Creative Minds are celebrating their success at being awarded funding from the Association of Mental Health Providers (The Association).
The funding will see Creative Minds deliver The Association’s Mental Health Sustainability Programme with people that use mental health services, in collaboration with South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The Mental Health Sustainability Programme was launched in response to the pandemic in partnership with 17 other mental health charities and the private sector to enable voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) mental health providers to maintain services during and after the pandemic.
Match funded by Creative Minds’ existing partners, Creative Minds will act as a community partner for The Association, working with voluntary and community organisations and groups to support people with mental health needs through a range of services.
The 18-month programme will deliver community mental health and wellbeing projects and activities in the most deprived areas in Barnsley, Wakefield and South Kirklees; with a particular focus on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities disproportionately impacted by Covid-19.
Phil Walters, Creative Minds strategic lead, said: “We’re thrilled to be successful in receiving funding to support The Association’s Mental Health Sustainability Programme.
“The funding will allow us to create and provide new projects and activities in our local communities; to help improve people’s mental health and wellbeing.
“The first phase of the project is listening to our local communities to understand their experiences of coronavirus and see what activities and projects might help in their recovery. We’re also speaking with our Creative Minds partners and other voluntary, community and social enterprises, who will be supporting us in delivering the programme locally.”
Kathy Roberts, CEO at Association of Mental Health Providers, commented: “The Association is delighted to be working with Creative Minds as a community partner in South and West Yorkshire and supporting them to coproduce and develop sustainable mental health and wellbeing services that are culturally-appropriate and responding to the priority needs of the community.
“We know that the mental health impact of the pandemic will be long-lasting, for some communities more so than others, and it is essential that the VCSE sector is supported to continue responding to the increased need and deliver services to those with mental health needs in the long-term.”
Keep up to date with the programme through Creative Minds’ Twitter and Facebook.
More information about The Association
The Association is the leading representative body for voluntary and community sector mental health service providers in England and Wales. Representing over 150 organisations, The Association is dedicated to supporting the development of the mental health VCSE sector to effectively meet the needs of individuals and their mental health and wellbeing, working across all types of service provision, taking a whole-life, whole-person approach.
Learn more about the Association of Mental Health Providers, the Mental Health Sustainability Programme and keep updated through The Association’s Twitter.