Converge Annual Report
Academic year 2010-11 Introduction to Converge Converge is partnership between York St John University and North Yorkshire and York PCT delivering high quality educational opportunities in the arts for people who use mental health services. Our project is based on a convergence of the requirements of a university and of mental health service providers. Mental health service users need good quality educational opportunities that raise their aspirations and enable them to move on into education or employment. The university needs high quality work-based experiences for students to increase their employability. What distinguishes Converge is that it offers a model of collaboration between a university and a mental health service provider that can make a real difference in the lives of users of mental health services, full-time students and the university community. Each can learn from and alongside the other. The strength of the approach is that it matches the ‘core business’ of its key providers: the university educates its students; the health service has a valuable provision for its clients; and fulltime students complete their modules. But its strength goes beyond that of matching core business – its real value is in how much more is created from and through the collaboration of the university and Converge students engaged in the course.
Over the academic year 2010-11 Converge offered courses in theatre, dance, music, fine art and writing poetry. We have also supported Out of Character and the Communitas choir. 70 people who use mental health services accessed our courses; we involved 25 university students and provided 302 hours of teaching. This annual report details course attendance and retention, presents feedback from Converge students and University students and looks at the changes we wish to make in the coming year.
Our Courses In the academic year 2010-11 Converge has offered the following courses and educational opportunities: Duration Course
(2hrs per weeks)
Number of Converge students completed
Number of University students
Introduction to Theatre
10 weeks
7
3
Fine Art
8 weeks
7
2
Music (Jamming)
8 weeks
4
3
Writing Poetry
8 weeks
4
2
Choir
10 weeks
5
5
Out of Character
16 weeks
7
2
Dance
3 weeks
8
1
Semester One
OT students Total semester one
4 122 hours
42
22
Dance
14 weeks (Plus performance)
4
1
Music (Jamming)
12 weeks (Plus performance)
7
4
Music (African drumming)
9 weeks (Plus performance)
6
4
Writing Poetry
8 weeks
5
2
Choir
17 weeks
4
6
Semester Two
Out of Character and Working toward performance
16 weeks (plus performance and day workshop)
14
5
Total Semester 2
180 hours
40
22
Totals 2010-11
302 hours
82 (70)
44 (25)
The following table gives an indication of the number of enquiries, attendance, completion and retention rates.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Totals for 2010-11
Number of enquiries
93
85
178
Attending at least one class
57
62
119
Completing courses
42
40
82
Retention rate in %
74%
61%
67%
Attendance of those who
83%
88%
86%
completed the course
This year’s highlights 3 Converge students join full time undergraduate courses: One Converge student has completed his first year on the BA Theatre course. Two students have gained places on BA courses starting in September 2011 (Dance and Theatre).
Gemma Alldred wins the 2011 York St John University alum of the year award. Out of Character perform ‘Home Spun’ to a full house of 70 audience members at the Create ’11 festival.
Working toward performance course work with Out of Character. This was a successful partnership and has resulted in three new members for the company. “Everyone connected to 'Out of Character' welcomed me, I felt a degree of safety, knowing that at some point we have all had mental health issues and I won't be judged. There was not one single session that I didn't learn something about the world of theatre and acting.” - Quote from a new member of Out of Character
First performance of Converge students in May. The choir along with dance and music students performed for each other and for family and friends.
Converge Summer School, August 2011. 22 Converge students attended, 6 students volunteered and all classes were run by graduates of the university with support from Nick and Gemma.
Converge’s website launched. Converge now has a website at www.convergeyork.co.uk The website is already being used by people to book places on our courses.
Feedback from Converge students and from university students involved in the project a) Converge Student feedback
1. Course management 39 out of 40 (97%) Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “The tutors made me feel welcome” 100% of Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “The tutors were good at explaining things and guiding my work” 34 out of 40 (85%) Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement:”The course matched my expectations” 2. Holding the course at the university 35 out of 40 (87.5%) Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “It was important to have students from the university involved” 27 out of 38 (71%) Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “It was important to me that the course took place at the university” 3. Confidence and health 30 out of 37 (81%) Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “The course was good for me” 25 out of 37 (67%) Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “Other people thought the course would be good for me” 31 out of 40 students (77.5%) Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “I feel that the course has improved my general confidence”
4. The Future 38 out of 39 students (97%) Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “I would like to do more of this art form in the future” 34 out of 40 (85%) Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “I would like to do more courses at the university” 32 out of 39 (82%) Converge students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “I would like to do more courses outside the university” 5. General recommendation 100% of those Converge students who completed the course agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “I would recommend the course to a friend” 6. Comments
“I enjoyed every bit of it. I got time out and gave me the confidence to perform in front of people.” A Converge student on working towards performing Homespun. “The tutors were great and made me feel very welcome.” A Converge student talking about university students teaching on the music course. The instructors were enthusiastic and inspiring. They clearly love the subject and that comes over.” A Converge student talking about university students teaching on the writing course. “Just wanted to say a big thank-you for arranging the creative writing (poetry) course at York St John’s University. It was excellent in content with first class tutors. It stretched me but the effort was worthwhile.” – Email from Creative Writing Student
b) York St John Students’ feedback
In an anonymous questionnaire 100% of those University students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statements: “Working with Converge has enriched my learning experience at YSJ University” “I have learnt new skills that I can take into the workplace after I graduate” 17 out of 18 (94%) of university students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement: “I feel that my attitudes towards mental health have changed for the better”
Comments: “This project is awesome for all involved.” “ I’ve become much more confident in workshop running, learning how to adapt to different personality types and to create exercises suitable for a range of abilities….If I’ve learnt anything about the arts and mental health it’s that they can be a way of connecting and integrating into the world people who find traditional ways of doing this difficult. I’ve seen people arrive closed off, and leave smiling and chatty…”- Music, Level 3 Student “It has developed me as a facilitator. I am much more confident running workshops now and understand my client groups much better. Music, Level 3 Student “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Converge and feel it has developed my skills along with the participants. It has definitely opened my eye to mental health and I know want to continue to work in this field of work.” – Theatre, Level 3 Student
c) Health staff feedback Staff feedback “Just wanted to add my personal thanks, for all your efforts in setting up and running the groups. It was lovely to be part of the performance on Tuesday and I know the
guys get a great deal out of it. Thanks again to you and all the students and staff who support the initiative. I really look forward to our continued participation with Converge.� – Senior OT who attended the showing session at the end of term.
Discussion and developments for next year. 1. Attendance and Retention rates
In common with other providers of courses for people who are experiencing mental health problems we have found that most people who stop attending classes do so after the first week. It may be that the course was not what they had expected, or that the stress related to attending was too great; however a preliminary survey of those who left the course in the early weeks suggest that other factors in their lives made it difficult to continue attending.
Of course there are factors that influence retention that are outside of the control of the Converge project; however the data for this year suggests that retention is improved where there is more support available to participants. We do not have comparable figures for other providers of courses for people who use mental health services although we are confident that a retention rate of 67% and attendance running at 86% is a least comparable. Nevertheless with more support for participants we expect these figures to rise.
Retention rates vary across the courses we offer. The theatre courses and Out of Character have the highest retention rates (88%). This may be because Converge students attending the theatre classes have more support outside classes: phoning people if they stop attending, social activities after the classes and a history of
supportive relationships built up over the three and a half years of the project. In order to improve retention and support across all our courses we will need to the resources to match the kind of support offered in theatre.
2. Support
Some of our Converge students need considerable support if they are to engage with the courses and attend regularly. We offer as much support as we are able to phoning when people miss a session, arranging a support worker to attend if possible and encouraging people in the classes – however there is much more we could do with more resources.
We have considered the idea of recruiting students to support people to attend in a mentoring scheme. This would need significant organisation and administration in order to be successful and we will be investigating the feasibility of this in the coming year.
3. Progression
a) Converge students: we take the progression of Converge students very seriously. We have already had some notable successes with three students now entering undergraduate courses; however there is more that needs to be done to ensure that students move onto further education and employment if they wish. We are very fortunate to have an occupational therapist working with us for ½ day a week (Maddy Vernon). We wish to extend the guidance Converge students receive in order to support their aspirations for the future. In relation to this we
are working with the Centre for Lifelong Learning to offer an “Is Higher Education for me?” course in the autumn.
b) University students: we are pleased that 5 recent graduates of the university are working with the project, supporting Converge students and offering classes. We would like to see that develop in the future offering paid internment and postgraduate opportunities.
4. Partnership
Converge would not be able to function without the support of Beverley Hunter, the Community Recovery Team, the North Yorkshire and York PCT and York St John University. We will wish to strengthen this partnership in the next year by maintaining strong links with mental health providers and embedding Converge’s work more fully into the university structures and procedures.
5. Evaluation
Currently we evaluate our courses through questionnaires issued at the end of each course. We wish to simplify and improve on these as well as giving students an opportunity to record feedback on our website if they wish. We are particularly keen to talk to those Converge students who do not complete the courses in order to find out if there are any improvements we can make.
Thank you Converge is a partnership whose work relies on the good will and support of a wide range of individuals and organisations in the city of York. We would like to thank: Beverley Hunter and the North Yorkshire and York PCT York St John University and particularly the Deans of the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Students and staff of the university Graduates of the university and particularly Nicola Forshaw, Gina Vickers and Jane Allanach Chris Bartram, leader of the Communitas choir Emma McKenzie and Grace Helliwell Out of Character Theatre Company
Mark Gowland for his design work and membership of Shadow Board Nick Nightingale, chair of Converge Shadow Board Jessica Grant, Higher York Jen Hall, creative business manager, Faculty of Arts
Colette Gray, Future Prospects
Simon Newton, Head of Regional Partnership Strategy, York St John University
Karen Nixon, Partners PR firm for pro bono advice
Russell Smith Accountants
Simon Town, fundraising advice
David Richmond, Head of Theatre, York St John University. Kay Hepplewhite and John Merrilees in theatre
Jane Cronin-Davis, occupational therapy, York St John University
Diane Cotterill, Caroline Wolverson and Diane Cadman, senior lecturers in occupational therapy.