We are delighted to announce the 28 organisations that have been shortlisted through Round 2 of The Ideas Fund. These organisations will now be offered a grant of £3,000 to help them develop their ideas around mental wellbeing by working with researchers over the coming months.
Having received a total of 129 expressions of interest from community groups and existing partnerships this year, covering a huge variety of themes and ideas, our panels again had to make some really difficult decisions in choosing the seven to take forward in each area. The Fund criteria included looking to prioritise applications from groups who are often overlooked by this type of funding, focusing on innovative ideas around mental wellbeing, and looking to shortlist a diverse portfolio of ideas and themes. There were of course some great ideas that didn’t get shortlisted and we are looking into what other support we can offer those applicants.
A list of the shortlisted groups can be found below. They include Deepness Ltd, based in the Highlands & Islands, who aim to address the stigma and misunderstanding of dementia in rural communities and are interested in exploring its impact on individuals. In Hull, we will be working with Youth Aspire Connect, who support young people and are looking to develop strategies with them to help improve their mental wellbeing.
In Oldham, the expression of interest from Westwood and Coldhurst Women’s Association was shortlisted, working with women from the Bangladeshi community, and in North West Northern Ireland we will be working with ARC Fitness Addiction Recovery Coaching, who work with individuals struggling with substance misuse. Both are hoping that working with a researcher will help them increase their understanding of the needs of their communities.
With support from our Development Co-ordinators, each group will be able to take some time to explore different ideas and be introduced to researchers who might be a good fit, before submitting a more detailed project proposal later in the year. We look forward to making further announcements once the bigger grants have been awarded!
The shortlisted ideas are from:
Highlands and Islands
- Relationships Scotland - Counselling Highland
- Centred
- Deepness Ltd
- Garelochhead Station Trust
- Kyleakin Connections Ltd
- Individual Applicant - Linked to Inverness College
- Equal Adventure
Hull
- Prison Abolition and Transformative Justice Learning Group
- Youth Aspire Connect
- P.A.U.L For Brain Recovery
- ERNI (Emotions Are Not Illnesses)
- Sight Support Hull & East Yorkshire
- Open Source Healing Initiative (OSHI)
- Learning Disability Peer Advocacy Social Group
Oldham
- Tameside Oldham and Glossop Mind
- Westwood and Coldhurst Women's Association
- Air Athletics Cheer and Dance
- Men Behaving Dadly
- Inspiring Futures Partnership
- OAK Community Development
- Keeping Our Girls Safe
North West Northern Ireland
- Sion Mills Community Forum
- Informing Choice NI
- Pink Ladies Cancer Support Group
- ARC Fitness Addiction Recovery Centre
- Derg Valley Care
- In Your Space Circus
- Londonderry YMCA