SBS
Step by Step
Priority Axis
Technological and Social InnovationSpecific objective
Social Innovation
Lead partner
The Health and Europe CentreContact
Start Date
13/07/2017End Date
28/02/2022Project budget
4 356 677 €ERDF amount
2 614 006 €ERDF rate
60%About
Common challenge
Men’s health & wellbeing is suffering across the 2Seas area with high & increasing suicide/depression rates. In Kent (PP2) suicide is the highest killer of men aged under 45 and in Schilderswijk (PP6) depression is at 21% of the male population. Men visit their GP on average 20% less than women and delay seeking medical help indicating a level of social exclusion or inertia. Preparation work has highlighted:
- a demand for community based activities to improve health and wellbeing and reduce vulnerability
- a need to address social cohesion by intergenerational skills transfer to bring more people into the labour market (male unemployment in Wattrelos is 25.2% and the French unemployment rate nationally is 10%). http://ec.europa.eu/health/population_groups/docs/men_health_leaflet_en.pdf.
World Economic Forum research indicates that areas with higher employment tend to have lower suicide rates.
Overall objective
Main outputs
Cross border approach
Main Achievements
SBS continued well in early 2020, with meetings in Ashford in February gearing up for major intervention. COVID hit soon after, reducing working to online (incl. two days of meetings in September), and severely reducing ability of partners to set up Sheds, maintain activity, work with Shedders on Health/Employment issues of WP2, and gather Evaluation data. Partners made significant efforts to mitigate this, but target groups are those instructed to shelter; and services are diverted into COVID activity, or furloughed.
Some partnership positives:
- Digital Sheds created, with new or existing Shedders leading and/or participating;
- Health themes seen as more relevant to target group, increasing the interest in/relevance of SBS;
- Release of Digital Tool
Partner highlights:
- PP2: 4 new virtual sheds; Mental Health Awareness Week and International Mens Day virtual events
- PP3: digital training/support; significant time 121/group with Shed Leaders; +12 sheds, all COVID-secure; Zoom Health Champion training, interest locally/nationally (emerging health inequalities arising from COVID); Employment Leads training received positive feedback despite limitations in external opportunities (courses or employment)
- PP4: Quantitative data collection completed, baseline data analysed/reported; baseline report in English, Dutch and French presented to partners and media/policy makers.
- PP5: Second shed related to gardening, and cooperation with external organisationsto target people without employment or with poor mental health
- PP6: Wattrelos health fair presented SBS including Health Kiosk. Maintained partnerships (CARSAT, health/insurance services) to provide guidance/ meaningful workshops (health, diet, sports, addiction) and local employment service to help shedders with social rights, law and employment . Workshops with nurse/homecare (covid, heart disease, addiction, diet). Neighbourhood gathering presented wooden games created together.
- PP8: creation of new shed located in very deprived neighbourhood, which will make shedders more engaged with SBS project sustainable.
- PP11: In addition to the digital tool, Health MOT Roadshows took place before lockdown. Created promotional leaflets to ensure shedders know how to book a kiosk visit