Minding our community
Posted: Friday 23 July 2010
Mind has an extensive network of local associations throughout England and Wales. These associations can apply for funds via our local Mind association grant fund, which last year distributed over £240,000 tovarious local projects. This money comes from donations and we are only able to fund these projects thanks to the generosity of our supporters. Sometimes we have to turn down worthwhile applications simply owing to lack of funds.
We fund a wide range of projects, such as counseling and therapy groups, employment services and wellbeing projects.
Mental health first aid training in Wales
Ynys Mon Mind works within one of the poorest communities in Wales. Anglesey is a hugely deprived area — several large employers have closed in the last year and the average income is only half that of the UK average. In this rural and sometimes isolated community the life prospects for young people can be severely limited.
Last summer saw a spate of suicides that many feared could develop into a similar situation to that which occurred in Bridgend. Claire Bailey – the sole full-time staff member of Ynys Mon Mind – has been working throughout the year to try and address these urgent problems.
Claire applied for several grants from the local Mind association grant fund, so that Ynys Mon Mind could provide Mental Health First Aid training and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) to carers and young people in Anglesey.
The stigma of mental health is hugely amplified in our small community. We need to educate people accurately about mental health to overcome these barriers to treatment.
Over 100 carers have received the training in 2010 including Pat Green:
The training helped me to understand situations in my personal life with my own family and to be able to see things from their point of view. I’ve spoken to many other carers in a similar situation to me and they are really interested in receiving training to help them. Mental Health First Aid also helps to reduce stigma.
This autumn the training will be rolled out to 105 young adults, so they can become skilled care-givers, able to recognise mental distress and preserve life.
The grant fund is a lifeline – without it we simply wouldn’t be able to attempt the work that we do.
Claire Bailey, Ynys Mon Mind
To find out more about Ynys Mon Mind and their work, click here.
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