VCS Committee – 14 th November ‘13 “Working together to address mental health and poverty related issues” A presentation by Islington Mental Health & Poverty Networking Forum and Islington Faiths Forum

Background In March 2011, IFF Committee Members were reporting an increasing incidence of people with mental health & poverty issues coming to their faith sites – some resulting in violence (the people were desperate). We reflected on how we could best respond and decided that it was best to offer training to staff and volunteers at these community sites to assist them with handling these types of scenarios. So Mental Health First Aid Training and separate workshops on poverty related issues. We submitted this proposal to the Health & Belief Programme 2011 with a request for funds. Successful.

Work in 2011 We moved quickly and started the training in October Take-up for both sets of training was strong. We exceeded outputs and outcomes. The interest in this area of work (mental health & poverty) was immense. When we finished the training we held talks in May and a meeting in June 2012 to gauge the appetite for further partnership working. We had a huge response.

2012 We wrote a bid to the Health & Belief Programme 2012 to support a networking forum re: mental health & poverty. As we were already a recipient (within a year) they could not grant us any funding. However, London Catalyst (one of H&B funders) expressed an interest in our proposal and after due diligence, they gave us a special interest grant. With this grant, the IFF sought to match fund and brought in further funds to support the work.

Islington Mental Health & Poverty Networking Forum Set-up in September 2012

The Islington Mental Health & Poverty Networking Forum was set up in September 2012 in response to growing demand for support from faith and community organisations to help residents with needs around mental health and poverty in the Borough. The Forum now has 30 partner organisations from across the third and statutory sectors who all work together to see what can be done to address existing and emerging needs. The interest in this work continues to grow.

Aims & Objectives of the new Forum To raise the profile of mental health & poverty issues across the Borough and to provide representation for the members of the Network to statutory bodies, government departments and other agencies where considered necessary and possible. To support all organisations in Islington with regards to mental health and poverty issues. To circulate and share information widely across all sectors in order to support the community affected by these issues. To explore and facilitate partnership working and promote sign- posting between member & external organisations, in order to assist organisations in responding to the growing needs around mental health and poverty.

Partners –CARIS Islington – FBO covering homelessness + mental health issues –Cranstoun / ICAS – Islington Community Alcohol Service –Cripplegate Foundation – a long standing, experienced charity in both areas –Direct Action Project - mental health project part of Peel Institute - a charity –Disability Action in Islington – an experienced charity covering both issues –Evelyn Oldfield Unit – covering both issues to support refugee community organisations –Friends of Isledon Road - at the Mental Health Resource Centre –Help on Your Doorstep – a charity covering both issues across Islington –Hillside Clubhouse – a charity supporting those with mental health issues –Holloway Neighbourhood Group (The Stress Project) –iBUG – service user-led organisation looking at mental health services –iCope - a more specialist NHS service around mental health –Islington Citizens Advice Bureau - an all round relevant support agency –Islington Faiths Forum – covering both issues and network lead –Islington Law Centre - covering both poverty and mental health issues

Partners –Islington Mental Health Forum – user-led mental health forum –Islington MIND – they deliver a range of front line mental health services –Islington People’s Rights - covering both poverty and mental health issues –Islington Public Health – (Islington Council) –Islington Voluntary Sector Health Network – they cover both areas of work –Jobcentre Plus – Finsbury Park –Manor Gardens Health Advocacy Project – working in both areas –Mental Wellbeing Champions Project, Manor Gardens Welfare Trust – mental health. –Mind Yourself – support for the Irish Community re: mental health. –Refugee Therapy Centre – working in both areas –Rethink Mental Illness – a national mental health charity –Safer Islington Partnership, Islington Council – (where mental health & poverty impact community safety) –SHP – working in both areas including complex needs. –St.Mungo’s – a national mental health charity also dealing with poverty issues. –The Stuart Low Trust - a mental health promotion charity (activities).

What do we do? Lobby Central Government – Lord Freud - DWP re: our concerns about vulnerable adults with Welfare Reform – personal budgeting & payment exception arrangements. Work with Local Government – for example re: Archway Bridge (suicide hotspot – safety barriers). Work with local mental health services to explore care in the community and to support referrals. Work with local services on poverty related issues – mostly on Welfare Reform currently.

What do we do? Channel feedback from our community partners to relevant people and organisations (re: concerns). We listen to service users and hear what their experiences are like. Very important. We meet circa every 8 weeks. Deliver events like the Best Practice & Networking Conference. Suicide Prevention Workshop. Link our partners up with other service providers. We circulate relevant information to service providers and other interested parties. We make representation where necessary and possible.

What Next? The Way Forward Following the success of the Best Practice & Networking Conference on 20 th March 2013, we will be delivering another Conference on 26 th March We are working to link more services up, statutory and third sector organisations and to grow support for those with mental health & poverty related issues. The possibilities are endless …………

The Way Forward We believe that everyone has a part to play in addressing the stigma around mental ill health. ‘How are you today?’ is not a question just about physical health. Poverty related issues need to be discussed openly too. A collective response is powerful. Islington Public Health, Islington Council and our Community Partners have been very supportive of our work.

Any Questions? Contact: IFF Development Director – Roz Miller Tel: Mob: