Showing the value of our Lifestyle & Leisure Program

LLP is a community-based service for young adults between 18 to 35 years of age, who reside in the Brisbane area and is the first funded adult program at Montrose. The program is open to young adults who are able to communicate, make their own decisions and are self-motivated. It provides physical support during group and individual programs that offer a stimulating environment of learning, exploration and development of friendships, interests as well as making links with relevant community organisations and services.

Many young adults with physical disabilities experience barriers to engagement in desired social, leisure and productive roles and activities in the community due to isolation, restricted opportunities, and difficulty accessing further education and the workforce.

Through its diverse program, LLP supports customers to experience long-term changes across multiple life domains, empowering them to live a fulfilling, independent and self-determined life. These changes include increased skills in reading, writing and money handling, improved social skills, improved sense of purpose and structure in life, increased independence, developed sense of identity and belonging in a community, increased confidence, physical health and emotional wellbeing.

The intent of the study was to gain an understanding of the social and economic values generated by LLP, which could be shared with stakeholders and ultimately used to improve program delivery.

The methodology selected to deliver the objectives was Social Return on Investment (SROI). SROI is an internationally recognised methodology used to understand, measure and value the impact of a program or organisation. It is a form of cost-benefit analysis that examines the social, economic and environmental outcomes created and the costs of creating them.

Overall, results show that LLP has generated significant social and economic outcomes for the customers it works with, as well for other stakeholders who are affected by the program. The achievement of these outcomes is reliant upon the valuable work that the program undertakes with customers throughout their participation with LLP.

Lifestyle & Leisure has delivered an SROI ratio of 2.2 : 1 based on the investment and operations of the 2015 calendar year. That is, for every $1 invested, approximately $2.21 of social and economic value is created.