Enabling Environments

Introducing the Award


 

The Enabling Environments Award is:

 

Assessed against 10 core standards

These were developed during our pilot project and can be found in a found in a wide range of environments.

 

Applicable to a wide variety of sectors and contexts

The language used in different settings hides that they share common ‘enabling’ themes

 

Check how close you are

Use this document to see whether you feel you are already an Enabling Environment

 

 

 

The 10 core standards


 

To achieve the Enabling Environments Award, you will need to produce evidence in each of these areas. These are the areas the Enabling Environments Advisory Group has identified as making some services and organisations stand out as particularly successful and nurturing for all of the people involved.

 

BELONGING

The nature and quality of relationships are of primary importance

 

BOUNDARIES

There are expectations of behaviour and processes to maintain and review them

 

COMMUNICATION

It is recognised that people communicate in different ways

 

DEVELOPMENT

There are opportunities to be spontaneous and try new things

 

INVOLVEMENT

Everyone shares responsibility for the environment

 

SAFETY

Support is available for everyone

 

STRUCTURE

Engagement and purposeful activity is actively encouraged

 

EMPOWERMENT

Power and authority are open to discussion

 

LEADERSHIP

Leadership takes responsibility for the environment being enabling

 

OPENNESS

External relationships are sought and valued

 

The variety of sectors


 

Enabling Environments can be found anywhere people live, work or come together for a specific purpose. This includes:

  • wards
  • day units
  • schools
  • supported accommodation
  • working environments
  • voluntary groups
  • faith communities

 

It is quite possible to see common threads or themes in what is positive or enabling across these many different environments. Yet the language used in different contexts and settings to describe this common core of experiences and principles or concerns does not always help to identify these shared themes or values. This can make co-operation between agencies harder, and services may seem fragmentary and disjointed.

 

The Enabling Environments project aims to bridge older distinctions between clinical and non-clinical settings, to develop a single common core vocabulary, applicable across a range of agency and service environments.

 

Sectors represented in our consultation phase included a variety of staff together with clients, service users and members from:

  • NHS
  • Voluntary sector
  • Social care
  • Housing
  • Education
  • The church
  • Private business

 

Check how close you are


 

We have prepared several criteria to help you demonstrate that you meet each standard. Download this document to have a look and see whether you are already an Enabling Environment.

 

 

 

Where next...


 

 

 

 

 

 

Enabling Environments, 4th Floor Standon House, Mansell Street, London, E1 8AA    Tel: 020 7977 6697   Fax: 020 7481 4831   Email: eeadmin@cru.rcpsych.ac.uk

 

 

 

 

© 2012 Royal College of Psychiatrists