WELLBEING TOGETHER: NEW MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP LAUNCHED!
Today we are delighted to announce ‘Wellbeing Together South West’: a new community partnership which has been formed to strengthen mental health services and wellbeing services for children, young people and their families, with funding from the Scottish Government.
Big Hearts Community Trust will work with the City of Edinburgh Council alongside three lead partners in South-West Edinburgh, and collaborate with other organisations across the city to provide essential services that improve the mental health and wellbeing of local 5-24 years old, including young people who are care experienced aged up to 26.
The funding from the Scottish Government aims to provide support at the earliest opportunity and to prevent mental health challenges developing for children and young people and reduce the need for them to require intensive mental health services.
Wellbeing Together South West is made of four well-established organisations:
– SAMH (The Scottish Association for Mental Health): Scotland’s national mental health charity working in 60 communities across Scotland to provide mental health support and services.
– SPACE: a community anchor organisation in Broomhouse with local needs at its heart and providing a wide range of activities in their hub throughout the week.
– Big Hearts Community Trust: the official charity of Heart of Midlothian FC in Gorgie, using the social power of football to help adults and children live a safe and fulfilling life.
– With Kids: a children’s mental health charity specialising in intensive therapeutic interventions, primarily play therapy, with children aged 5-12 and their families who have experienced significant trauma.
This exciting partnership is based on a community mental health approach where organisations across the community are able to provide timely support for children, young people and their families in need of help and guidance.
Innes Shirreff, Operations Manager at Big Hearts comments:
“This partnership is a game changer for Big Hearts: we are trusted by the City of Edinburgh Council to provide early mental health support at Tynecastle Park, in the community where children and young people at risk live. As part of Wellbeing Together South West, our charity will work even closer to local schools and social workers through a newly appointed Young People’s Support Officer, Scott Ritchie. Thanks to 3-year funding from the Scottish Government, we are delighted to be able to extend our mental health services to even more 5-26 years old.”
With a long tradition of strong support from the City of Edinburgh council and the third sector, the communities in South West Edinburgh highly value local in person support. Wellbeing Together South West will see Big Hearts, lead partners, third sector organisations, schools and social work teams work together to develop ‘seamless pathways of support’ and evaluate the range of services that will best meet the local needs.
These new services will focus on mental health, wellbeing and distress, with a wide range of activities and targeted supports eg. arts, sport, outdoor activities, therapeutic interventions. For more information, please email wellbeingtogether@spacescot.org