvement and innovation. Our culture is to be fearless of failure – not creating, experimenting and giving things your best shot is much more frightening to us than ‘failure’.
Looking Back/Challenges Faced
Nothing specific. We know where we are going but are happy to adapt, overcome, learn and move-on.
Sustainability
Our key measure is to make sure that all Crew are so happy, rewarded (financial, culture + emotional) and motivated by our work that they won’t want to move on.
Evaluation (Peer or Academic)
We have engaged a PhD from Oxford Brookes University to commence a report, analysis, review and recommendations report. This starts in Summer 2017 and will heavily be based around Crew member interviews and observation.
Outcomes
– Happier and more confident people
– Demeanor and willingness to interact
– Coming forward with ideas and confidence
– Increasing number of Crew member days worked
– Increased number of qualifications and training sessions
Sharing
We want to share best practice experience and share through partnership projects. For example, we are currently modelling a co-created service with Oxfordshire County Council for Young Care Leavers
Is there any other information you would like to add?
We don’t aim to be like anybody else.
We want to disrupt the old ways of thinking and challenge lazy prejudices about ‘people with mental health issues and those who face disadvantage’.
We’re on a mission. We’re not a ‘service’.
Rather than complaining about the ‘lack of funding’ we will graft to create our own revenues which not only make us sustainable, but also gives us the magic of independence.
