How it Works

The diagram illustrates six-degrees of client engagement;

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• (1) Watching from afar 

• (2) Watching at table

• (3) Verbal engagement at table

• (4) Verbal engagement sat at table

• (5) Art making (no verbal engagement)

• (6) Art making with verbal engagement

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 The code used identifies the highest degree of engagement from a participant during a session, and does not necessarily reflect a participants’ general engagement throughout.

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Recording Data

All data are captured in digital table format that allows readers to view by session and by client, identifying;

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• degree of engagement (by colour and number)

• duration of engagement with group (in minutes from 5 to 80, in increments of 5)

• at which point in time engagement took place (beginning, middle, end, discontinuous, or full session)

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For example  2B10  would indicate that a client engaged in watching at the table for approximately 10 minutes at the beginning of the session, whereas  5D50  would indicate a client engaged in discontinuous art-making over approximately 50 minutes

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This approach to capturing engagement, along side the artwork created within sessions, allows us to see how clients use the group across time. The following example shows a client's progress over seven weeks*, from arrival at Crisis House to leaving for new accommodation;

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•  6D70  - used clay work to self soothe while chatting with other group members (2 other clients present)

•  6D50  - used collage and mixed media to create powerful image, vocal throughout (4 other clients present)

•  6D55  - continued with last week's image, reworking with paint until destroyed, appeared frustrated (5 other clients present)

•  2B5  - approached table at beginning of session, did not verbally acknowledge group, declined to join group (3 other clients present)

•  3B5  - addressed group verbally at beginning of session, declined to join group, "I'll come next week" (3 other clients present)

•  6E65  - discussed difficulties faced, created large painting, provided verbal support to a new group member (3 other group members)

•  6D75  - spoke positively about support provided by service staff, created image to hang on wall of his new accommodation (4 other group members present)

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We can see how this detailed measure of engagement captures the client's journey across time, and can provide much needed context for both staff and clients during review sessions

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*this is a hypothetical client that is representative of the type of journey seen within the service

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If you would like to more information on using the model, or to request permission to see the DoE data from the pilot project please contact me directly