James’ Journey
James is one of five ‘archetypes’ created for our social impact report, based on a series of ‘typical’ storylines about the lives of people that we help. By using these, we can explore their needs, their journey to Right There, how they are supported by us and the difference Right There has made in their lives – as well as what could happen if they did not access help from us.
James’ journey prior to Right There
James’ early years were marked by instability and trauma, leading to a placement in care. He turned to substances to cope with emotional turmoil, worsening his mental health.
After leaving care, he had short stints in prison due to minor convictions. He moved between family members’ and friends’ homes but often clashed with them, leaving him unsettled and unsupported. Hostile interactions with a family member prompted him to move out. However, he lacked the funds to pay for a deposit on a new tenancy and would not have been able to sustain it on his own. His social worker referred him to Right There.
James’ Journey with Right There’s Support
Right There plays a crucial role in James’ journey, initially helping him secure temporary accommodation and apply for Universal Credit, reducing immediate stress. Initially resistant, he gradually trusts the team, building positive connections and feeling heard.
Motivated by this safe space, he sets goals with his support worker, seeking help for substance use and his mental health. Surrounded by supportive peers, he distances himself from negative influences.
Right There facilitates access to community activities and support, empowering James with coping strategies and skills for managing trauma and mental health. He secures long-term housing, improves his financial management, and lands an apprenticeship, boosting his confidence and well-being. While becoming more self-sufficient, he continues to access support networks, with Right There providing ongoing guidance and referrals as needed.
James’ Journey without Right There’s Support
Without support from Right There, James is caught in a relentless cycle of challenges. He struggles to find stability and safety, lacking secure housing and a reliable support network. This leads to mounting financial strain and increasingly poor mental health.
Turning to substances for solace, he becomes caught up in debt and minor criminal activity. Though prison provides a temporary break, upon release, he returns to his previous circumstances. Isolated and dependent on substances, his physical and mental well-being deteriorate, leaving him with little motivation or means to seek help. Spiralling deeper into despair, he tragically succumbs to untreated health issues shortly after release from prison, highlighting the dire consequences of his journey without the support of Right There.
Economic evaluation of the outcomes from James’ story
For each individual “James” receiving support, the
social benefit is detailed as:
- Receiving support for substance use yields a saving for the NHS of £8.4k.
- Receiving support for poor mental health, this would yield a saving for the NHS of at least £4.4k.
- Moving into longer term, more sustainable accommodation would yield a saving for the local authority of at least £9.4k (of which £7.8k relates to the move from temporary to permanent accommodation, £1.4k for the reduced risk in eviction and £228 for the reduced risk of rent arrears) and £6k to the NHS, where he is avoiding health conditions which cause multiple visits to A&E.
- Receiving support to deal with and reduce the risk of problem debt in future, would yield a saving of at least £4.7k to the Scottish economy.
- James securing an apprenticeship is worth £9.1k to the DWP and the Scottish economy (£6k saved upon entry to employment, the benefits saved by DWP upon entry to employment, worth an additional £1.3k and £1.8k saved by avoiding being Not in Education, Employment or Training).
- The biggest area of economic value generated by Right There’s support is in avoiding any further interactions with the criminal justice system (a saving of £12.3k).
Extrapolating this out for all the James’ receiving support from Right There would lead to a social benefit of at least £22.8 million.
