Council awarded government funding for mental health work
Telford & Wrekin Council has been awarded £80,000 of government funding to be used to provide courses for people with mild to moderate mental health issues and aims to show that learning can have a positive impact on improving mental health.
Earlier this year, the government announced a £20m pot of funding for a two year period. The first year of funding will be a Community Learning Mental Health Pilot, whereby different models and approaches can be tested and evaluated to see what works most effectively, before rolling out additional projects and funding in year two.
All learning providers that have Skills Funding agency contracts for Community Learning were eligible to bid for a maximum of £80,000.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s bid was one of only five chosen in the first year.
Telford & Wrekin Council will work with a wide range of local partners to lead the development and delivery of this pilot provision, including Job Centre Plus, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Service (IAPT), TCAT, Workers Education Association (WEA), Relate, GP surgeries, Wrekin Housing Trust and MIND.
The project will provide adults aged 19 and over, who are suffering from mild to moderate mental health problems, a range of courses that will be designed to support and improve their health and wellbeing. As well as wider support through the Council’s Job Box programme.
Partners and health providers will be able to refer people to this provision, in addition to people being able to refer themselves if they feel they are suffering from a mild to moderate mental health issue.
The project aims to support around 500 adults in the first 12 months.
Twelve months ago, the Council launched The Job Box, which pulls together a range of education, training and employment support.
The Council has invested £1.3m in a two year programme which is working to reduce unemployment levels in the borough, particularly high levels of youth unemployment.
As a result of the measures taken by the Council as a part of the Job Box, youth unemployment in Telford and Wrekin has fallen by about 50 per cent in the last year.
Councillor Shaun Davies, cabinet member for Employment and Skills, said:
“We’re delighted to have been awarded this funding to allow us to work with people with mild to moderate mental health issues.
“The pilot scheme will ensure that this group of people in Telford and Wrekin get the help and support they need.
“The work will allow us to show that learning can have a positive impact on improving mental health and work prospects.”
