Developed and tested across five Guild Care services, the approach was shaped by people who use the charity’s services, helping to ensure it captures the outcomes that matter most to those receiving care.
The work is already having a practical impact. Guild Care is using evidence generated through the project to support areas including fundraising and lease negotiations, as well as strengthening its ability to demonstrate its impact to commissioners, funders and other partners.
Les Correia, Director of Safety and Compliance at Guild Care, said:
“This partnership has been transformative for Guild Care. It equips us with the tools and evidence we need to demonstrate the difference we make in people’s lives and to present that impact in a way that connects with commissioners, funders and the wider community.
Most importantly, it strengthens our ability to support local people by delivering on our mission of reducing isolation and addressing stigma.”
The project brought together University of Brighton expertise in person-centred care, social impact evaluation and financial modelling, working alongside KTP Associate Myles Hull-Flower and colleagues at Guild Care.
At its heart was a simple principle: the value of social care cannot be understood through financial measures alone.
Dr Aaron Gain, Senior Lecturer in business said:
“Social care makes an enormous contribution to people’s independence, wellbeing and quality of life, but much of that value can be difficult to capture.
By bringing together the voices of people using its services with Guild Care’s frontline experience and academic expertise, we developed a practical method to provide much stronger evidence of that impact. The Outstanding rating is fantastic recognition of what the partnership has achieved.”
KTP Associate Myles Hull-Flower said:
“Embarking on my journey has been an incredibly rewarding experience filled with growth and learning. With Guild Care undergoing positive changes, it’s an exciting time to contribute to a unique project that bridges industry and academia to address complex challenges in the social care sector.”
Although the Knowledge Transfer Partnership concluded in June 2026, Guild Care is now embedding the tools and expertise developed through the project into its ongoing work, ensuring the benefits continue long beyond the partnership itself.
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