Commission us

We work with you to change lives

Looking for something that saves money and has great outcomes? That’s us. We’re a little different from traditional approaches; people still talk about us like we are the latest innovation even after thirty years. KeyRing support works because it is truly personalised to each individual and we’d work with you, too, to tailor our offer to best suit your local aims and ambitions.

"It’s great to have your enthusiasm and support... to work with someone who shares the same passion/vision!!"

- Senior Social Worker

Move to independence

Saving money

Public health support

Frequently asked questions

Reports

Move to independence

KeyRing support pushes people to try things for themselves, to build their own independence and to connect with others so that they can share their skills.

We don’t do things for people; we support them to do it themselves. This can be anything from visiting the local supermarket to bidding on a property and arranging a move.

People come to KeyRing from many different types of support as KeyRing offer a step towards independence in the local community.

Through our community connections, people become active citizens who contribute to and are valued by their local community.

This asset-based community development approach means that local community assets (people, resources etc) and individual's strengths unlock sustainable community development and ensure that people live the life they choose.

KeyRing support unblocks the social care system. Where people can move to the next level of independence they should. Our work helps reduce support packages and challenges people to overcome barriers and take steps they never thought possible. Take a look at Laura’s story. We are also happy to work with other providers to achieve this.

Read more about our Move on support packages.

Our leadership team would love to chat with you about how we can work in your area. Call Claire Gleeson on 07813 988 564 or email claire.gleeson@keyring.org.

Saving Money

KeyRing support saves money and continues to do so even after people have moved to independence, thanks to the connections that we’ve supported them to make and the linked-in options that offer an open door to anyone who has previously been supported by KeyRing.

A study conducted by Housing LIN showed that KeyRing offer average direct savings of more than £131k per annum for a KeyRing service supporting 30 people.

There are additional financial benefits from the avoidance of crisis and non-crisis outcomes of more than £278K per annum.

Our leadership team would love to chat with you about how we can work in your area. Call Claire Gleeson on 07813 988 564 or email claire.gleeson@keyring.org.

Public health support

KeyRing supports in reducing the Public Health Inequalities in communities by focussing on people’s aspirations around housing, educational, employment and social opportunities. The Local Government Association (LGA)’s Social Determinants of Health and the Role of Local Government (July 2020).

Find out more about the benefits of KeyRing to public health.

By encouraging people to support each other and become peer mentors we reduce mental health issues, increase lifespan and improve physical health¹.

Our leadership team would love to chat with you about how we can work in your area. Call Claire Gleeson on 07813 988 564 or email claire.gleeson@keyring.org.

¹ Campaign to End Loneliness

FAQs

How much does KeyRing cost?

We work with Local Authorities who spend between £50k and £1m per annum. KeyRing will work with you to find a service that meets your aims and ambitions as well as fitting with budgetary restrictions.

Who does KeyRing work with? Which client groups?

Some of the teams we work with are: learning disability teams, mental health teams, drug and alcohol teams, physical and sensory disability teams, autism and Aspergers specialists, older people teams, transitions teams and neighbourhood teams. We are happy to flex our support to the ambitions of the local area and the people that live there.

How do I go about procuring KeyRing support?

The first step is to have a chat with us. We have experience of being procured in a number of ways. These include direct procurement, approved provider frameworks and tendering process. Whichever way you are looking at we can support this move. Chat with us, call Claire Gleeson on 07813 988 564 or email claire.gleeson@keyring.org.

Is KeyRing just a low level preventative support option?

No, we save time and money by preventing people’s needs from escalating but that isn’t all we do. We also offer move on support from more intensive and costly levels of support as well as short term support, and community-based support. KeyRing support is all about connecting people and supporting them to build their independence.

Do you provide care?

We are not CQC registered. Where care activities are required, we work with local providers to deliver this support.

Do you work as a subcontractors?

We work in a range of local authorities and with a range of partners. We are happy to be part of a contracting arrangement that works locally.

Reports

Here are some reports that have been written about KeyRing:

Financial Case for KeyRing - This independent study demonstrates that it is possible to achieve cashable savings of £187,168 per annum/£3,599 per week using the KeyRing model.

Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) -We are part of the TLAP Directory of Innovations. Read more about our creative approaches to supporting people in the community.

Governance International - showcases case studies of good practice, showing how organisations and communities can achieve better outcomes and efficiency savings.

Evaluation of our Recovery Network - A partnership approach with Addicts4Addicts, this report shows the success of our pilot working with recovering substance misusers.

Pilotlight Case Study - part of Pilotlight's report on their 2020 Unlocking Insights project, where they supported the Ancora Project.

World Health Organisation: 'Guidance and technical packages on community mental health services: Promoting person-centred and rights based approaches' - new research from the WHO on good practice in mental health services.

Steve*

Steve had never done his own shopping.

Smiling man in pink top

Steve’s support provider did his shopping for him, before that his mum had always taken care of it. They bought the same things every week.

When Steve joined KeyRing he spoke about wanting to try new things. He wrote a shopping list for himself. Steve didn’t want to do his own shopping. He said that he couldn’t do it.

We explored the barriers that Steve was facing. His key barrier was a lack of belief in himself. We arranged to meet Steve for a coffee in the supermarket.

From there we picked up a few bits in the store with Steve.

The next time we met, Steve came with a shopping list and actually enjoyed picking things out. After that he didn’t want us to come shopping with him anymore.

He still has support with meal planning and budgeting for his weekly shop. During the lockdown Steve has even picked up some essentials for other people receiving KeyRing support.

“We have worked alongside KeyRing for the last 18 months and during the COVID pandemic to ensure the local people who were isolated received support. We have developed great relationships with the KeyRing team, pooling resources to reach over 60 people in the Walker and Byker communities each week delivering activity packs, food and emotional support. In the past few weeks, together we have brought people safely back to the community centre to meet up socially and focus on isolation. We all feel that working in partnership together has been hugely successful and long may it continue. ”

Linda McKie, YMCA Newcastle