Extra mental health support for key workers

Through our Response, Recovery and Resilience Fund we've already supported over 1,000 community organisations across Scotland, benefitting more than 1,00,000,000 people.  Over the past 6 months, we've also been working with other funders and national charities to identify and tackle some of the most significant challenges our population has faced during the pandemic.

Mental health challenges have been widely recognised as a key area of need. In recognition of this SAMH (the Scottish Association for Mental Health) have been awarded a strategic grant from Foundation Scotland of over £100,000. This essential funding is to specifically support SAMH’s new work with Five Areas Ltd (Living Life to the Full) and Glasgow Caledonian University. Together these three organisations will provide three tiers of mental health support needed for 4,000 key workers. 

For the next twelve months, SAMH staff will work alongside Glasgow Caledonian University trainee psychologists to deliver psychological support to frontline workers, who worked throughout lockdown to keep us all safe. Based on a remote working model, the workers will be able to access online psychological support from Living Life to the Full, which is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy based approach to help people improve their wellbeing and resilience. They will also receive regular one to one support for up to eight weeks, as well as check-ins throughout their journey.  

SAMH is committed to making sure people get the mental health support and information they need, when they need it. Frontline workers have been under considerable pressure in recent months and we would like to thank Foundation Scotland for providing this funding so that we can help these staff who have worked tirelessly under very difficult circumstances.

 

Graeme Henderson, Executive Director of Delivery and Strategic Development at SAMH

As the University for the Common Good, Glasgow Caledonian University seeks to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve. Foundation Scotland’s funding will allow us to work in partnership with SAMH to deploy our trainee psychologists in support of frontline workers’ mental health

 

Dr Bryan McCann, Lecturer in Psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University

This is a challenging time for all of us, and as a community, we need to look at ways of maintaining and rebuilding wellbeing. Health workers give so much to others, and the danger is they don’t slow down, stop, think and reflect on their own needs. This project is there for them

 

Professor Chris Williams, Director of Living Life to the Full

The award to SAMH was one of thirteen strategic grants designed to offer additional support across multiple funding priorities. In total over £1,168,127 has been distributed between the thirteen charities as follows:

• Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) (£105,000)
• BEMIS Scotland (£104,000)
• Shelter Scotland (£30,000)
• Community Law Advice Network (£30,000)
• Children 1st (£104,750)
• Dundee North Law Centre LLP (£30,000)
• Govan Law Centre (£30,000)
• JustRight Scotland (£30,000)
• Legal Services Agency Ltd (£28,265)
• Castlemilk Law and Money Advice Centre (£30,000)
• Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector (£307,000)
• Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland (£98,912)
• Scottish Refugee Council (£240,000)

We are incredibly proud of these new awards which will make a significant impact across the Third Sector.  This level of strategic support will enable these charities to deliver the essential support needed to help some of the most vulnerable who are suffering through the crisis. We understand that charities across the country are struggling more than ever to raise the funds they need, and at the same time, many are experiencing increased demand for their services.  It’s an unnerving time for many.  We would encourage other groups to check our website for further funding programmes. We’re also keen to engage with new potential funders whose donations will enable Foundation Scotland to extend this vital support even further within Scotland’s hardest-hit communities

 

Giles Ruck, Chief Executive at Foundation Scotland