Birmingham Wellbeing Service aims to promote wellbeing through physical activity programs that address barriers faced by communities. It focuses on collaborating across sectors to identify barriers like cost, equipment access, social norms, location, and facilities that prevent people from being active. The service has engaged over 82,000 people since 2016, many from deprived areas and minority groups, through street closures and programs incorporating the five ways to wellbeing - connect, be active, take notice, learn, and give. The goal is to prototype sustainable programs that shift social norms around physical activity.

1. BIRMINGHAM WELLBEING SERVICE
DELIVERING THE 5 WAYS TO
WELLBEING
Karen Creavin
Head of Birmingham Wellbeing Services

2. Birmingham…. Background to the
challenge
• 1.1 million people in the city
• 408,000 Birmingham citizens live in the top 10% most deprived in
England
• Large health inequalities directly linked to poverty in the city
• Austerity means reduction in role of public services, including
health
• Over 80% of the population are inactive in the city
• Casey report 2016 talks about fractured communities and lack of
integration

4. What we have always done
• Sport for the sporty

5. Health theory of behaviour change….
‘the Birmingham model’
Clarify the
behaviour
change
Identify priority
communities and
establish who already
works with them?
Share
intelligence and
agree outcomes
Identify the barriers
for communities
based on above
Remove or
mitigate the
barriers
Implement and
market to target
groups through
collaboration
Shift the norm
to healthier
behaviour

6. What are the barriers that stop people
being more active?
Not being able to
afford the cost of
attending the
activity

7. Not having the kit for the activity, or
the money to buy it….

8. Social distance…. Not seeing people
like me doing the activity

9. Geographical distance- not near
enough to me….

10. Not having the right venues for the
activities …

11. 82,840April 16 to Jan 17
Estimate 100K+ for 16/17 (+10%)
BME % 55% 42%
Wellbeing Population
Female* % 43% 51%
Female Population
Deprivation
Bands 1 & 2 % 84% 77%
Wellbeing Population
Children
U16 % 30% 23%
Wellbeing Population

12. 61 street closures so far (42 Apr-16 to
Dec-16)
BME % 46% 42%
Wellbeing Population
Female % 60% 51%
Female Population
Deprivation
Bands 1 & 2 % 66% 77%
Wellbeing Population
Children
U16 % 53% 23%
Wellbeing Population
Started June 2015

13. Five ways to wellbeing

14. Provoking wellbeing means…
connect

15. working out new ways of being
active….

16. Taking notice with new
audiences….

17. Learning about new places and
ways to deliver….

18. Give- Distributive leadership

19. Having a wellbeing focus to
change…. prototyping

20. Making sustainable changes…