Radical Help

This book – subtitled “How we can remake the relationships between us and revolutionise the welfare state” – has relevance to the subject of mental health not only because the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is a major part of the wider welfare system, but also because human relationships and human-scale communities are key elements in the creation of a wellbeing society.

“At the heart of this way of working is human connection. Upending the current crisis of managing scarcity, we see instead that our capacities for the relationships that can make the changes are abundant.”

Written by Hilary Cottam, the publishers say:

“How should we live: how should we care for one another; grow our capabilities to work, to learn, to love and fully realise our potential? This exciting and ambitious book shows how we can re-design the welfare state for this century.”

They continue:

“The welfare state was revolutionary: it lifted thousands out of poverty, provided decent homes, good education and security. But it is out of kilter now: an elaborate and expensive system of managing needs and risks. Today we face new challenges. Our resources have changed.

Hilary Cottam takes us through five ‘Experiments’ to show us a new design. We start on a Swindon housing estate where families who have spent years revolving within our current welfare systems are supported to design their own way out. We spend time with young people who are helped to make new connections – with radical results. We turn to the question of good health care and then to the world of work and see what happens when people are given different tools to make change. Then we see those over sixty design a new and affordable system of support.

At the heart of this way of working is human connection. Upending the current crisis of managing scarcity, we see instead that our capacities for the relationships that can make the changes are abundant.

We must work with individuals, families and communities to grow the core capabilities we all need to flourish. Radical Help describes the principles behind the approach, the design process that makes the work possible and the challenges of transition …”

Find out more here.

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  1. Pingback: Beveridge 4.0 – A New Vision for Mental Health

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