The Hearts & Minds Partnership

After 14 years as co-founder of Smile Group Charity and now in her fifth year as lead coordinator of Hearts & Minds, Natalie Nuttall shares some reflections of this chapter, both personally and professionally, ahead of stepping back from these roles later this year. https://lnkd.in/dEFWE5hA

Wow. Thank you to the amazing people running VCSEs in perinatal mental health who joined us for #Conversationspace this morning. What a rich conversation about all things evaluation, which meandered through: - How evaluation is an ongoing learning curve, relative to where we are in our growth trajectory - Different systems, tools and pearls of wisdom to share - Challenges of prescriptive evaluation requirements from funders - Formality of systems and tools in a VCSE setting - what feels appropriate? - The depth of skills and experience in the VCSE and the need for 'respectful challenge' when it comes to how we evaluate - The incredible passion, heart & rigour in the VCSE and the impact this has as a trusted, relational service rooted in communities - The inherent goodwill in our sector & the supportive nature of our community - The need for the VCSE to be acknowledged and funded as an intrinsic part of a whole-system approach Thanks for joining us - we look forward to seeing you again soon! #vcse #perinatalmentalhealth #community #evaluation

We're delighted to share with you that our next 'Conversation Space' opportunity for the grassroots perinatal mental health community will be on Tues 22nd Oct from 10.30 - 11.30am. ✨✨✨✨✨✨ This month's topic is: 'STATS & STORIES' Using the info at our fingertips to make the case for the VCSE ✨✨✨✨✨✨ Whilst we’re working so hard day-to-day in our sector, ensuring families have access to compassionate and reliable perinatal mental health care, it can be easy to forget we are organically gathering all kinds of useful stats and stories. It’s important to look at ways we can formally structure and utilise the narratives and numbers that assemble so beautifully alongside the work we do. How can we ensure this information helps us to continually improve our own service delivery, as well as underpin and bolster the sector as a whole? After all, we’re not in this alone . . . If this sounds like a chat you’d like to be a part of, please do come along! What you can gain: 🔎 Insight into how other VCSEs are collecting stats and stories ⏰ A whole hour to let your mind wander free on this topic 🧩 A sense of connection with the wider sector 🙌🏾 The company of others who just ‘get it’ ✅ Hints and tips from established and newly emerging organisations 💡 Realistic, easy-to-implement ideas to take back to your organisation What you can bring: 🔭 Your perspective (only if you want) 👦🏾 Your presence (which we very much appreciate) 🌩️ Your worries and fears 💫 Your ideas and dreams 😆 A sense of humour ☕ A hot cuppa This ‘Stats & Stories’ Conversation Space is FREE to those working in the perinatal mental health sector and tickets are bookable now. Places are limited to ensure an engaging and free-flowing chat for all. Hope to see you there! 👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾 https://lnkd.in/e8Y7mJGF

Thank you to the lovely Steph from Koala North West for showcasing this amazing VCSE in our regular blog spotlight - Community Corner. We created this blog to shine a light on the incredible services that exist across the VCSE community in perinatal mental health. Read more about Koala North West here: https://lnkd.in/eASE5YkB #vcse #community #perinatalmentalhealth #support

Thanks to those who were able to join us at Conversation Space today to explore the topic of attracting and retaining brilliant people in the VCSE. As is often the case, the momentum of the conversation took us into related territories, and we explored: - how the VCSE is driven by passion and purpose, often with a lived experience connection - there's autonomy in the sector, but this can also come with great responsibility - we can't talk about resourcing without discussing (often incredibly short) funding cycles & the impact this has on talent retention - the amazing work that goes into building rigour, with thorough training and skill in our community (which could be leveraged more) - the context of peer support roles in statutory & VCSE settings - different ways to model VCSEs and the implications of volunteer-led and remunerated staff As always, thanks for being part of the conversation and for sharing your feedback on the value of coming together to share our experiences & explore pertinent topics. #vcse #community #perinatalmentalhealth

We're excited to say that our National Meet-Up is back (by popular demand!). We'll be returning to thestudio...in Birmingham on Monday 19th May 2025 to welcome the wonderful VCSE community in perinatal mental health for a day of connection, creativity and meaningful conversation. There's no action to take right now aside from popping the date in your diary..we'll be sure to keep you updated when registration details go live! Thank you :) #nationalmeetup #vcse #Birmingham #perinatalmentalhealth #community #connection

We're delighted to say the Hearts & Minds team has grown to include some amazing people from the grassroots perinatal mental health community. Working on a freelance basis, we have recruited individuals with an incredible portfolio of skills, knowledge, lived experience and expertise to help us form a team of 'Root Makers' and 'Evaluation Partners'. ROOT MAKERS This team of six have formed to support our programme with a particular emphasis on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. Working in a genuinely collaborative way, we will develop a more representative, accessible and inclusive approach to our workstreams, ensuring that under-represented voices and communities are heard and held with value and respect at the core of all we do. Lauren Parr (Make Birth Better) Alex Paterson (Best Beginnings) Ameena Rahman (Sister Circle) Manisha Sheth (Support ME) Matt Taylor-Roberts (Proud 2 b Parents) Aileen White (My Birth Support) EVALUATION PARTNERS To work alongside our evaluation consultant, we have teamed up with three brilliant people to help support and influence our overall project evaluation. Together they will co-design our evaluation from inception to completion, focusing on the effectiveness of Hearts & Minds to deliver against its objectives and outcomes. Ang Broadbridge (Ways to Wellness UK) Sharon Coaker Laura Richmond We’d like to wish a very warm welcome to our new team members! To find out lots more about our Root Makers and Evaluation Partners, just visit our latest blog post by following the link below: https://lnkd.in/exYGqYwg #VCSE #perinatalmentalhealth #EDI #team #growth

Now that we're shifting into Autumn and that 'new term' feeling is upon us, we'd like to invite those working in the VCSE in perinatal mental health to our next Conversation Space online chat on Wednesday 25th September, from 10.30-11.30am. This month's topic is: Resourcing Riddles Attracting and retaining brilliant people in the VCSE community The perinatal mental health VCSE sector is full of inspiring, kind and skillful people. It’s the nature of what we do to have compassion in our heart, courage in our bones and generosity running through our veins. Although running a grassroots service means you often get to recruit and learn from these incredible people, it can also be a challenge to retain them. Life happens. In abundance. Along with funding shortages, short-term contracts and limited resources, we can’t always keep the dream team together. If this sounds familiar to you, please do come along! What you can gain: - Insight into how other VCSEs are solving the resourcing riddle - A whole hour to let your mind wander free on this topic - sense of connection with the wider sector - The company of others who just ‘get it’ - Hints and tips from established and newly emerging organisations - Realistic, easy-to-implement ideas to take back to your organisation What you can bring: - Your perspective (only if you want) - Your presence (which we very much appreciate) - Your worries and fears - Your ideas and dreams - A sense of humour - A hot cuppa Sign up for free via the link below - we hope to see you there! https://lnkd.in/eGFNt4vS

Sometimes the pace of life can get a bit relentless. If you work in the VCSE you might be predisposed to consider others' needs and sometimes that means your own needs take a backseat. Sometimes we override the natural ebb and flow of life, so see if it's possible to take some time for YOU over the summer. It's not just OK, it's essential to take a break. To breathe, spend time with loved-ones, to rest and recharge. We start here by supporting ourselves in order to support others. Happy August 😊 #vcse #perinatalmentalhealth

Thanks to those of you who were able to join this morning's #ConversationSpace about leading in a changing landscape. It's vital we create trusted spaces for open chats about both the practical & emotional aspects of leadership in the VCSE. We covered a lot of ground, from the political liminality around policy, the future of Family Hubs & capacity issues across the landscape, to the importance of recognising the depth & complexity of the VCSE. We all appreciated the benefit of both formal & informal peer networks as safe spaces to share. We felt passionately that peer support models, founded in relational approaches, see people in their entirety and don't pathologise what can be an incredibly disorientating transition in life, during the perinatal period. We also acknowledged the importance of holding these conversations with compassion & to see the enormity of the breadth of our work and the impact it has. We'll be taking a break in August for #ConversationSpace, and we'll resume in September. Wishing you all a well-deserved rest &, if we're very lucky, some sunshine too! Thank you.