Uthink evaluation

At Rethink Mental Illness we value the importance of evaluation, feedback and outcome measures.  From the outset of the Uthink recovery learning programmes, we have prioritised evaluation and developed an evaluation framework that has included a variety of methods:

  • Recovery Star
  • Young Persons Core 
  • Mental health awareness questionnaires
  • External evaluation by University of Central Lancashire
  • End of session feedback forms 
  • Scrap books including narratives and personal aims
  • Photos
  • Poems and reflections
  • Graffiti walls

Our evaluation has helped us to understand what the key ingredients of a successful programme look like, in relation to a local and national context so that we can provide something that young people want to engage with, benefit from and that we know fills a gap in provision for youth related mental health services.

There will be four evaluation reports in total:


1.  External evaluation from the University of Central Lancashire.
An Independent evaluation was carried out by the School of Social Work, at UCLan.  Using a realistic evaluation methodology (Pawson and Tilley, 1997) Professors Nigel Thomas and David Pilgrim explored the links between the Uthink programme context, its mechanisms and outcomes. 

Data collection took place over a one-year period (January 2009 to February 2010) and involved site visits, including observation of Uthink sessions and interviews (face-to-face and by telephone) with a wide range of key stakeholders: young people, young people’s carers, Uthink staff, Rethink Mental Illness managers and partner organisations. 

An extract from the Executive Summary is below:

“A   Mechanisms at work included the content of the programme, the opportunity for contact with other people, the chance to try new activities, the break from isolation, helpful relationships with project workers, positive encouragement to engage and a focus on ‘person, not patient’. There was evidence that all these mechanisms played a part, in particular the contact with other people.

B  Key contextual factors included the receptivity of local professionals, the culture of a voluntary organisation, the skills of the workers, the ethos of ‘strength’ and ‘recovery’, the preparatory work with participants and the funding for the project. Some of these factors were constants in the project, while others varied across sites and programmes.

The Uthink project was a success on all three sites. Good relationships were made with local service providers, the programmes were successfully run as planned, and the outcomes were satisfying to the young people who took part and to those working with them. The receptivity and responsiveness of local providers to this innovative offer makes a critical difference to its success.

In conclusion, this project would have a high likelihood of success in other localities, if funding can be secured. In the current climate this will of course be difficult. However, it is clear that the Uthink project represents a very effective and helpful service for severely disadvantaged groups of young people whose needs are not responded to by current services.”

UCLan Evaluation of Uthink (776 kb) [pdf]

2.  “Positive Mental Health and Recovery in Young People” – the interim outcomes report on 92 data scores.
The strategy for monitoring individual outcomes was developed following review and consultation with young people and Uthink staff. Tools and processes were chosen to capture outcomes of real importance to young people’s lives. The tools included:

Positive Mental Health and Recovery in Young People: Uthink Interim Outcomes Report
  • Recovery Star – a tool that enables young people, in collaboration with their key worker, to assess their current position and assess progress over time in ten recovery-related life dimensions. As described by the Department of Health (2009), the tool ‘has significant face validity and interest in it from mental health services has been strong’. Consultation with young people and Uthink staff led to adaptation of four of the ten item descriptors to ensure they were young person friendly
  • YP-CORE provides an assessment of general well-being and emotional health including commonly experienced symptoms of anxiety and depression and associated aspects of life and social functioning (Twigg et al 2009).  YP-CORE is a version of the CORE-10 specially adapted and validated for young people aged 11-16 years.

Uthink interim outcomes report.pdf (533 kb) [pdf]

3.  Full outcomes report on approximately 150 data scores (due shortly)

4.  An academic report (due shortly)