Seven organisations receive significant grant funding to enhance mental health wellbeing in York

Seven organisations are to benefit from a combined total of £250,000 across two years to help them develop innovative initiatives that can improve the lives of people experiencing serious mental ill-health in York.

The funding comes from the Community Mental Health Transformation Grant which was set up to support voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in York to deliver new ways of supporting people in their local communities.

The grant, which is managed by York CVS on behalf of the York Mental Health Partnership and the Connecting our Cities Partnership, invited organisations to apply for up to £40,000 per project over the two years.

The following projects have been awarded funds through the Community Mental Health Transformation Grant:

• Chocolate and Co. in partnership with York in Recovery and Changing Lives - ‘Coffee Shop Counselling’ - will deliver counselling services and monthly group sessions to people experiencing mental illness and with a dependency on drugs or alcohol and/or substance misuse.
•  Emerging Voices, in partnership with Converge and Out of Character - ‘From Clinic to Campus’ - are providing two pathways of support for adults with mental ill health: Music workshops at Foss Park Hospital, inspiring interests and creating a way into courses, and accessible Theatre from the Out of Character Theatre Company.

• Friends of St Nicholas Fields - ‘Making Tracks – St Nicks Ecotherapy’ - aims to empower and engage adults with building resilience and confidence through purposeful conservation activity and 1:1 mentoring from qualified staff.

• Kyra Women’s Project - ‘ROSE (Reaching Out, Supporting, Empowering) Growing’ - offers an early intervention programme for young women aged 18-26 who are at risk of or recovering from serious mental illness. This will be delivered through drop-in group sessions and counselling.

• Survive - ‘Piloting pathway from NHS to community-based Survive’ - Survive is a charity providing support to women and men who have experienced sexual trauma, the pathway aims to improve health outcomes for adults impacted by this through therapy and counselling.

• Transitions York CIC - ‘Well-being Through Connection’ - offers an outdoor provision that uses nature and equine therapy to support adults with mental health difficulties through 1-1 therapy and an ongoing well-being group.

• York Travellers Trust - ‘Our Wellbeing, Our Way’ - a holistic innovative approach built on trusted relationships through community-based activities and micro-interventions, group sessions and free counselling to adults who have significant, and often undiagnosed, mental health needs.

Alison Semmence, Chief Executive at York CVS, said: “We are delighted to announce that these exciting projects that have been successful in receiving funding through this grant. The range and quality of applications we received demonstrated the important role the VCSE sector continues to play in supporting the health and wellbeing of people with mental ill-health. Today’s announcement will help to build on the vital work already being undertaken in the sector and ensure we continue to improve the lives of York residents experiencing serious mental ill-health.”  

David Kerr, Community Mental Health Transformation and Programme Delivery Lead at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Foundation Trust, commented: “We understand the critical role the VCSE Sector plays in supporting York’s community with their mental health and this funding will give a huge boost to the wider transformation of mental health services in York.”

Cllr Jo Coles, Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care at City of York Council, said:

“The numbers of adults and children needing mental health support has hugely increased over recent years and we recognise the huge challenge this represents for our city.  Our community and voluntary organisations’ mental health services provide essential preventative and recovery services that work hard to meet this challenge.

“Thank you to all those organisations which submitted bids and to all the partners across the city providing support to help York residents live the lives they want.  We want the council and its partners to work together to ensure mental health is removed as a barrier to resident wellbeing, where everyone is valued and well-equipped to achieve their goals”.