Case study: Forming a consortium – Fullscope

Fullscope emerged back in 2017 when some funders challenged a group of like-minded charities to come together to think about how to do things differently for children and young people at risk of poor mental health.

We have evolved and changed hugely since then.  See our Strategic Plan for 2023 – 2026 for further information about our current aims and ambitions.

Who are the partners?

Blue Smile, Centre 33, The Kite Trust, YMCA Trinity, Cambridge Curiosity & Imagination, CPSL Mind and Ormiston Families.

What were the first steps?

• During 2018, our founding partners worked to turn their shared vision into a coherent plan, working together and with local consultancy Taproot to review the current landscape for both children’s and young people’s mental health and consortia models, coproducing a successful application to the National Lottery Fund in 2019.
• In June 2021, we asked researchers at UCL School of Management to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the Fullscope consortium to help us review our work to date and plan for our next phase of funding and work together.

Fullscope’s work

• We deliver pilot projects, do research and work closely with other organisations to make the important changes that we believe are needed in children and young people’s mental health
• The Fullscope core team work closely with the partnership board, our Collaborative steering groups and the wider Fullscope Community, with a focus on our values and approaches.

Beth Green, Centre 33:

By working together with partners, we are creating a system that fully supports young people, ensures there are no gaps, and enables them to thrive.

What were the main challenges, and how did you overcome them?

Early on, we adapted to COVID-19 by moving online to engage more with the mental health system.

System working can be complex, and change can be slow; it requires a focus on relationships and open-minded collaboration, with system partners’ involvement at the decision and design stage.

What are your top 3 tips for any organisation looking to form a consortium?

Have a clear purpose, aligned motivation, a core team with a mandate and central infrastructure.