Transforming Mental Health Grants 2023

The Transforming Mental Health Grants programme is a partnership between Leeds Community Foundation, Forum Central  and the NHS Integrated Care Board in Leeds. The programme will test the impact that grant funding to Community Organisations can have in supporting the transformation of services for people with complex mental health needs.   

People with lived experience of complex mental health needs have told us that support within their communities is key to the ongoing management of their mental health. The intention is to move from a system that focuses on providing a diagnosis, to one that focuses on understanding what matters to people and working with them to identify interventions and activities to support their mental and physical health. 

Transforming Mental Health Grants invested over £110,000 in 8 Community Organisations in spring 2023. 

The organisations that were awarded funding are: 

• • • • Black Health Initiative 
      • Humans Being 
      • Leeds Mindfulness Cooperative CIC 
      • Mafwa Theatre 

• • • • Oblong 
      • Shore-Up CIC 
      • The Conservation Volunteers 
      • Trust Leeds 

The funded activities include: 

• • • • Courses of creativity, recovery and connection for women with complex mental health needs, which include peer-led mental wellbeing workshops and arts & craft sessions. 
      • Occupational therapy groups that provide space, structures and support to enable people to get a clearer idea of how their current roles, routines and habits (occupation) are impacting on their health and wellbeing, and how their health and wellbeing are impacting on their occupation. 
      • Mindfulness for stress courses for students with complex mental health needs, with session providing time for participants time to process and ask questions as well as share from their own experiences. 

The funded activity is ongoing until spring 2024, and we look forward to sharing the impact of the funding when activity is complete. 

For more information on grants awarded, visit the What We’ve Funded page.