Highland child mental health project in Inverness and Lochaber receives almost £100k to boost its work
Ground-breaking work to boost children’s mental health and wellbeing in Inverness has been awarded a near £100,000 windfall.
Delighted health bosses have hailed the “hugely significant” move to award £98,200 to the Highland Health Board Endowment Funds charity to assist in the work of the project in Inverness and Lochaber.
This funding, which will be topped up with £37,050 in match funding from the charity itself, will enable NHS Highland’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to lead efforts alongside other groups to try to reduce health inequalities through “nature-connected and creative activities” over the next two years.
It will see NHS Highland and community and voluntary organisations work together to provide support and try to address a gap in services that are traditionally focused on adults.
With that in mind, those behind the project said that young people’s voices “will be at the heart” of it - with up to 250 children and young people expected to be involved.
Dr Nick Barnes, psychiatrist with Highland CAMHS, said: “This is a hugely significant opportunity for children, young people and their families within Lochaber and Inverness.
“We are very aware of how hard it can be for some young people to access support, or even engage in what is available, and see this award as an opportunity to address this need.
“We are looking to build on the growing evidence that working and supporting young people in green, nature-based spaces and/or through creativity, can have a profound impact not only on the individual and their overall sense of wellbeing, but also the inequalities that compound children and young people’s mental health difficulties.
“Lochaber and Inverness have been chosen as we are looking to build on pilot projects that have been in development in these areas. One of the aims of the project will be to support the roll out of this approach across the whole of the Highlands, making this a sustainable offer for all children and young people.”
The launch of the project coincided with Children’s Mental Health Week whose theme, ‘Know Yourself, Grow Yourself’, is focussed on empowering children and young people to embrace self-awareness, something which advocates say is at the heart of this project.
Philip MacRae, chair of the Highland Health Board Charity Endowment Funds Committee added: “We’re thrilled to receive this funding from NHS Charities Together and to provide additional match funding from our own charity.
“This project will engage 250 young people and aims to establish a model of best practice for addressing mental health challenges and healthcare inequalities. Through collaboration with NHS Highland, schools, and community organisations, we are fostering innovation and co-production to create lasting, positive change”.
Jon Goodwin, head of grants at NHS Charities Together, added: “We’re delighted to award the Highland Health Board Endowment Funds charity £98,200 to support projects over the next three years.
“We know that sadly where someone is born can affect their long-term health, and this and other projects across the UK are aimed at tackling unfair health inequalities and giving every young person the support they need.”
