Authors: R. Wooldridge
Organisation: Ecorys
The Commissioning Better Outcomes (CBO) fund is a Social Impact Bond (SIB) programme funded
by The National Lottery Community Fund, which supports the development of SIBs in England as
part of The National Lottery Community Fund’s work to explore innovative ways of improving the pursuit
of social outcomes. The Reconnections project is part-funded by the CBO programme.
A key element of the CBO evaluation (being undertaken by Ecorys and ATQ Consultants) are nine in-depth reviews,with Reconnections featuring as one of the reviews. The purpose of the in-depth reviews is to follow the longitudinal development of a sample of SIBs funded by the CBO Fund, conducting a review of the project up to three times during the SIB’s lifecycle. This report is the second in-depth review of Reconnections and concerns the development of the SIB over its first 2 years (up until November 2018).
Reconnections is the first SIB in England aimed at reducing loneliness and social isolation. Worcestershire County Council (WCC) with co-commissioners from Redditch & Bromsgrove, South Worcestershire and Wyre Forest Clinical Commissioning Groups commissioned Reconnections, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), to deliver the Reconnections SIB. Key aspects of the intervention include engaging individuals who have become chronically lonely, or who are at significant risk of chronic loneliness, with a jointly developed action plan that defines specific and clear activity that will take place to help a service user reduce their loneliness over a 6-18 month period. People can self-refer to Reconnections or be referred from any organisation, such as a GP or community organisation.