Introduction

In October 2014 Genesis commissioned Envoy Partnership to conduct a Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation of their Supported Treatment Accommodation and Recovery in Suffolk (STARS) programme. The evaluation measured the social and economic value which the STARS programme creates .

This report summarises the results of the evaluation which calculates STARS’ Impact and Social Value as well as identifying its key drivers of success and challenges.

STARS was set up initially as a small pilot project in Suffolk in 2008 between Genesis and (then) Suffolk DAAT. Genesis provided a handful of accommodation via the private rented sector as well as ‘Intensive Support’ for individuals with chaotic substance misuse issues and/ or prolific offending histories in the County. Genesis went on to successfully bid for the contract to deliver the service and it has since grown to provide 35 places for Intensive Support clients

In 2013 the service expanded to include a ‘Housing Advice and Advocacy’ service relieving Treatment providers from having to deal with client’s housing issues. This advice and advocacy element of STARS sees an average XXX customers (ie single homeless, couch surfers, rough sleepers) per annum across three main bases in the county: Bury St Edmunds, was provided by Crime Reduction

Lowestoft and Ipswich.

The evaluation showed that STARS creates a significant amount of Social Value and a positive return on investment. In total STARS creates reason for arrest.

just under £10 million of value, of which just over £1.4 million is directly attributable to STARS.

£4.80 of value is created: an SROI ratio of 4.8:1.

The methodology used for the evaluation draws directly on the UK Cabinet Office’s Guide to Social Return on Investment. 1 Extensive research was conducted for the SROI:

In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with 65 stakeholders, including clients and staff at STARS, clients’ families, health and treatment services, the police and probation, other accommodation providers, and commissioners.

34 STARS clients completed a survey, designed by Envoy Partnership and administered by STARS.

Treatment Outcome Profile (TOP) Initiatives (CRI) for a number of STARS clients who were in treatment

Arrest Data was provided by Sussex Police. This data shows frequency of arrest, although not

For every £1 invested, around

Existing STARS client records were utilised

A variety of secondary sources were used, such as the Drug Treatment Outcomes Research study (DTORS)2 and Measuring different aspects of problem drug use: methodological developments3

The full technical report of the SROI is available which provides more details of the rigour and methodology used in the evaluation.4

A guide to Social Return on Investment, (2012), http://www.thesroinetwork.org/publications/ doc_download/241-a-guide-to-social-return-on-investment-2012 See www.dtors.org.uk Singleton, N., Murray, R., Tinsley, L., (Home Office, 2006) Available at xxxxxxxx