Solent Mind’s Post

Our organisation was established with the primary aim of creating a safe and supportive environment where men can openly share their experiences, struggles, and emotions. The rising suicide rates among men have highlighted a significant health crisis that urgently requires effective interventions and support systems. “Men With Issues” has now been formally set up as a non-profit community interest company. This structure allows us to focus entirely on our mission without the constraints of profit-making, ensuring that all our resources are directed towards supporting our members and expanding our reach. Our group recognises the dire need for more spaces where men can feel comfortable discussing their mental health issues. By fostering an atmosphere of understanding and empathy, we encourage men to express their feelings and take actionable steps towards improving their mental well-being. Since our inception, we have made considerable progress. We have successfully provided assistance to over 200 men, with our meetings regularly drawing an average attendance of 40-50 participants. These meetings offer a blend of peer support, professional guidance, and practical strategies that empower men to tackle their mental health challenges. The positive feedback and continued engagement from our members underscore the vital role our group plays in their lives. Our long-term vision is ambitious yet achievable. We aim to extend our reach and impact to help as many individuals as possible. To realise this vision, we are actively seeking opportunities to collaborate with large organisations that share our commitment to mental health. We believe that with adequate funding and support, we can significantly expand our programmes, enhance our services, and ultimately, save more lives. Please reach out if you think you can help, any shares would be greatly appreciated.

Last month, we held a launch event for our new report on the youth mental health crisis. The event, which was standing room only, brought together professionals from across the sector to discuss the rising mental health needs of children and young people. In our new blog NPC's Lily Meisner talks about how funders can help tackle the youth mental health crisis following on from the event discussions. In the report we identified six key areas where funders have the potential to create long-term positive change for children and young people: - Preventative work and early intervention. - Supporting children from minoritised groups. - Building and diversifying the mental health workforce. - Funding research on what works. - Enabling collaboration across the mental health sector. - Exploring a systems-based approach to funding. Lily Meisner https://lnkd.in/eD3wGdai

Call out for Experts by Experience 📣 Do you live in one of the 8 North West London borough's or know someone who does that you think would be an amazing addition to our team of EbE's here at Rethink Mental Illness? Co-production is at the heart of the North West London Suicide Prevention Programme. Lived experience informs every aspect of this work as we believe in the importance of centering the voices which sometimes go unheard. This is a social response to suicide prevention that seeks to fill current gaps that exist in mental health support by engaging communities and their natural ability to facilitate connection. 💥 What is a part of this role ❔ - Evaluate existing grants - Sitting on the panel to help allocate grant funding - Attending steering groups - Facilitate peer support We do not expect every EbE to do each of these things - this is a very flexible role that can be worked around your capacity and interests. 💭 🗺 We are looking for people who live in: - Ealing - Brent - Kensington & Chelsea - Westminster - Hounslow - Hillingdon - Hammersmith & Fulham - Harrow This is a paid role for people with lived experience having difficulty with their mental health, suicidality/suicidal ideation, family members/carers for someone struggling with their mental health. Please share with your networks and get in touch via email: cassandra.geisel@rethink.org 😊 Lourdes Colclough Ciara Hablutzel Oppenheimer

For the benefit of anyone new here, we thought it was time to reintroduce ourselves... The Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) is a UK-wide charity and network of 130 organisations, parents, academics and clinicians dedicated to ensuring all women and families impacted by perinatal mental health problems have access to high-quality, compassionate care and support. We bring the maternal mental health community together and make change happen by combining the power of real-life experience with clinical and professional expertise. Read more about our origins, why we exist and how we drive change: https://lnkd.in/eHQumhXt

A New Chapter for Big Fish Big Fish Group Limited is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Chapter, a leading mental health charity. This collaboration is particularly meaningful to us at Big Fish, as the cause of mental health is close to the hearts of our owners, who've had personal experiences with the challenges of mental health. Through this partnership, Big Fish is committed to supporting Chapter's mission of providing vital mental health services and resources to those in need. Our shared values and dedication to mental well-being will drive various initiatives to raise awareness, promote mental health education, and directly support individuals and families affected by mental health issues in the Cheshire region. Our partnership with Chapter aligns with our strategy and desire to protect, maintain, and support our community and employees' mental health and well-being. Together, we can make a significant positive impact. This collaboration will include fundraising events, mental health workshops, and volunteer opportunities for our employees, enabling us to contribute actively to this important cause. About Chapter: Chapter is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals experiencing mental ill-health in West Cheshire and surrounding regions. They offer comprehensive support to people with mental health challenges, providing hope, fostering connections, and developing essential new skills. Their services include personalised one-to-one support, group activities, empowering workshops, a telephone listening service, and professional mental health training for local organisations and workplaces. Chapter supports a wide range of mental health needs, from severe conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to mild or moderate mental ill-health. We are excited about this partnership's potential to bring about meaningful change and support Chapter's essential work. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those affected by mental health challenges. #Bigfishpartnerships #Mentalhealthawareness #Supportingmentalhealth #Mentalhealthchallenges

New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Mr. Christopher Luxon has made a pivotal move by allocating $24 million over four years to Gumboot Friday, an initiative under the I Am Hope charity that provides free counselling services to young people. This substantial funding will significantly enhance the programme's ability to support the growing number of youths facing mental health challenges. Gumboot Friday has seen a 500% increase in demand over the past two years, funding over 3,400 free sessions monthly at a cost of $510,000. This new financial support will enable the onboarding of over 50 diverse counsellors, including Māori, Pacifica, and various other ethnic backgrounds, ensuring culturally sensitive and inclusive care. Gumboot Friday's innovative platform ensures quick access to care, with responses within two days and sessions within two weeks. The programme’s real-time data collection ensures transparency and continuous improvement, directing resources where they are most needed. This funding marks a crucial step towards a brighter future for New Zealand’s youth, reflecting the government’s commitment to providing essential mental health support. By fostering collaboration and breaking down barriers, we can ensure that every young person receives the help they need, when they need it. https://lnkd.in/gQaJ4dqd

🧠 IfM Engage recently supported YPMH: The Foundation For Young People's Mental Health by convening experts from across the mental health ecosystem to consider innovations that could enhance the #mentalhealth of children and young people. In summary: 🙋♀️✍ The workshops identified a range of unmet needs, including the lack of knowledge across the population of the complex risk factors and mechanisms of #depression in young people. 💭🤝 the work facilitated multidisciplinary conversations with experts across the mental health ecosystem enabling YPMH to gain a deeper understanding of the key contexts and challenges. 🛣👨👧👦 YPMH now has a clear direction and plan to engage with charities to improve the support available in this area. IfM Engage used #roadmapping to facilitate the process and workshops were held online to enable healthcare professionals from different locations, and with limited available time, to collaborate easily and efficiently. ➡ Read the full case study to learn more: https://lnkd.in/eHZp97Pm Peter Templeton Charlotte Catignani

FREE to a good home, mental health resources and information! Whilst we work globally, I recently spotted some stats that provide a snapshot of the state of mental health in England. Information released by the ONS in July showed that 8.7 million patients were taking anti-depressant medication. This represents 5.7m women and 3m men and accounts for 15% of the population of England. AND that is just those on medication. The numbers with a diagnosable mental illness are at record levels and globally the stats make difficult reading. The bottom line is that wherever you are based, you will know someone with mental ill health. And yet we are still struggling to find effective and impactful ways to navigate it, discuss it openly and without stigma in society in general and the workplace in particular. We need more information, we need more education, we need to bust the myths (and there are still many) and stop the stigma (both internal and external). There is so much we CAN do, and we avoid it at our peril. Anyone who works with us at NV knows we are passionate about making a difference in this field and are regularly working with organisations and charities providing support and creating resources and materials. We have a vast array of free resources, including talking toolkits, one-pagers, country-specific information about how and where to access support. We are delighted to share. Please get in touch and let us know how we can support your organisation.

As the state budget draws closer, time is running out to let decision makers know how important Recommendation 29 is to our community. Recommendation 29 of the Royal Commission into Mental Health highlights the need for consumer-led mental health initiatives in our sector - although this game-changing organisation, led by those with lived experiences, is still not funded. Let's push for progress together and envision a future where consumer and lived/living experience voices are central in driving systemic change - if you haven't already, make sure you sign our community letter below to show your support for Rec 29: https://lnkd.in/gkPCr2ny #LivedExperience #MentalHealthReform #LivedExperienceLeadership #ConsumerLeadership #FundOurAgency

During Mental Health Awareness Month, explore ways to enhance access to mental health care. Discover three key opportunities in this insightful article: https://buff.ly/44Xcfn1 #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #mentalhealth #AccessToCare