MAKING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES MORE INCLUSIVE & ACCESSIBLE
PROJECT BRIEF
OBJECTIVE
A service design sprint in collaboration with MIND UK to understand how could we include more people in mental health treatment services
MY ROLE
User Researcher
Service Designer
Visual Designer
Storyteller
METHODS & TOOLS
Research
Workshop
User Persona
Journey Mapping
Stakeholder Mapping
Systems Mapping
Service Blueprinting
Low-fidelity prototype
TIME FRAME
12 Hours
THEMES
Inclusive Design
Mental Health
Service Design
Connected Communities intervention was awarded runners up for this hackathon
The Brief
Only 1 in 8 people in UK can access mental health treatment. The treatment that is available does not include people equally.
How do we include more people in mental health services?
Mind UK and Innovation Unit Design Academy organised a hackathon (12 hours) at the Royal College of Art. Since the theme of the Hackathon was “Inclusion” our team decided to take the lens of individuals from lower economic backgrounds with a consideration for race and culture.
Our Intervention
Building a system around supporting everyday local places and people to increase inclusion, access and ultimately support to
thrive.
User research & Persona
What we already know
48% avail services through thier GP
10% go to charities
3% use digital support services
Insights
Mental health needs are particularly affected by the cultural background & upbringing of an individual. Even though most people avail GP services, they often distrust their practitioners when it comes to psychological help or have had bad experiences. People depend majorly on their families and communities, but often times for them it is difficult as there is a lack of close knit communities in London. London can be a big and isolating city. Regardless, individuals trust familiar faces more compared to experts.
We identified that certain places and people held a strong community presence and deemed them as “community anchors”. These anchors were spaces of congregation and comfort. It can be as big as a religious institution or as small as a local mom and pop store around the corner.
Problem Statement
How might we mobilise the community anchors to meet mental health needs?
Stakeholder Mapping
Theory of Change
“Communities that connect are communities that care. Building a system around supporting everyday local places and people to increase inclusion, access and ultimately support people to thrive”
Our Proposal
Impact & Feedback
The team was recognised for its overall innovation in understanding its audience, and designing a holistic systemic solution; and awarded the runners up position. This work will be reviewed by the national Mind to see how they align with its goals and the process to implement the solution in elements or as a whole.
