At the 2019 Spending Review, the government announced a new Shared Outcomes Fund to test innovative ways of bringing together the public sector to address cross-cutting issues and drive the modernisation of public services. £46m of the fund was committed to the Changing Futures programme to improve the way that systems and services work to support individuals experiencing multiple disadvantage. In the context of the programme, this is defined as combination of homelessness, substance misuse, mental ill-health, domestic abuse, or contact with the criminal justice system.
The work of Fulfilling Lives and Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) were cited in the prospectus and members of the Fulfilling Lives National Expert Citizen Group were involved in the planning of the programme. The Fund demonstrates a governmental investment in supporting people experiencing multiple disadvantage and highlights that there is increasing interest in this policy area.
This has since become a joint initiative with the National Lottery Community Fund, now providing almost £55m to 15 areas across the country. The successful areas were announced recently and are as follows: Sussex, Surrey, Bristol, Plymouth, Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Hull, Sheffield, Leicester, Northumbria (Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, and Sunderland), South Tees (Middlesbrough, and Redcar and Cleveland), Lancashire (Blackpool, Lancashire, and Blackburn with Darwen) and Greater Manchester.
The Fulfilling Lives evaluation team welcome this announcement, and the work of the programme and MEAM will sit alongside the Changing Futures programme.
