The Elly Jansen Award
In 2022, we proudly launched The Elly Jansen Awards, the only fund in the UK dedicated to research and writing on innovative approaches to relational practice and therapeutic communities.
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The awards are funded by Elly Jansen OBE, a prominent figure in the development of therapeutic communities globally. Elly opened her first therapeutic community for adults experiencing profound mental distress in Richmond in 1959. Over the next twenty years, she established more than 100 therapeutic communities around the world. Although she is now retired, Elly remains committed to advancing therapeutic communities.
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The 2025 Elly Jansen Awards are now open for submissions! The two award categories are outlined below.
For our previous winners and to read examples of fantastic entries please click here. ​​​If you have any questions please email the awards committee.
Award for Original Articles
First prize: £1,000 and publication in the International Journal of Therapeutic Communities.
Two runner's up prizes of £500 each.
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Deadline for submissions is midnight, Sunday 15 June 2025 (GMT).
Winners will be notified on Thursday, 31 July 2025 and the award ceremony will take place in November 2025.
A grant of £5,000 will be awarded for original research into the effectiveness or practice of therapeutic communities.
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The deadline for submission of abstracts (500 words maximum) is midnight, Sunday 16 February 2025 (GMT).
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The deadline for submission of proposals is midnight, Sunday 15 June 2025 (GMT). Winners will be notified on Thursday, 31 July 2025 and the award ceremony will take place in November 2025.
Previous winners
The 2024 article entry winner was "The Social Restaurant: Between Clinical Care, Communication, Fundraising, and Talents," submitted by the Rosa dei Venti therapeutic community in Italy. The Committee chose this entry for its originality and relevance, highlighting diverse perspectives and demonstrating the integration of the therapeutic community with the wider community.
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Cazine McCarthy was the first runner-up in 2024 for her article, "A Phenomenological Study of Carers' Experiences in Relational Practice within Children's Residential Care." Dan Neale was the second runner-up for his piece, "The Use of Film and TV Clips for Training Therapeutic Community Practitioners."​
The 2024 Research Award went to Adrian Hayes, Niamh Vaughan-Williams, Stephanie Hares, Sarah Devereux, Daniel McNamara, Hannah Davies, Ellen Talbot, Ellie Wildbore, Christina Dithmar, Sally Brookes, and Rowena Pagdin for their proposal, "Empowerment in Action: Exploring Self-Agency in Therapeutic Communities and Other Psychological Modalities for People with Complex Emotional Needs." Judges praised its originality and significance in both the NHS and the wider therapeutic community.​​
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The Henderson Group won the research entry for the first Elly Jansen Award with, "Living, Learning and Legacy: Exploring the influence and impact of Democratic Therapeutic Community principles through the life and work of Henderson Heritage Group".
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Fondazione Rosa dei Venti, was a runner up in the 2023 awards for their research entry "Bio-Natural Therapies in Therapeutic Communities for Adolescents"
Richard Crisp & Dr Elizabeth Wakeland (pictured) won the article entry in first Elly Jansen Award, "Custodial Staff Experiences of the Effectiveness of a Democratic Therapeutic Community for Offenders with traits of Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASCs)".
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Ellie Wildbore won the runner's up award for her article entry ‘From Little Acorns Mighty Oaks Grow - The Acorn Programme Four Years On'. Dr Adrian Hayes & his team won the runner's up award for their article entry, "Foundations of Self-Agency: Development of a Nano-Therapeutic Community in a City Farm".
