Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults: impact report - year 2 2022-2023

Background

The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults (the Fund) was established in October 2021 and has a strong focus on prevention and early intervention. The Fund aims to support grass roots community groups in tackling mental health inequalities and challenges such as social isolation and loneliness, suicide prevention, poverty, and inequality.

• The Fund supports the development of an integrated culture of mental wellbeing and prevention within local communities and across Scotland, developing and building on existing capacity within community organisations and grassroots groups along with supporting the mental health and wellbeing of individuals.
• The Fund recognises the important role that small, grassroots community groups play in supporting adult mental health and wellbeing and builds on the excellent examples of good practice we saw emerge throughout the pandemic.

The Fund directly contributes to Outcome 4 of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy published in June 2023:

“Better equipped communities to support people’s mental health and wellbeing and provide opportunities to connect with others.”

The Fund includes a specific focus on ‘at risk’ target groups including:

• Women (particularly young women, and those women affected by gender-based sexual violence).
• People with a long-term health condition or disability.
• People who are, or have been, on the highest risk (previously shielding) list.
• People from a Minority Ethnic background.
• Refugees and those with no recourse to public funds.
• People facing socio-economic disadvantage.
• People experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage.
• People with diagnosed mental illness.
• People affected by psychological trauma (including adverse childhood experiences).
• People who have experienced bereavement or loss.
• People disadvantaged by geographical location (particularly remote and rural areas).
• Older people (aged 50 and above); and
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) communities.

Year 2

The Fund was delivered through a locally focused and coordinated approach via 31 Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) across Scotland (with the Dumfries and Galloway TSI managing Borders funding on their behalf). These TSIs had overall accountability for the spend at local level and worked in collaboration with Integration Authorities, and other existing local partnerships, to lead in the coordination of the local plan and undertake fund administration, capacity-building support, and local monitoring and evaluation.

This report summarises the findings of evaluation questions sent to TSIs in March 2024 asking them to give more detail on a selection of project case studies. It also takes account of additional information provided by TSIs who carried out supplementary evaluation activity. Some projects reported the findings of their own internal evaluations and these were consistently positive. Findings showed that participants enjoyed the activities provided and found services offered, at least, helpful, with some reporting that they made a vital difference to their general health and wellbeing. Though it should be noted that this evaluation only had access to the high level results of these evaluations.

A full monitoring and reporting summary for Year 2 is also available from the Scottish Government website.

This evaluation will contribute to Outcome 3 of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy published in June 2023:

“Improved knowledge and understanding of mental health and wellbeing and how to access appropriate support.”