Published: 06 October 2022
After a brief pause due to a high volume of applications, our Brighter Lives mental health grants programme is now open…
The Brighter Lives Grants Programme was launched in March 2022 to help churches and Christian charities to respond to the long-term impact of Covid-19 on people’s mental health, through greater training, resources and support. Following an incredible response to the programme, Brighter Lives was temporarily paused in August 2022.
Now, the programme is open again and churches and Christian charities are invited to apply here. The deadline for submissions is Friday 9th December at 12 noon.
In the meantime, take a look at some of the recent organisations to benefit from our third wave of Brighter Lives grants. Churches and charities received a total of £380,000 toward their inspiring mental health projects:
Alternatives Trust, East London
Alternatives is a counselling centre that has been providing a vital service in Newham since 1994. Most of its work provides mental health support to vulnerable families – women and their children who are typically homeless, have no access to public funds, and a background of abuse.
An £18,500 Brighter Lives grant will give Alternatives Trust the ability to increase its free counselling for vulnerable mothers; make counselling accessible to the Albanian community in Newham; and pilot a therapeutic group for children.
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Transforming Lives for Good, Bradford
Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) is a national charity supporting struggling children and families across the UK. TLG’s work is underpinned by a trauma-informed, therapeutic approach.
£30,000 from our Brighter Lives grants programme will help TLG to expand its therapeutic work by equipping churches with the training and resources they need to deliver mental health first aid in areas with high deprivation and poverty. The funding will also help TLG to increase the reach of its Early Intervention in schools across the UK, enabling more children to access therapeutic coaching.
The Big House, Londonderry
Research in Northern Ireland consistently shows that mental health issues are 25% higher than any other region in the UK. The team at The Big House (a charity and youth space in Londonderry) have seen an increase in the number of counselling enquiries, with many people in critical emotional need.
To address this need, and with the support of £16,300 Brighter Lives funding, The Big House will train and support more youth counsellors, and develop practical resources for use in primary schools – helping young people to build emotional resilience from an early age.
Bristol Diocese, Bristol
Bristol Diocese has a significant number of clergy who are physically, mentally and spiritually exhausted as a result of the pandemic. Working against huge challenges in increasingly disadvantaged communities has taken its toll on their wellbeing. As part of the new strategy, Bristol Diocese will create a new clergy wellbeing programme, to provide support, coaching and mentoring to struggling clergy.
£10,000 will help to kick-start the programme by supporting the diocese’ Clergy Wellbeing Conference this autumn.
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