Creating immersive, digital tools to help people dealing with impacts of trauma

Inspire Workplaces are part of the Inspire Group, one of the longest established and largest charitable organisations in Ireland with a vision of “wellbeing for all“, supporting over 800,000 lives, with a client base including the Northern Ireland Civil Service and Health & Social Care Trusts, Bombardier, and Stena-Line

The original objective of our KTP with Ulster University was the development of a new technology platform (Wellbeing Identification and Support Platform – WISP) to offer access to mental health screening and support to employees of companies at risk of secondary traumatic stress as their job involves curating disturbing digital media.

The solution: Development of a web-based platform (WISP) – the Inspire Support Hub – to provide support for a specific cohort (as above).  However the scope of the KTP broadened, making the new WISP available to all employees seeking mental health support.

• The original web-based platform envisaged was enhanced to incorporate a more sophisticated chatbot interface, with the knowledge base providing expertise in this area.
• The anticipated reach of the Inspire Support Hub has been rolled out to all of our Employee Assistance Programme customers, with the potential end-user base of 800,000 lives.
• In addition, the Inspire Support Hub has equipped Inspire Workplaces with the framework to develop new services, including our Trauma Support Tool, Student Support Hub, and online training,
• Further to this, Inspire is now in the final stages of agreeing significant contracts for enhancement to the hub with customers in Elite Sports.

• Enables and empowers employees to manage their mental wellbeing and build resilience.
• The hub’s preventative approach helps keep employees and their families well and in work/education, by giving them 24/7 access to education and coping strategies to mitigate any mental health issues they may be experiencing.
• The scalable nature of the hub enables dissemination of mental health support to a wide population. Embedding digital counselling tools, such as Video Counselling and WebChat improves accessibility
• Over 30,000 engagements since September 2019 and in the past month, 1 in 4 users have accessed the support hub more than once.
• Profits derived from this KTP gifted to the parent charity of Inspire Workplaces which aids people with mental illness, addiction, autism and intellectual/learning disabilities. Inspire supports people through supported accommodation, floating support, day support, recovery-focused services and advocacy services.
• Research findings shared through presentations and publications at conferences and events in many locations, such as London, Belfast and St. Petersburg, Russia; and via knowledge exchange workshops in Glasgow and Belfast with Addaction, one of the UK’s leading drug, alcohol and mental health charities
• Rich collaborative relationship between KTP partners has lasted post-project, with a view to continuing to innovate together on mental health technology projects, and will hopefully result in another KTP and part-time PhD for the KTP Associate.

This project won the KTP Award 2020 for Societal Impact – supported by UKRI.