publications

SDC publishes a range of reports, briefings and resource papers. These include reports from commissioned work for clients, articles and papers, and presentations and posters given at scientific meetings and conferences.

This page gives details of our most recent publications. For information about older SDC publications and audio downloads, please follow the links below:

project reports archive
conference reports archive
audio downloads

Evaluation of Survivarts
February 2010

Survivarts, run by West Lothian Council, aims to provide adult survivors of sexual abuse with regular arts activity to improve their general wellbeing. 

SDC has conducted an evaluation of the process and impact of Survivarts.

Download the final report of the evaluation

Mental Health and the Arts
January 2010

SDC have recently conducted research to explore the relationship between mental health, and arts attendance and participation in Scotland.

Attendance of and participation in the arts is enjoyed by a sizeable proportion of the Scottish population, and is an activity that is widely perceived to have multiple wellbeing benefits. Despite this, those with poor mental wellbeing are less likely to have recently attended arts events or participated in arts activities.

Download SDC Project Spotlight 1 - Arts and Mental Health

An evaluation of the operation of "see me" the national campaign against stigma and discrimination associated with mental ill health
January 2009

This report presents the findings from an independent 15-month evaluation of the first four years of the "see me" campaign.

Full report

Summary report

9 Steps to improving Scotland's Health in Primary Care
2008

Download paper

Evaluation of the Scottish Recovery Indicator Pilot in Five Health Board Areas
October 2008

This evaluation is concerned with the Scottish Recovery Indicator ( SRI). The SRI enables the assessment of whether and how organisations, and those who work in them, are ensuring that individuals who use their services and their carers' needs are met in terms of their rights to equality, social inclusion and support to recover.

Full report

Summary report

Briefing Paper
Supported employment and mental health issues
April 2008

This paper has been written for employability agencies in response to the question “what supports and programmes work for people with mental health
problems?”

Download paper (pdf)

Resource Paper for Community Health Partnerships: Promoting mental health, Preventing common mental health problems
November 2007

This paper is intended as a resource for Community Health Partnerships
(CHPs) to enhance understanding of mental health promotion and prevention at primary care level; assist CHPs in developing a local mental health promotion and prevention agenda; and identify practical steps for CHPs to improve the mental health and wellbeing of their local populations. The paper also provides pointers for improving responses and supports for those with identified mental health problems / mental illness and their family members and carers.

Download paper (pdf)

Developing Social Prescribing and Community Referrals for Mental Health in Scotland
November 2007

This report, commissioned by the Scottish Government’s National Programme for
Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing, considers the case for using non-medical
interventions, sometimes called community referrals or social prescribing, to improve mental health. It is intended primarily as a resource for colleagues working in primary health care, Community Health Partnerships and Community Planning Partnerships, although it will also be of interest to community and voluntary sector organisations and those working in sports, leisure, arts and education. Social prescribing is a valuable complement.

Download report (pdf)

Net Gains: Shaping the future of childrens' mental health
August 2007

This report provides a summary of an event held in Glasgow in 2007 facilitated by SDC and Young Minds. Topics covered include capacity building within four lifespan contexts: infants, primary, secondary and transitions to adulthood, and creative ways of working with rural and urban communities.

Download summary

restart for recovery
2006 - 2007

Restart is an Edinburgh based employability project that aims to promote recovery for people with mental health problems through supporting them into work. It is managed by Forth Sector and works in partnership with NHS Lothian and others. In 2006 SDC was funded through the Scottish Executive's Small Research Projects Initiative to undertake an evaluation of the Restart project. The summary of this evaluation has been published by the Scottish Executive and is available to download here.