Blackpool Council is supporting Blackpool’s Time to Change Hub who together aim to change the way people think and act about mental health in Blackpool.
Key to achieving this goal is to put people with personal experience of mental health conditions at the heart of its work. ‘Time to Change Champions’ are people who have lived or are living with poor mental health and are happy to talk or share their experiences.
The Time to Change Champions Fund has been specifically launched to make awards of between £100-£500 to deliver social contact activities to contribute towards ending mental health stigma and discrimination in Blackpool. Anyone who is happy to talk about or share their experience can apply.
Existing Time to Change Champions and those happy to register as a Champion will be at the forefront of delivering activities throughout Blackpool. Organisations can apply on behalf of individuals, but activity must be Champion led.
Projects can be anything that will involve ‘social contact’, from a coffee morning or a craft session, to a drama performance or sports activity. It could even be creating videos or blogging online.
The launch of the fund follows Blackpool Council’s allocation of £25,000 of funding for twelve months to create a ‘Time to Change Hub’ which involves organisations, workplaces and schools who can network and work together to deliver initiatives that will help end mental health discrimination in their communities.
The deadline for winter applications for proposed events and activities to be delivered in February 2018 is 11 December at 5pm. There will be another application round in the New Year for May and June 2018.
Cllr Amy Cross, Cabinet Member Responsible for Public Health, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this work in Blackpool. This fund will help deliver projects that can improve people’s understanding and behaviour towards mental health. Evidence shows that the best way to change behaviour is to humanise the impact of mental health stigma face to face.
“Time to Change Champions can make a real difference to the health and the wellbeing of our town’s population. We would love to see applications from a wide range of people who live, work or study in Blackpool and listen to what project and activity ideas they would like to undertake.”
Jane Grantham, Blackpool’s Time to Change Hub Coordinator commented: “It’s an exciting opportunity to be part of the national Time to Change social movement and as a local Champion you will be invited to take part in face-to-face and online training which is designed to improve your knowledge and confidence and help you make a difference to people’s understanding of mental health in your community.
“Conversations can make a big difference to people’s understanding of mental health. If you are happy to talk about your experiences in conversation with others, we would love to hear from you. The focus of your activity or event does not have to be mental health, it can simply be a topic of conversation to bring up during the activity. If you are unsure of what activity you could do please get in touch and we can help you with ideas. We look forward to hearing from you.”
Fund applicants must:
· Be over 16 years of age (though activities can involve under 16s)
· Be registered as a Time to Change Champion (or willing to do so)
· Have and be willing to share experience of mental health problems
· Live, work, study or volunteer in Blackpool
· Organisations can apply on behalf of individuals, but activity must be led by Champions
For full details visit www.lancashiremind.org.uk/time-to-change or contact [email protected] 07964058028
Find the Hub on Facebook by searching for @BlackpoolTTCHub
