Celebrating Excellence in Development and Innovation | Care Management Matters

How a small organisation can turn one persistent question into a programme that grows

On 22 May 2025, Care Management Matters (CMM) published a first-person article by Israa Qaddourah, Marketing and Project Growth Leader at Apax. Apax is a supported housing social enterprise in Sydenham, South East London, and won the Development and Innovation Award at the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards 2025.

In the piece, Israa traced how the VR Wellness Programme grew from a single question into something every resident can now access. It is a story about how ideas take shape in a small organisation.

It Started With a Question

Israa wrote that the programme did not begin with technology. It began with a question about how Apax could offer residents something more than crisis response, something that might ease anxiety and create moments of calm.

She described a principle at the heart of Apax: “Everything we design begins with a single question: how can we make life better for them?” One question in particular, she explained, would not leave her alone.

Good ideas often start this way. They come from noticing a need, staying with it and refusing to let it go, long before anyone knows what the answer might look like. Patience with an unanswered question is often where innovation begins.

From Curiosity to a Plan

Israa explained that she had been exploring emerging health technology out of personal curiosity, and that the needs of residents gave that interest a direction. By the end of 2022, she had begun shaping a vision.

In that vision, virtual reality was not about escape. It was about connection, regulation and what she called mental fitness. When she shared the concept with the leadership team, she wrote, it struck a chord.

For a small organisation, this moment matters. An idea needs someone willing to champion it, and leaders willing to listen. Without both, even a promising thought can quietly fade away before it has had the chance to be tested.

Starting With What You Have

Israa wrote that Apax had no external funding at first. The team reached out to Meta, which believed in the idea's potential and donated 10 headsets, allowing the first phase to begin. Apax then partnered with TRIPP, a VR platform for emotional wellbeing.

She described the timing as pivotal. A major digital transformation had just been completed, giving staff more time with residents and more space to think creatively about what else might help.

There is encouragement here for any organisation with limited resources. Waiting for perfect conditions can mean waiting a very long time. Starting small, with willing partners and a clear purpose, can be enough to take the first step.

Testing, Listening and Adapting

In winter 2023, according to the article, Apax launched a small pilot across a handful of its services. Residents and recovery co-ordinators played a key role in gathering feedback and shaping the experience, so the programme fitted real needs.

Israa described residents who had previously avoided communal activities beginning to ask when the next session would be. The team observed increased confidence, better sleep, reduced anxiety and higher motivation, and staff noticed deeper engagement.

Our article on Apax winning the Markel Development and Innovation Award shares more about the recognition that followed. What stands out in Israa's account, though, is how much the pilot depended on listening.

Growing Step by Step

The article explained that TRIPP's built-in AI-powered coach was added to help residents with breathwork, reflection and regulation. Israa wrote that it let residents move at their own pace, strengthening human support rather than replacing it.

By February 2024, the programme had expanded to more than 40 residents, with staff trained and feedback tools co-designed with residents and support workers. In August, it was launched across all Apax sites.

Growing in stages gave the team time to learn. Each phase built on the one before, and each was shaped, step by step, by what residents and staff had said about what was working and what was not.

What the Journey Teaches

Israa wrote that the aim was never to have the perfect solution. It was about starting with what the team had: Meta headsets, TRIPP software, a dedicated team and a belief that support could feel calmer and more accessible.

She reported that residents have described fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, better emotional regulation and better sleep, and that staff report stronger relationships and improved morale. Several residents have moved on to lower levels of support or independent living.

The lesson for others is perhaps a simple one. Innovation does not belong only to large organisations. It can begin anywhere people are willing to ask a good question and keep listening for the answer, however long it takes to arrive.

Next Steps for VR Wellness

Israa outlined plans for a dedicated VR Wellness website, more headsets and exploring how the programme might reach other supported housing services, charities and NHS-aligned settings, as well as using VR for staff training.

Above all, she wrote, residents' voices remain central to how the programme evolves. We are grateful to CMM for the chance to share this story, and to every resident who helped shape it with their honesty, patience and good humour.

You can read Israa's full article in Care Management Matters: Celebrating excellence in Development and Innovation.