Social Justice
at Dartington
The Social Justice Programme Dartington
“At the start, it was an act of faith on our part to take over an old estate in a rural area, being at that time rapidly depopulated, and to believe that we could transform it into an active centre of life. And life with many facets. For we never intended to make Dartington an economic experiment merely, concentrating mainly on farming and forestry and rural industry. From the beginning we envisaged something more – a place where education could be continuously carried on and where the arts could become an integral part of the life of the whole place. We believed that not only should we provide for the material wellbeing of our people here but for their cultural and social needs as well. And in our dream of the good life we counted on the human values of kindliness and friendship to bind the community together. We hoped that in this way a certain quality of life and human relationships would emerge, relatively free from fear and competition.� Dorothy Elmhirst (1887-1968)
The Dartington Hall Trust started in 1925 as ‘The Dartington Experiment’ using the newly restored rural estate to found a place of invention, education and creativity through which new answers to the problems of the times could be explored and developed.
Promoting social justice has always been at the heart of Dartington’s work . . .
Our founders, the Elmhirsts, set out a vision of the ‘good life’ based on a rounded view of what the human experience should be about – one that avoided simplistic distinctions between meeting the economic, social and cultural needs of all people. From establishing one of the first sheltered housing sites to hosting the discussions central to the birth of the NHS – Dartington has a long history of addressing the social challenges of the times.
today, the Social Justice Programme is fundamental to Dartington’s mission – nationally recognised, its impact reaches right across the country.
origins
Introducing the Social Justice Programme
“Inequalities are a matter of life and death, of health and sickness, of well-being and misery.� The Marmot Review Fair Society, Healthy Lives 2010
Introducing the Social Justice Programme
social justice matters . . . in a fair society everyone should have the opportunity to live fulfilling lives
Dartington can play
working creatively and collaboratively with others matters . . .
helping to build
in order to do more than we could alone to drive the social change we want to see
creative and healthy
‘Learning, Doing, Sharing’ matters . . .
locally and
we need to find out what works, test new ideas in the real world, and share our findings
nationally.
a special role in more resilient, communities, both
ethos
We believe
Today, there are three main strands to the work of the Social Justice Programme at Dartington. They overlap but help to describe how we make a difference.
• • •
Improving the knowledge and skills of others to deliver high quality projects and services to tackle disadvantage and improve people’s lives Delivering flagship community projects on the Dartington Hall Estate Promoting new ideas and debate to encourage the next generation of solutions to social problems
Throughout the programme we work with the other departments at Dartington including property, arts and sustainability. The rich diversity of resources and activities at Dartington strengthens our work and allows for innovative collaborations across and beyond the organisation.
approach
Introducing the Social Justice Programme
Improving the Knowledge and Skills of Others
A set of three established enterprises are at the heart of the work of the Social Justice Programme at Dartington.
Research in Practice Research in Practice for Adults Dartington School for Social Entrepreneurs Each of these enterprises provides practical support to others so they can more effectively improve people’s lives and drive social change. They are national centres of excellence, leading the way in their fields.
“The support provided by Research in Practice is critically important in helping to navigate through change and uncertainty but equally to provide the opportunities for us to come together as a sector to learn, share and challenge as we strive to improve the outcomes for children.” Andrew Webb Partnership Board Chair and Association of Directors of Children’s Services President 2013/14
“Without Research in Practice I would find my job so much harder. On my own, I know I could not meet the learning needs of our staff – but I know I can go to Research in Practice and then will have what I need. It is a hugely useful resource.” Bilkis Hirani, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
Improving the Knowledge and Skills of Others
Research in Practice With close on 400,000 of our country’s children officially in need, the number of children in care rising, child poverty increasing and children’s services under financial pressure, now more than ever there is a need to ensure that organisations working with children make a difference, work well with others and use robust evidence to guide their work.
Research in Practice is a
Research in Practice, established in 1996, supports organisations working with children, young people and their families, enabling safer decision-making and more childcentred practice. It is the largest such service in the UK.
membership network with over
By bringing together evidence from academic research and professional experience, Research in Practice improves how organisations work – from helping build frontline social work expertise to supporting strategic decision-making, through tailored support, topical publications and learning events.
children’s organisations, who
It also encourages and facilitates organisations and individuals across the sector to share knowledge and expertise – fostering a lasting culture of evidence-informed practice and sector-led improvement.
80 Partner agencies, primarily local authorities and national work with the most needy children in the country.
In current times it is absolutely critical that organisations know that the services they deliver are as effective as possible and offer the best value for money. In response to this pressing need, Research in Practice and Research in Practice for Adults set up the Research, Evaluation and Analysis Support Network (reason) in partnership with the National Foundation for Educational Research. reason works with organisations in the social care, education and health sectors to support their ability to undertake robust evaluations and demonstrate the effectiveness of their services. It also supports organisations to make decisions based on evaluation evidence and to share learning about what works well.
Improving the Knowledge and Skills of Others
Research in Practice for Adults The success of Research in Practice led to a direct request for Dartington to set up a similar network to support agencies working in adult social care. As a result, Research in Practice for Adults was established in 2005. Like its sister organisation, Research in Practice for Adults supports organisations to identify and make use of the available evidence about what works. Its services increase the confidence and ability of frontline workers and the overall effectiveness of organisations, ultimately improving outcomes for adults needing social care help. Research in Practice for Adults works closely with its Partner agencies, mainly local authorities, to address their priorities and to be responsive to their needs. And, like Research in Practice, it uses its experience and expertise to inform both national policy debates and frontline practice.
“Recent times have been particularly challenging for our sector and there is no doubt these pressures will continue to be felt for some time ahead. However, what is clear is that by sharing knowledge and using evidence to inform our practice we can achieve great success. The work Research in Practice for Adults undertakes and its model of sector-led support, knowledge exchange and co-production is a vital part of our efforts to build capacity for improvement within adult social care.� Peter Hay Partnership Board Chair and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services President 2011-12
“Everyone has the capacity to be remarkable.” Michael Young (Lord Young of Dartington) Founder of the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE)
“The Dartington School for Social Entrepreneurs has provided a challenging but essential programme of activities, which have provided an essential backbone for shaping a successful and sustainable start-up enterprise.” Katherine Ford, 2012 Dartington SSE Start-Up Fellowship Fellow
Improving the Knowledge and Skills of Others
School for Social Entrepreneurs Dartington School for Social Entrepeneurs (SSE) was launched within The Dartington Hall Trust in January 2010 and is one of eleven schools in the UK and abroad. The SSE approach is centred on the individual and their project. It shapes the learning opportunities according to the visions and needs of the people who come through its doors. These people are personally committed to making a difference within their communities and in their society: people whose objectives are about more than profit. SSE’s learning process is powered by action and reflection and is far removed from more traditional educational and learning programmes. Dartington SSE’s reach has expanded well beyond the Dartington Hall Estate, and now delivers programmes in Bristol, Plymouth and Torbay supporting a range of new projects – from community based education projects in Devon to international disaster relief initiatives. Dartington SSE is increasingly focused on working with disadvantaged and ‘harder to reach’ individuals who would otherwise miss out on opportunities for support.
Dartington SSE provides training and opportunities that enable people with entrepreneurial ideas to achieve positive change in their communities.
Alongside our work enabling others to more effectively drive change and improve people’s lives, the Social Justice Programme also delivers projects on the Dartington Hall Estate designed to meet local community needs and to test new approaches to issues of national importance. We focus on priority themes where we can make the biggest difference. Our current priorities:
Living life well in older age – the challenges and opportunities presented by an ageing population in the UK
Reducing reoffending – the challenge of more effectively reintegrating offenders into communities and breaking the cycle of offending and reoffending
community projects
Flagship Community Projects
“The project has the potential to bring a wide range of benefits to the area, not least helping to meet our aspiration to provide high quality and affordable accommodation for the increasing number of older people, who live in the area. This is turn should improve life chances of people living at the new community with associated benefits for local public services.� Richard Sheard, Chief Executive, South Hams District Council
Flagship Community Projects
Abundant Life living life well in older age Nearly 20% of the UK population is now over retirement age, which means for the first time in recorded history, there are more pensioners in the UK than there are under 16s. In a culture that has too often viewed older people as a drain on resources, this emerging demographic challenges us to think differently about older age – looking at the very real opportunities available to make a valuable contribution to existing communities. Dartington is working to develop a flagship residential community for people over the age of 55, on the site of the old Dartington Hall school. Residents, whatever their income and needs, will play an important part in the local community with support to keep active, busy and full of purpose. Dartington wants to help shape thinking and provision for older age living, just as it did for schooling and education in the past.
Based on the Elmhirsts’ philosophy that ‘an abundant life is a happy life’ and following the long Dartington tradition of experimentation. . . . the Abundant Life
project is Dartington’s response to the changing demography of the UK.
“If you’ve only ever been told in life that whatever you do is rubbish, then if someone comes along and says, ‘wow, that’s really good’, possibly for the first time, then that’s very big. Dartington LandWorks will be that someone”. Chris Parsons Dartington LandWorks Manager
“The Dartington LandWorks rehabilitation scheme, with its aim of providing a supported route back into employment and community life, offers a potentially excellent pathway for prisoners on release. I wish you every success.” Matthew Hancock MP Minister for Skills
Reoffending is a big problem. Official figures show that almost half of all adults with a custodial conviction in England and Wales go on to be reoffend within a year. Action to reduce reoffending is in everyone’s interests. A major factor is that it is extremely difficult for offenders to gain employment upon release. Unable to find a job and a steady income – either because employers are reluctant to hire them or because they lack skills and experience – offenders soon fall into difficulties and into old habits. More needs to be done to support offenders into employment and to stabilise their lives. Dartington LandWorks started in 2013, providing training and skills for people in and coming out of prison. Based around a landscaping and construction social enterprise, it provides support for offenders to put crime behind them. Training in practical skills goes hand in hand with developing social skills, encouraging responsibility and building confidence and self-worth. LandWorks is run by a small staff team alongside many volunteers and supporters and it will test an innovative approach to reducing reoffending in rural settings.
Dartington
Reducing Reoffending
LandWorks
Flagship Community Projects
The Care Inquiry Research in Practice joined seven other specialist charities (Adoption UK, British Association of Adoption & Fostering, Family Rights Group, The Fostering Network, TACT, The Together Trust and The Who Cares? Trust) to undertake an inquiry into how best to provide stable and permanent homes for children in England who cannot live with their birth families. A series of evidence sessions were held to examine the research and gather the opinions of children and their carers. The result was a series of recommendations to challenge current policy around children in care so that stable and loving homes that build positive futures for our most vulnerable children are achieved.
Interrogate! In 2011, Dartington established the first ever Social Justice Festival – Interrogate! – on the theme of Income Inequality. This was followed by the theme of Happiness in 2012. By combining performance, workshops, comedy and debate the Festivals have explored key social issues in a new and interactive way.
Dartington has always been a place of discussion and debate – where new ideas are developed, explored and tested. This tradition remains strong within the Social Justice Programme today. From hosting public debates and innovative festivals to our involvement informing national policy discussions, the Social Justice Programme works to promote new ideas and encourage the next generation of solutions to social problems.
public debate
Promoting New Ideas and Public Debate
We are only succeeding if we make tangible differences to people’s lives.
Direct support to over 14,000 social care practitioners and managers with a range of tailored, practical resources
We are proud of our work but always conscious
Over 6000 social care professionals participate in learning opportunities each year
that we can only be
Over 60 new social enterprises supported to start-up
genuine partnership –
successful by working in with other professional
125 organisations supported to demonstrate the effectiveness of their services
organisations, with community groups, with
The first rurally based intensive training and employment scheme for ex-offenders in the South West Over 800 people registering their interest in living in an innovative scheme for living a fulfilling life in older age The first ever Social Justice festival in the UK
entrepreneurial individuals and with the general public.
impact
The largest organisation in England & Wales dedicated to providing evidence-informed support to organisations working with children, young people and their families
We will continue to develop and expand our established enterprises – Research in Practice, Research in Practice for Adults, and the Dartington School for Social Entrepreneurs – providing excellent support and guidance to people dedicated to making a real difference in their communities. We will continue to take forward projects to strengthen the local community and test new approaches to national issues. We will continue to find innovative ways to promote public engagement and to develop new ideas to address social challenges.
We are always open to new ideas and collaborations that can promote social justice and meet real community needs. If you are interested in supporting, partnering or hosting new activity at Dartington or finding out more about our work then please do talk to us about a fairer society . . .
future
We are ambitious for the future
Social Justice at Dartington +44 (0)1803 847003 www.dartington.org/social-justice Research in Practice +44 (0)1803 867692 ask@rip.org.uk www.rip.org.uk Research in Practice for Adults +44 (0)1803 869753 help@ripfa.org.uk www.ripfa.org.uk Dartington School for Social Entrepreneurs +44 (0)1803 847066 Dartington@sse.org www.dartington.org/sse Abundant Life +44 (0)1803 847214 abundantlife@dartington.org www.dartington.org/abundant-life design : sue snell photography : Š Luke Ball, Alistair Begley, Alice Carfrae, Harmit Kambo, Kate Mount
Dartington LandWorks +44 (0)1803 847214 landworks@dartington.org www.dartington.org/landworks
contacts
The Dartington Hall Trust www.dartington.org
Celia Atherton Director of Social Justice
The Dartington Hall Trust The Granary Dartington Hall Totnes Devon TQ9 6EE
01803 847031 Celia.Atherton@dartington.org
The Social Justice Programme is a department of the Dartington Hall Trust registered in England as a company limited by guarantee and a charity. Company number 1485560 Charity number 279756