Design Patterns for Service Delivery

Dads Unlimited has developed design principles and patterns for service delivery to men within a mental health context.

Built upon the Design Patterns for Mental Health, Dads Unlimited has also integrated research from How To Make Mental Health Services Work For Men, published by the Men’s Health Forum and The Movember Foundation, along with our own Design Patterns based on our experience of providing life-saving interventions for Men throughout the last five years.

Design Principles are high-level values that run through each of the Design Patterns and set out how Dads Unlimited delivers all services. Think of Design Principles as the ‘what we do‘.

Design Patterns are evidence-based solutions to implementing the Design Principles in an operational context. Think of Design Patterns as the ‘how we do it‘.

Design Principles for Men’s Mental Health Interventions

1. Listen and respond¹
2. Make it human¹
3. Make it personal
4. Be reliable and consistent
5. Give control¹ and empower
6. Be clear¹
7. Adapt to changing needs¹
8. Create a safe space¹

Design Patterns for Men’s Mental Health Interventions

1. Listen and respond
   1. Tell the story once¹
   2. Provide a space for peer support¹
   3. Provide a range of ways to express yourself¹
2. Make it human
   1. Signpost to local services¹​
   2. Provide a space for peer support^1,2​
   3. Manage expectations¹
   4. Display hours of service¹
   5. Clearly show how to get in touch¹
   6. Build positive self-image¹
   7. Be Male positive²
   8. Remove the stigma²
   9. Provide Systemic Support​
3. Make it personal​
   1. Tailor support to the person’s needs​
   2. Support for as long as they need​
4. Be reliable and consistent​
   1. Provide a visible record of progress¹
5. Give control and empower​
   1. Encourage self-care¹​
   2. Define personal milestones¹
   3. Build a sense of achievement​
   4. Stress privacy & confidentiality of consultations²
6. Be Clear
   1. Manage expectations¹​
   2. Lead with what you offer¹
   3. Use easy-to-understand, non-clinical language²
7. Adapt to changing needs
   1. Encourage self-care^1​
   2. Make it sustainable – anticipate change​
8. Create a safe space
   1. Ease of Access¹ – allow different routes for people​
   2. Tell people how you will use their information¹
   3. Provide routes to anonymity¹
   4. Provide an escape¹
   5. Use purpose-centric settings²

References

1. Design Patterns for Mental Health by Snook, PublicPolicy Lab & Barnardo’s and Funded by Nominet
2. How To Make Mental Health Services Work For Men published by the Men’s Health Forum, Haynes, and The Movember Foundation.