Recovery in Action: Pathways to Independence Programme

source: Catalyst/Sandra Griffiths
published: 11 August 2026

Pathways to Independence was designed to help people in secure mental health services rebuild practical skills, confidence and community ties so they can move on to meaningful lives beyond hospital.

Co-designed with service users and clinical staff, the programme was delivered to service users at the following secure care units  across Ardenleigh, Hillis Lodge, Reaside, Tamarind and at a Community Hub), for service users supported by the Forensic Intensive Recovery Support team (FIRST).

The programme was managed by Catalyst 4 Change and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and delivered by the following voluntary sector partners: A Father’s Child, Bouncing Statistics, Make Change, Making Change, Motivatemetees and The Cultural Connection.

Between February 2025 and June 2026, the programme delivered 240 sessions combining creative, educational and wellbeing activities with targeted employability support. Sessions included inclusive sport, music production and podcasting, mentoring, yoga and creative wellbeing workshops.

The impact has been clear. In participant surveys:

• 100% reported increased confidence
• 92% felt more positive about their future
• 92% recognised more positive qualities in themselves
• 67% felt less bored
  

Beyond the numbers, service users repeatedly described Pathways to Independence as a place where they felt heard and respected. Creative activities—music, poetry and podcasting—created non threatening spaces for expression, and staff observed that participants often opened in these sessions in ways they did not in formal clinical appointments.

One participant said, “The sessions provided a safe and supportive space where I felt able to express myself freely… I truly had a voice.”

Practical skills were another core focus. Employability workshops covered CV writing, interview

preparation, financial literacy and goal setting, helping people build routines and realistic plans for

education, volunteering or work.

As one participant put it, “It gave us all hope that we could find work both in the clinic and in the community.”

Beyond individual gains, Pathways to Independence strengthened ward dynamics and provided clinicians with new insights into the people they support; creative outputs were used in clinical appointments, and staff observed calmer, more engaged participants. The Community Hub offered an essential bridge into community life.

The programme’s funding has now ended. An impact report will be published in autumn 2026 alongside a short film featuring service users, delivery partners and programme leads. Those materials will document both measurable outcomes and the human stories behind them.

The Pathway to Independence programme has had a meaningful and often profound impact on service users. It has demonstrated how practical support, creative engagement and community partnerships, working alongside clinical care, can transform recovery. With continued investment, this model can reach more people, strengthen transitions from secure care into the community, and turn fragile hope into lasting independence.

For more information about our Pathway to Independence programme please contact: Sandra Griffiths (Programmes & Partnership Director) sandra.griffiths@catalyst4change.org.uk