Public Health Liverpool and The Life Rooms at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust have developed a pilot for a community based mental health prevention offer which will support individuals and communities post the COVID-19 pandemic.
Part of this pilot features a Micro-Commissioning Programme aimed at mid to large sized VCSE organisations to encourage them to develop activities, initiatives and partnerships across communities to support the health and wellbeing needs of Liverpool residents. Commissioned agencies are encouraged to develop meaningful collaborations with grass roots VCSE organisations to ensure that communities have robust and varied support where they live.
The commissioned activity will focus on the following five priority areas:
- Parental mental health/wellbeing and resilience of families with children
- Social isolation/improved relationships (older adults and other vulnerable groups)
- Employability linked to direct pandemic impacts (e.g. furlough, business closures, health impacts preventing work)
- Physical activity to enhance mental health
- Marginalised groups
We have awarded funding to the following organisations and activity will take place over the next 12 months. Michael Crilly, Director of Social Inclusion and Participation said;
We are so lucky to have such a diverse and vibrant voluntary sector in our City. The sector played a vital role in supporting our communities during the pandemic. As we work towards recovery, we are proud to commission such an inspirational range of VCSE organisations seeking to support our communities’ wellbeing through innovative activity and meaningful partnerships.
VCSE organisations involved:
The Prevention Through Community Project has been set up by Age Concern Liverpool and Sefton to support any older person in Liverpool who is feeling lonely or isolated. The service will be varied to meet people’s needs, whether this is one to one support, someone to talk to regularly or a chance to meet new people, have some fun and maybe even learn a new skill!
For more information call 0151 330 5678 or visit www.ageconcernliverpoolandsefton.org.uk
Our project, a partnership between Citizens Advice Liverpool, Irish Community Care and Granby Toxteth Development Trust, will deliver advice and support to the Irish traveller/Gypsy and Roma communities, working to promote their welfare and inclusion across the city.
For further information about the project visit www.citizensadviceliverpool.org.uk or email Emma Nibbs Emma.Nibbs@caliverpool.org.uk
FareShare Merseyside is working with Life Rooms to increase the amount of food available to vulnerable people across Liverpool. The partnership will tackle hunger in the city and support the mental wellbeing of local communities, helping to prevent the stress, anxiety and social isolation that often come hand-in-hand with food insecurity
For more information about the project visit www.fareshare.org.uk/fareshare-centres/merseyside/ or contact Claire Williams claire.williams@fareshare.org.uk
You Can do it will operate in Speke/Garston, Clubmoor/Norris Green and Princess Park ward and will focus on improving physical health.
Physical Health Programmes will be available for residents living in these areas who are experiencing poor mental health. Programmes will include raising awareness of the impact of poor physical health on mental health; establishing person centred physical activity plans; encouraging physical health checks; exploring issues impacting on mental health and signposting to services; encouraging participation in sports and leisure and access to community gardening projects.
Programmes will be open to family members and will be delivered by local organisations.
For more information about the project visit www.imagineindependence.org.uk
Or contact Elaine Mather Elaine Mather emather@imagineindependence.org.uk
Liverpool for the Deaf and Deaf-blind Community to reduce social isolation, increase confidence, wellbeing and fitness. For more information about the project visit www.deafactive.org/deaffitness.html
Contact: Janice Connolly, MSDP, jconnolly@msdp.org.uk or Katie Godfrey, Deaf Active, katie@deafactive.net
Torus Foundation is delighted to be launching ‘Look aHead’, a mental health training progamme for over 300 parents across Liverpool. Training will be delivered through experienced trainers, Interface Enterprises, with local community organisations identifying and supporting families to get involved. The training will enable parents to recognise common mental health issues and understand how to provide non-judgemental support, reassurance, and guidance. Following the course, parents will be encouraged to meet monthly with a facilitator, providing a supportive environment to share experiences and build resilience.
For further information or to register to join, please contact the Look aHead team via info@torusfoundation.org.uk and visit:
www.torusfoundation.org.uk
YMCA Together will be delivering the ‘Good Day Programme’ at Dutch Farm for people experiencing homelessness, providing a range of activities to improve mental and physical health in a supportive and nurturing environment. The project hopes to plant the first seeds of improving people’s mental wellbeing and provide people experiencing homelessness with a change of scenery where they may be able to view the world a little differently and see that there’s hope for a brighter future.
We believe this journey begins by experiencing ‘a good day’.
For more information about the project please visit www.ymcatogether.org.uk or email jon.metcalf@ymcatogether.org.uk
The Brain Charity’s ‘Value of You’ project will provide employability confidence coaching to hundreds of people affected by neurological conditions in Liverpool.
We empower clients to reach a work situation that works for them by improving self esteem and rebuilding confidence.
For more information:
Visit: www.thebraincharity.org.uk/service/employment/confidence-coaching/
Email: Confidence@thebraincharity.org.uk
Call: 0151 298 2999
Transform Lives Company have created the GiveGetGo project.
GiveGetGo is for people who know they want to work, but don’t know how to make it happen, It includes volunteering placements to help build skills, confidence and to meet new people; it improves health and wellbeing as people feel better about their future; and there’s coaching advice to help secure a job. The project will also deliver an element called Workology.
Workology is for people already in work and struggling, perhaps because of low paid or insecure jobs, being at risk of debt, homelessness, or unable to make ends meet due to the cost-of-living crisis.
We can help, by bringing in other relevant services as well as direct support for people to talk about their worries and being depleted. This is through group sessions at convenient times, building a future better off in work plan over a 5 week period.
For more information:
Visit www.transform-lives.org
Main Contact for referrals:
Email: teamtlc@transform-lives.org
Call: 07483 427816
