Initiatives

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside | An integrated platform to support first online interactions with our green wellbeing service (Myplace).

INT-873-144

About

Why the work is being done

This challenge seeks to decrease the drop off rate of prospective participants to a wellbeing service (Myplace) at The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside between referral and attending a session. The solution aims to portray Myplace as a welcoming, supportive and engaging environment. 

We propose introducing a range of digital interactions throughout the onboarding process starting with low tech solutions, and increasing as appropriate. These will introduce future participants to the staff members they are meeting as they go through our registration processes. Through email templates, text messages and short, friendly videos introducing the relevant team member and the site, prospects will be able to start putting a face and voice to a name. 

Prospective participants will also receive a link to a 360°video that allows them to look at the meeting point and visualise their first meeting. Should prospects be digitally excluded, they will also be able to access this information without an internet connection. Prospects will have a known point of contact if they are experiencing any issues and will be more likely to start and maintain communication with us.

In order to build rapport with the project officer, prospects will also receive short prompts introducing the Wildlife Trust, tasters of some group activities, examples of things to easily try out at home and more, throughout the onboarding journey. 

These outputs will be designed into a framework of communications with ongoing development remaining a live process, with the full staff team able to easily update and add to an innovative and exciting resource pack. Full training will be provided to staff as part of the programme so they are able to implement plans with, so far as possible, their existing equipment.

Medium term solutions will consider the value of embedding processes within LWTs existing CRM system.

This project is part of the Catalyst and The National Lottery Community Fund COVID-19 Digital Response funding initiative; a partnership between The National Lottery Community Fund and CAST, supported by the Catalyst network.

Problem to solve

Anxiety, loneliness, depression and isolation are increasing due to Covid-19 but Myplace is successful at addressing these issues. Many people with high anxiety and low wellbeing are able and look forward to, overcoming their poor mental health and implementing personal change, but often they do not complete a referral process due to a number of barriers. 

How can we help prospective Myplace participants overcome these barriers and attend a Myplace session? 

Who are the users and what do they need to do

Our users are people experiencing anxiety, poor mental health, and low wellbeing, in the areas of Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and North Merseyside. They are either self referred, referred by the NHS, or by another trusted adult either a professional or family/ friend.
 
User needs statements include:

  1. As a prospective Myplace participant, I need to feel supported by the referrer, So that I am able to complete the onboarding journey
  2. As a prospective Myplace participant, I need to lessen my anxiety about meeting new people and going somewhere new, So that I can attend a Myplace session
  3. As a prospective Myplace participant, I need to feel that a Myplace session is a safe space to learn, So that I am comfortable to attend and excited to return
  4. As a prospective Myplace participant who suffers from anxiety, I need the referral process to be as straightforward as possible, So that I can attend a Myplace session
  5. As a prospective Myplace participant, I need to know what transport options are available to me, So that I can join and attend a Myplace session as easily as possible
  6. As a prospective Myplace participant with limited access to internet and data, I need essential information to be communicated to me in a way that I can access, So that I have the information I need to continue the onboarding process
Key Outcomes/Outputs/Deliverables:
  • A framework for the design of comms/ videos for simple replication by the delivery team
  • Trialled implementation of 3 different communication streams with feedback from users
  • Recommendations and next steps for communication best practice based on user feedback
  • Training of the project team, using existing devices where possible, or minimal extra kit as required
  • Trialled use of communications via CRM
  • A roadmap for future prototype testing 

Key project resources

Extension Funding Wrap up and shareable assets for the Myplace project
- Wrap up deck powerpoint - Wrap up deck PDF with presenter notes - SMS copy - Email subject line amends copy - Myplace sign up landing page copy