Authors: Emily Hulse, Srinithya Nagarajan, Dr Eleanor Carter
Organisation: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)
Policy Area: Health & wellbeing
This is the second of three planned reports within a longitudinal evaluation of the Mental Health and Employment Partnership (MHEP).
MHEP supports people experiencing poor mental health, or with learning disabilities, to enter and remain in employment. It operates five LCF-funded projects across Haringey and Barnet, Shropshire, Enfield and Tower Hamlets.
The second interim evaluation report primarily presents evidence from the qualitative process evaluation, focused on the implementation and delivery of the MHEP projects. It explores the experiences of key stakeholders, including commissioners, providers, investors, and the MHEP management team. In doing so, the report looks to further test the theory of change mechanisms set out in the first report.
The process evaluation draws on qualitative evidence from 27 semi-structured interviews with MHEP stakeholders, participant observation (conducted between August 2022 and January 2024), and analysis of key project documents. The report also provides updated quantitative data on programme performance.
MHEP is part-funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) under the Life Chances Fund (LCF). The LCF was launched in 2016 as a locally-led Social Outcomes Partnerships (SOP) fund to tackle entrenched social issues across England. The LCF contributes to SOP projects through payments by results contracts. These contracts involve social investors and are locally commissioned.
A summary of the finding from this report can also be found here.