About
A safe, progressive volunteer platform for gradual, unhurried patient reintegration and clinic progress monitoring.
Overview
StepForward is a digital platform designed to support individuals recovering from serious mental health conditions by offering structured volunteering opportunities and clinician-backed monitoring. It bridges the gap between clinical recovery and social reintegration, addressing the lack of long-term post-recovery support in healthcare systems like NHS Wales and England.
Problem Statement
Recovering individuals often struggle with reintegration due to:
Limited volunteering opportunities – Existing programs require high qualifications (e.g., driver’s licenses) or involve high-pressure roles.
Lack of long-term support – Many recovery tools focus on short-term interventions but don’t provide continuous assistance.
Fragmented services – Mental health support is scattered across various apps, hotlines, and short-term programs, lacking centralised coordination.
Solution
StepForward offers a dual-platform approach:
A Patient-Facing App – Provides volunteering tasks, progress tracking, and direct support features.
A Clinician Platform – Enables healthcare providers to monitor patient engagement, assign suitable opportunities, and intervene when necessary.
By integrating NHS-backed advice, StepForward ensures a safe, step-by-step recovery process where volunteering fosters self-esteem, routine, and social engagement.
Key Features
Volunteering & Task Board – Patients access opportunities ranked by difficulty, ensuring a gradual transition into community roles.
Scoring & Progression System – Patients earn points for participation, building confidence through incremental achievements.
Attendance Alerts – Clinics receive notifications if a patient misses an event, allowing timely follow-ups.
Help-Seeking Hotline – Users can reach their clinic or case manager directly in times of distress.
Medical Integration – Secure access to medical history, upcoming appointments, and prescriptions ensures continuity of care.
Easy Cancellation System – Stress-free task cancellations trigger instant alerts for clinician intervention.
System Design
The StepForward ecosystem consists of:
User Side (Patient & Volunteer UI) – Provides a job/task board, chatroom, job filtering, and acceptance features.
Backend (Clinician Portal & Database) – Doctors track patient progress, view appointment calendars, and receive automated alerts for patient inactivity.
Watchdog System – Monitors potential scams, detects sensitive words, and alerts emergency contacts if a patient is inactive for too long.
Why StepForward is Unique
Unlike existing platforms, StepForward offers:
NHS Integration – Ensures clinicians remain actively involved in post-recovery tracking.
Preventative Measures – Task difficulty ranking prevents patients from being overwhelmed.
Confidence-Building Features – Gamified scoring fosters motivation and long-term engagement.
Proactive Support – Immediate alerts for cancellations and non-participation ensure no patient is left behind.
Target Audience
Patients – Individuals recovering from serious mental health conditions seeking structured, low-pressure volunteering.
Clinicians/NHS – Healthcare providers needing long-term tracking tools beyond clinical settings.
NGOs & Employers – Organisations looking for reliable, pre-screened volunteers supported by healthcare professionals.
Impact & Vision
StepForward transforms post-recovery care by reducing relapse rates, enhancing social inclusion, and improving employability for vulnerable individuals. It empowers patients to take small, steady steps toward long-term self-sufficiency and well-being, redefining recovery as an ongoing journey rather than a fixed endpoint.
Presentation Video
Website
https://www.figma.com/design/hIX0M443gfOClgayCdYREn/NHS?node-id=10-33&p=f&t=PjnHh565fcH4ScXN-0
Presentation