A new round of funding has today (Thursday 27 February) been awarded by Time to Change to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination across England.
Time to Change is England’s mental health anti-stigma programme run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness and funded by the Department of Health, Comic Relief and Big Lottery Fund.
A further 23 projects across different communities have been given funding in the drive to improve public attitudes and behaviour in relation to mental health.
Each of the unique community-led projects will use the grant to establish meaningful and open conversations with people in the local area. The aim is to bring people who don’t have mental health problems into social contact with those who do. Evidence suggests that this kind of contact is one of the most effective ways of breaking down stigma and discrimination.
Some of the projects selected to receive a grant include;
- 2BME – (Off the Record, Bristol) a youth led project that challenges the stigma that exists in Bristol's Somali, African and Caribbean communities. Young people with lived experience of mental health problems, either personally or as a carer, will work together to design a workshop and interactive materials (film, poetry, photography) that will tour the city. The workshops will engage 11-25 year olds in a dialogue that explores both the history and cultural context of mental health stigma in the communities, and the reality of what it’s like for young people living with mental health problems.
- Time to Change in Rural Derbyshire - (Staffordshire Care Farming Development CIC in partnership with the Farming Life Centre and Derbyshire Community Mental Health Team) will reach people from rural and farming communities in the Derbyshire Peak District through visits to livestock markets, country shows and farmers markets. Trained volunteers with experience of mental health problems will run Cake and Quiz sessions to get people talking about mental health. The final session will be a strawberry cream tea at the Farming Life Centre.
- Moving Pictures – (Toynbee Hall in partnership with Community Film Unit, Beside, and Pritchard's Road Day Centre) will bring together people with experience of mental health problems and older people to explore issues related to the stigma that surrounds mental illness. Volunteers will carry out regular visits to day centres, community centres and communal lounges in sheltered housing. In addition, the team will create four short films on the theme of old movies. These ‘moving pictures’ will prompt discussion and conversation about mental health at screenings across East London.
- Keepin’ It Real – (Newhaven Development Association Ltd. in partnership with Newhaven Young People’s Forum) will engage and train young volunteers to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination. Through fun and informal activities (including street dance flash mobs featuring street dance and eye–catching t-shirts) they will start conversations about their experiences of mental health problems with the wider community and their peers.
- Bus Stop Banter – (Beyond Cuckoo’s Nest) volunteers will run a stall at the busy Rotherham Interchange bus station. Volunteers will start conversations about mental health with members of the public and share their personal stories and experiences to increase understanding of mental health problems. As well as information about mental health, volunteers will have branded pens, key rings and mugs to give away.
Sue Baker, Director of Time to Change, said: “We know that one of the most powerful ways to change attitudes is when people take the lead in driving change within their own communities. What works in one community may not work in another, so through the grants scheme we are putting the power to make change happen locally in the hands of the experts – the people who know their communities the best.
“We were impressed by the proposals we had and we hope to see some excellent work coming out of the local community.”
Read more information on the grants projects here.