The context​:

Our Being Our Best Selves (BOBS) In Sussex programme is founded on the knowledge that learning disabled adults experience significant physical and mental health inequalities, with higher rates of obesity, cancer, early-onset dementia, epilepsy, and poor dental health.  According to NHS data (NHS Sussex Annual Report 2023-2024), approximately 41,730 Learning Disabled people live in Sussex. In 2019, we delivered a BOBS pilot and post-COVID, with the learning disabled community being more isolated and vulnerable than ever and with ongoing funding from the National Lottery Reaching Communities programme we have developed and delivered a pan-Sussex programme from 2022-2025.

 

Our Being Our Best Selves (BOBS) In Sussex programme is founded on the knowledge that learning disabled adults experience significant physical and mental health inequalities, with higher rates of obesity, cancer, early-onset dementia, epilepsy, and poor dental health.  According to NHS data (NHS Sussex Annual Report 2023-2024), approximately 41,730 Learning Disabled people live in Sussex. 

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The programme aims to::

 

• tackle physical and mental health inequalities for learning disabled people through an holistic, creative approach

 

• reduce social isolation, bringing learning disabled people into a wide variety of venues across Sussex to shared in group activities with others

 

• raise self confidence and aspiration of learning disabled people through creating opportunities for them to develop their skills and connections

 

• learn from those with lived experience, bringing together learning disabled people to form a co-production steering group called BOBS Brains which meets regularly with our BOBS coaches to discuss the programme aims, content and accessibility of session activities, promotion and the evaluation of the progress and impact.

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See our co-produced Theory of Change framework here.

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Project impact at a glance

 

• 524 learning disabled adults and 207 carers and support workers participated in the programme

 

• 48 activity sessions, 6 Big BOBS Days and 16 courses were delivered in 14 venues across Sussex

 

• 89% of participants reported feeling more confident and 90.6% spoke to someone new or made a new friend as a result of BOBS activity

 

​This film provides a strong sense of the ethos, energy and impact of this programme:

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Download a full participatory evaluation report of the programme here.

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