VCS Committee – 14th November ‘13
“Working together to address
mental health and poverty
related issues”
A presentation by Islington Mental Health &
Poverty Networking Forum and Islington
Faiths Forum
Background
• In March 2011, IFF Committee Members were reporting
an increasing incidence of people with mental health &
poverty issues coming to their faith sites – some
resulting in violence (the people were desperate).
• We reflected on how we could best respond and decided
that it was best to offer training to staff and volunteers at
these community sites to assist them with handling these
types of scenarios.
• So Mental Health First Aid Training and separate
workshops on poverty related issues.
• We submitted this proposal to the Health & Belief
Programme 2011 with a request for funds. Successful.
Work in 2011
• We moved quickly and started the training in
October 2011.
• Take-up for both sets of training was strong.
• We exceeded outputs and outcomes.
• The interest in this area of work (mental health &
poverty) was immense.
• When we finished the training we held talks in
May and a meeting in June 2012 to gauge the
appetite for further partnership working. We had
a huge response.
2012
• We wrote a bid to the Health & Belief
Programme 2012 to support a networking forum
re: mental health & poverty. As we were already
a recipient (within a year) they could not grant us
any funding.
• However, London Catalyst (one of H&B funders)
expressed an interest in our proposal and after
due diligence, they gave us a special interest
grant.
• With this grant, the IFF sought to match fund
and brought in further funds to support the work.
Islington Mental Health &
Poverty Networking Forum
Set-up in September 2012
• The Islington Mental Health & Poverty
Networking Forum was set up in September
2012 in response to growing demand for
support from faith and community organisations
to help residents with needs around mental
health and poverty in the Borough. The Forum
now has 30 partner organisations from across
the third and statutory sectors who all work
together to see what can be done to address
existing and emerging needs.
The interest in this work continues to grow.
Aims & Objectives of the new
Forum
• To raise the profile of mental health & poverty issues across the
Borough and to provide representation for the members of the
Network to statutory bodies, government departments and other
agencies where considered necessary and possible.
• To support all organisations in Islington with regards to mental
health and poverty issues.
• To circulate and share information widely across all sectors in order
to support the community affected by these issues.
• To explore and facilitate partnership working and promote signposting between member & external organisations, in order to assist
organisations in responding to the growing needs around mental
health and poverty.
Partners
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CARIS Islington – FBO covering homelessness + mental health issues
Cranstoun / ICAS – Islington Community Alcohol Service
Cripplegate Foundation – a long standing, experienced charity in both areas
Direct Action Project - mental health project part of Peel Institute - a charity
Disability Action in Islington – an experienced charity covering both issues
Evelyn Oldfield Unit – covering both issues to support refugee community
organisations
Friends of Isledon Road - at the Mental Health Resource Centre
Help on Your Doorstep – a charity covering both issues across Islington
Hillside Clubhouse – a charity supporting those with mental health issues
Holloway Neighbourhood Group (The Stress Project)
iBUG – service user-led organisation looking at mental health services
iCope - a more specialist NHS service around mental health
Islington Citizens Advice Bureau - an all round relevant support agency
Islington Faiths Forum – covering both issues and network lead
Islington Law Centre - covering both poverty and mental health issues
Partners
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Islington Mental Health Forum – user-led mental health forum
Islington MIND – they deliver a range of front line mental health services
Islington People’s Rights - covering both poverty and mental health issues
Islington Public Health – (Islington Council)
Islington Voluntary Sector Health Network – they cover both areas of work
Jobcentre Plus – Finsbury Park
Manor Gardens Health Advocacy Project – working in both areas
Mental Wellbeing Champions Project, Manor Gardens Welfare Trust – mental
health.
Mind Yourself – support for the Irish Community re: mental health.
Refugee Therapy Centre – working in both areas
Rethink Mental Illness – a national mental health charity
Safer Islington Partnership, Islington Council – (where mental health & poverty
impact community safety)
SHP – working in both areas including complex needs.
St.Mungo’s – a national mental health charity also dealing with poverty issues.
The Stuart Low Trust - a mental health promotion charity (activities).
What do we do?
• Lobby Central Government – Lord Freud - DWP
re: our concerns about vulnerable adults with
Welfare Reform – personal budgeting & payment exception arrangements.
• Work with Local Government – for example re:
Archway Bridge (suicide hotspot – safety barriers).
• Work with local mental health services to explore
care in the community and to support referrals.
• Work with local services on poverty related
issues – mostly on Welfare Reform currently.
What do we do?
• Channel feedback from our community partners to
relevant people and organisations (re: concerns).
• We listen to service users and hear what their
experiences are like. Very important.
• We meet circa every 8 weeks.
• Deliver events like the Best Practice & Networking
Conference. Suicide Prevention Workshop.
• Link our partners up with other service providers.
• We circulate relevant information to service providers
and other interested parties.
• We make representation where necessary and possible.
What Next? The Way Forward
• Following the success of the Best Practice
& Networking Conference on 20th March
2013, we will be delivering another
Conference on 26th March 2014.
• We are working to link more services up,
statutory and third sector organisations
and to grow support for those with mental
health & poverty related issues. The
possibilities are endless …………
The Way Forward
• We believe that everyone has a part to
play in addressing the stigma around
mental ill health. ‘How are you today?’ is
not a question just about physical health.
• Poverty related issues need to be
discussed openly too.
• A collective response is powerful.
• Islington Public Health, Islington Council
and our Community Partners have been
very supportive of our work.
• Any Questions?
Contact:
IFF Development Director – Roz Miller
Tel: 020 8361 2488
Mob: 07799 133305
Email: rosalind.miller8@btinternet.com