Future Pathway’s latest impact report, Stepping Stones, is now available. Starting with the launch of the service in 2016 and ending with our latest findings from 2023, the report shines a light on the difference we have made and, crucially, how we make it.
Commissioned by Future Pathways and created in collaboration with Matter of Focus, the report finds that our work has a positive impact on many people’s lives. By November 2022, almost 2200 people were registered with Future Pathways. Of these, 1500 had been supported by the service and around 1000 people were actively receiving support.
The report tells the story of Future Pathways at scale. It weaves data about our service along with feedback, reflections and accounts of people’s experiences. This report aims to amplify the voices of those we support, our partners and our staff.
It is not just what we do, but how we do it, that makes the difference.
The Stepping Stones report reflects that Future Pathways has made a difference to the lives of people we support. Many people say they feel cared for, seen and understood. Many have shared that they gained the knowledge, skills and confidence to make changes in their lives. Evidence shows that our holistic, person-centred approach is crucial in contributing to positive changes.
The report also highlights the importance of our relationships with wide-ranging Delivery Partners and other existing services. People we support access a mix of resources from different services. The impact of this holistic, tailored support cascades into many areas of an individual’s life. The report also highlights how we bridge the gaps people experience when accessing services to which they are entitled. For example, through advocacy or empowering people to independently access services.
Multi-faceted support can bring multiple impacts
The report also situates our work within the broader landscape. For example, the cost-of-living crisis has led to more people accessing financial support for unexpected costs related to their basic needs. We can also see that people face barriers when engaging with support, since focusing on longer term outcomes can be challenging when experiencing immediate financial pressure.
The findings also highlight the strengths and gaps in our data. Due to the secretive nature of childhood abuse, and the lack of data about survivors in Scotland, there is a gap in our knowledge about survivors more broadly. We are keen to develop a more detailed picture of the demographics of the people we support. This would allow us all to better adapt our services in response to the impacts and inequalities of childhood trauma.
We hope our findings create the potential for lasting and tangible difference.
Ultimately, this report is a story of change. The demonstrable impact of trauma-informed practice calls for other services to adapt and provide compassionate, flexible support for survivors of past abuse. It is also about change in support itself: we see the importance of adapting and tailoring support as needs evolve. And, most importantly, it is about change for the people we support. For many individuals, the right support at the right time can be the first steppingstone on their future pathway.
”Our goal is to strengthen the supports available to people with lived experience of abuse and neglect. The importance of relationships to achieving tangible outcomes for people and communities cannot be overstated. We are learning more about how change happens and hope our learning, practices and service model informs and encourages wider change in the system.”
Flora Henderson, Alliance Manager, In Care Survivors Alliance
“Matter of Focus has been a learning partner to Future Pathways since 2018 and we feel honoured to work with an organisation that cares passionately about understanding the difference they make as well as embedding and sharing learning. Evaluation is never easy and requires bravery and transparency. It’s all the more important and laudable given the complexity and sensitivity of the work that Future Pathways undertakes.”
Simon Bradstreet, Principal Evaluation Consultant, Matter of Focus