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

Summary

This report reflects on information provided by 344 projects funded through the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults in Year 2. It appears from these returns that projects who received funding managed to meet the aims set out within their applications. It is also positive to see that there is a high level of people who have been supported and the Fund could potentially have reached more than 340,000 people.

The most common types of projects were: social activities; art and music therapy; outdoor activities; financial support; advocacy and advice; and therapeutic activities.

The main challenges reported by projects were over-subscription and a lack of resources. Overall, respondents reported successfully using the funds they received to have a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of their communities.

Types of projects

The majority of projects reported offering social activities and these were often centred around a café model for people to socialise. Others involved art and music therapy projects that used creative processes to promote emotional well-being. A few addressed physical health through group exercises or sports, and others provided outdoor therapeutic activities like walking groups and bushcraft lessons.

Some projects directly supported those facing financial hardship by offering warm rooms and hot meals, while others provided advocacy and advice services related to mental health, housing, and benefits.

Several projects included therapeutic activities such as one-on-one therapy and peer support. Additionally, some funds were used to enhance organisational capacity, employ new staff, upgrade facilities, and cover consumables, equipment, and staff training.

Challenges

The main challenges reported by projects were over-subscription and a lack of resources. Most challenges reported by respondents were in the context of how the projects had overcome them to deliver their objectives. These challenges are largely framed as financial issues and related directly to how much funding the projects have been able to acquire.

Impacts

Respondents were often proud of the impact of their projects, and many were able to point to the transformative impact they had on individuals. This included helping to improve individuals’ quality of life and mental wellbeing by reducing loneliness, providing specific therapeutic or peer support, or empowering individuals or carers to better understand and manage their conditions.

The reported impacts of projects were highly specific with different projects reporting on different outcomes. However, most were reported to have improved participants’ mental health or wellbeing and were valued by those who attended. Several projects felt that they had been instrumental in reducing mental health issues and improving the overall well-being of its participants.

Those projects that offered financial advice or support reported providing immediate relief as well as fostering long-term positive outcomes, enhancing the overall wellbeing of the communities they served.

Overall, despite facing some challenges, respondents reported successfully using the funds they received to have a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of their communities.