Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults: evaluation

Appendix 1: Descriptions of named projects

Project name: Dalry Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Project

TSI area: Dumfries & Galloway

Project activity: The first phase of the project involved identification of the key priority areas affecting the town's inhabitants with potential solutions, while the second phase focused on implementing projects informed by this research for the best return on investment. They also trained volunteers in mental health awareness/first aid to help build a resilient community.

Project name: Dunrossness Community Hall

TSI area: Shetland

Project activity: The project provided a safe space for women experiencing the menopause to come together to support each other and access therapeutic services. A space where everyone felt very comfortable discussing any aspect of the symptoms they were experiencing. A space where they did not feel judged or silly, that was uplifting, fun and lighthearted. A space that was eye opening, supportive, knowledgeable and confidence building.

Project name: The Women's Group

TSI area: East Dunbartonshire

Project activity: The group sought funding to continue their virtual art and mental wellbeing projects but also asked for additional funding to look at re-connector social days. Focused on isolation of Women. Over a five-year period the group has grown to include over 20 local women, who have a diagnosed autistic spectrum condition and/or a learning disability, supported by one volunteer.

Project name: Menstrie Senior Citizen's Lunch Club

TSI area: Clackmannanshire

Project activity: The wellbeing and health of the senior citizens in the local community was badly affected by Covid. They used funds to reinstate the Lunch Club, which gave senior citizens the opportunity to reconnect with others in the community while also improving their physical and mental wellbeing.

Project name: Low Income Families Together (LIFT)

TSI area: City of Edinburgh

Project activity: The project funded a family group worker post to facilitate women's group sessions, and the costs of room hire, refreshments and resources for the groups

Project name: The Bridge Community Project

TSI area: West Lothian

Project activity: They developed a monthly "emotional life jacket" course that promoted positive mental wellbeing and prevented deteriorating mental health. The in-person course provided an opportunity for reducing social isolation by re-engaging with the local community and will detail a variety of different strategies for the promotion of emotional wellness. Participants were provided with packs which included items that could be used to further their emotional wellbeing, ensuring that everyone who attended the course, regardless of socio-economic background, age, gender and ethnicity was able to continue their wellbeing journey at home. The course included a variety of activities and promoted physical activity, and mindfulness and signposted participants to other local services as appropriate.

Project name: A Positive Start CIC

TSI area: Scottish Borders

Project activity: Self Discovery for Recovery received funding to recruit & train 2 new lived experienced practitioners who supported the delivery of Emotional First Aid Toolkits to both individuals seeking support and groups of people to include staff of local businesses.

The service aimed to reduce health & social care inequalities in relation to mental health support and advice by being accessible to more people.

Project name: The Community Renewal Trust

TSI area: City of Edinburgh

Project activity: Established new peer coaches groups of 6-8 local parents in Muirhouse and Pilton

• Trained them in peer coaching methodology
• To enable them to provide informal/formal coaching to 8-24 other parents in their community

Project name: Hope Garden SCIO

TSI area: Angus

Project activity: Funding requested for costs of a new wellbeing support worker post, to deliver a year-long gardening for mental health and wellbeing project, focussing on supported social interaction and the benefits of group working on mental health, including but not limited to tackling loneliness and isolation, and improving confidence, empowering adults with learning difficulties and physical disabilities, and volunteers.

Project name: Balmaclellan Community Trust

TSI area: Dumfries & Galloway

Project activity: The project delivered a monthly afternoon club, which they hoped to expand to twice a month, with a focus on games and refreshments, chat and passing on information about support and activities in the local area. They provided a fun, informal and safe environment and provided a place for people to reconnect with each other and to revitalise communities and neighbourhoods in the local area.

Project name: West Calder and Harburn Community Development Trust

TSI area: West Lothian

Project activity: The funds were used for a Community Wellbeing and Social prescribing Project (Good Connections) covering the West Calder, Polbeth, Harburn and Addiewell, Briech and some of SW Livingston area (West Calder Medical Practice catchment). Good Connections a) supported people who are excluded to find and access activities and services that are good for mental health and wellbeing using a social prescription model and b) set up new (or expanded the capacity of existing) wellbeing activities locally to fill identified gaps in provision.

They also employed a Community Link Worker (30 hrs p/wk) for one year initially so that they could publicise, deliver and continue to develop this effective and evidence-based local social prescribing support service offering one-to-one support.

Activities included an art therapy group in partnership with Wellbeing Scotland and a senior Art Therapist (three eight-week blocks); a health walking group; a monthly Woodland Wellbeing eco-therapy sessions (crafts and outdoor activities); Reach Out Talk Out peer support sessions and they expanded provision of Green Gym activity groups at the Community Garden.

Project name: Greener Peebles

TSI area: Scottish Borders

Project activity: The project provided weekly activities which emulated the NHS 5 Ways to be Well – e.g. being outdoors, healthy lifestyle habits, connecting with others, sense of purpose and community connection

Project activities included the provision of a range of activities to support improving mental health including befriending, wellbeing, improved connection to nature, seasonal food, connection to present moment, inter-generational activity, peer support, confidence building, and practical skill development. The project supported disengaged high school/youth groups (over 16-23); adults with additional needs, mobility issues, health conditions (physical and mental), disadvantage due to financial insecurity, health, risk of/lived experience with mental health and retired people.

Project name: Stoneyburn and Bents Future Vision Group

TSI area: West Lothian

Project activity: They were funded to deliver a Young at Heart programme of events for the elderly within the community, including Easter Tea Party, Movie Screenings, Live Music, Arts and Craft Sessions, Armchair Aerobics, Healthy Cooking and sharing stories sessions. Food and light refreshments were provided.

Project name: Deaf Links

TSI area: Angus

Project activity: Funding requested for staffing and external provider costs of providing advocacy, workshops and training courses addressing and improving mental health and wellbeing for Deaf and sensory impaired people in Angus.

Project name: Caledonia Funeral Aid

TSI area: City of Edinburgh

Project activity: Provided a trained coach and funeral support worker one day per week for 6 months during the covid recovery period to support bereaved Edinburgh residents.

Project name: Horizons Recovery Cafe

TSI area: Midlothian

Project activity: Costs for weekly CAB provision at Horizons café in Dalkeith, plus purchase of a vehicle to enable food collection/delivery and development of other social enterprise activities.

Project name: Independent Living Support

TSI area: Dumfries & Galloway

Project activity: The project operated an open referral service providing a blend of outreach, one to support and monthly peer support activities. The core aims were to support people to live independently and healthily and address the inequalities and barriers they face.

Project name: Neil's Hugs

TSI area: West Lothian

Project activity: Suicide Prevention in the community – they worked with people in the community to reduce stigma around losing a loved one to suicide, reduce stigma around mental ill health and work together with the community on reducing suicide rates. They ran social media campaigns, trained volunteers in First Aid for Mental Health to volunteers and worked with schools to provide training to students in S4 to give peer support for 2 years and in the community for life.

Project name: The Borders Carers Centre

TSI area: Scottish Borders

Project activity: The funds enabled expansion of their 'Me First' project - a free counselling service for carers caring for someone living with dementia - to include all carers in need of support to improve and maintain their mental health and well-being, and to rebuild resilience to cope with on-going challenges and demands of the caring role.

Project name: Burnfoot Community Futures

TSI area: Scottish Borders

Project activity: We aim to develop and deliver a comprehensive and holistic programme of activities aimed at supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the Burnfoot community.

We're planning to use the physical site at Burnfoot Community Hub as a venue for volunteering, personal development, combating isolation and encouraging a range of client groups to see the Hub as belonging to them and being a resource and a source of inspiration.

Project name: Eolas Outdoor Learning

TSI area: South Lanarkshire

Project activity: This project was a Forest Skills initiative targeting individuals and communities who had been adversely affected by the pandemic. The format consisted of outdoor sessions taking place in various greenspaces and consist of activities designed to: connect them socially, connect with nature and harness the therapeutic benefits of being outdoors, teach them new practical skills including: traditional woodland tool techniques, Photography, Nature Exploration, Advanced shelter building and fire management, Environmental Art.

Project name: Maggie's

TSI area: Highland

Project activity: The centre requested funds to support their clinical psychologist to support the one-to-one work for people affected by a cancer diagnosis. This included supporting people who are bereaved by cancer.

Project name: TLC Befriending Project

TSI area: Aberdeen

Project activity: Their service matched volunteer befrienders with individuals referred to them via the Primary Links Practitioners, based in doctors' surgeries across Aberdeen. The service aimed to act as an early intervention to alleviate the feelings of loneliness and isolation, which adversely affected an people's mental health and wellbeing, by supporting and building individuals' community connectedness and personal resilience, all of which improved individual life outcomes

Project name: Saheliya

TSI area: City of Edinburgh

Project activity: Delivered a range of well-being and relaxation sessions for women experiencing racial inequality and those with lived experience of gendered abuse. The sessions were delivered in first languages, and provided childcare alongside.

Project name: Argyll & the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust

TSI area: Argyll & Bute

Project activity: Argyll & the Isles Coast & Countryside Trust worked with other local organisations and services to provide safe, social opportunities for people to reconnect with nature and each other and focus on creative activities that help aid recovery by providing self-management skills and peer support.