Mosaic Clubhouse is an award winning charity in Brixton providing services to the Lambeth community and surrounding boroughs. It has been funded by Lambeth Council and the NHS Lambeth since it was founded in 1994. We aim to promote positive mental health for those aged 16 and over, living with severe and often enduring mental health problems, enabling individuals to regain the confidence and skills necessary to lead productive and satisfying lives.
The two central tenets of Mosaic are the concept of membership of the Clubhouse Community and working side by side with staff to co-deliver clubhouse activities as a key means of regaining confidence and self-esteem. Members work on reception, run our café, maintain our gardens, support our administration and finance activities and deliver workshops for the benefit of their peers. Members are the key stakeholders within our organisation and participate in all our work, decision-making and governance opportunities.
Who it is for and how they reach it:
Mosaic Clubhouse is a membership organisation for Lambeth residents aged 16+ who are living with mental ill health. In 2017 there was an average daily attendance of 84 and a total attendance in the year 708.
New members can self-refer or are referred by health care professionals, voluntary organisations, social services and recovery services. Individuals who live outside of Lambeth and are not supported by Lambeth can also be referred but need to fund their membership via a personal budget to attend.
Although the Clubhouse has paid support staff, services are deliberately understaffed, as a means of ensuring that everything is delivered in a partnership between members and staff. Members are the key stakeholders within the organisation and participate in all work, decision-making and governance.
Who funds it and how much does it cost?
Mosaic has an annual turnover of £1M, of which 71% of income is commissioned statutory funding from Lambeth/NHC Clinical Commissioning Group, 23% from trust & grant fundraising sources and 6% from other activities & donations.
It costs £1,270 per member per annum to run the Clubhouse, with a cost per contact hour of £11. Members can participate in any of the 3 on site units, Business & Administration, Employment and Education or Café & Horticulture/Maintenance and take part in all of our social and health and wellbeing activities.
What is the evidence that it works?
The Clubhouse model is based on the idea that when people volunteer with peers in a safe, supportive space, mental health and wellbeing improves. Established initially in the USA in 1940s by a group of people leaving hospital, there are now more than 300 Clubhouses across 34 nations working to common standards and benefitting over 100,000 people per year.
What are plans for / potential for replication?
The varied size and location of Clubhouses across the world, both urban and rural and within a range of cultural settings, demonstrates transferability as an effective model of human interaction and recovery. As the model embeds co-production in its daily activity, it is assertive, inclusive and co-operative by design.
In the last 5 years, Mosaic’s total annual attendances have doubled to 25,000, peer-led workshops have increased by 200% and employment outcomes increased by 100%.
Clubhouse International provides guidance on setting up a new Clubhouse. Mosaic Clubhouse, an accredited training base, is now offering to assist groups in the UK who are interested in establishing new start-ups.
