Voices of Resilience

This stakeholder report builds on our inaugural report, "Another Slice of Happiness: The Effects of an Innate Health-Based Intervention for a Homeless Population" (May 2022), which provided an initial glimpse into the social and psychological impacts of the A Slice of Happiness (ASOH) programme. At that time, 99 participants who were engaged in the ASOH intervention enrolled into the research study. They shared preliminary insights on experiences of wellbeing, anxiety, depression, somatisation, and prosocial behaviour and antisocial behaviour (considered dependent variables). Additionally, they provided feedback on innate health, resilience, and social inclusion (treated as mediating variables). Preliminary findings were encouraging, showing positive trends, including increased levels of wellbeing, innate health, resilience, and social inclusion. Moreover, there were indications of reduced depression and anxiety, as well as decreased somatisation and increased prosocial behaviour following the intervention.

This working report continues reporting on this study which we are conducting in partnership with Dr Geraldine Brown at Coventry University and in collaboration with the "A Slice of Happiness" (ASOH) programme. This report draws on 165 survey responses and 38 qualitative interviews. We aim to share the voices of the participants with stakeholders. We hope to provide a window into the longer-term impact of the programme on vulnerable and home-insecure adults in Hertfordshire, UK.

Our gratitude

We could not do our research without the respondents. We are so grateful to the volunteers who have willingly shared their experiences with us. Nothing can be improved, shared, or transformed without you! Thank you! We also couldn’t research this program without the approval and support of the people who facilitate A Slice of Happiness — special appreciation to Caroline Powell, Lilliana Bellini, Susan Marmot, Derrick Mason and Alan Milledge for allowing our team to research their programme.