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Seven North East charities to share £100,000 aimed at helping tackle young people’s mental health issues
Seven North East charities are to share almost £100,000 in funding to boost community work looking at children’s mental health challenges.
The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System has been successful in obtaining the cash – and now it will be shared among voluntary and community sector (VCS) groups including Newcastle-based Healthworks and the YMCA in North Tyneside.
The idea is that the funding will be used to encourage young people, their families and people from the region’s diverse communities to take part in mental health research. The is “a significant priority” for health bosses in our region.
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The funding bid – supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)’s North East and North Cumbria research collaboration and umbrella organisations supporting the voluntary sector in the North East and in Cumbria, the seven groups will be working to “empower” young people.
The seven organisations chosen are:
Healthworks
The YMCA
New Beginnings North from Sunderland
Gateshead’s Young Women’s Outreach Project
The region-wide NE Youth
People First Independent Advocacy in Carlisle
A Way Out in Stockton.
Integrated Care Board (ICB), executive director of innovation Aejaz Zahid said: “Improving the mental health of our young people is a key priority for partner organisations across the North East and North Cumbria. It is essential to develop a deeper understanding of the root causes of rising mental health issues and evidence to develop effective services for our young people that are informed by their diverse lived experiences and thinking.”
“This funding has helped bring together these organisations which offer a range of approaches, strengths, and valuable connections with young people in their respective communities. Ensuring diverse participation from a wide range of young people is crucial to help us effectively develop action plans, whilst also sharing ideas and learning together to improve our collective approach of involving young people in research projects.”
The Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust will also play a role supporting the chosen organisations.
Lisa Taylor, health and wellbeing programme director for Voluntary Organisations’ Network North East said: “It is both important and encouraging to see a range of VCSE organisations working towards involving children and young people in mental health research participation.
“It was fantastic to see so many great organisations bid for funding. Empowering young people to actively engage in research is a great way to promote their voices and experiences, but also ensures that our programmes are developed with the users in mind.”
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