Funding for first Home-Start Cambridgeshire projects helps volunteers become mental health ‘first aiders’
Funding for first Home-Start Cambridgeshire projects helps volunteers become mental health ‘first aiders’
As a charity working with local families, Home-Start Cambridgeshire relies on its dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers to deliver much of its service. The commitment of trained volunteers – working closely with its very small team of employees – is vital to its success, so Home-Start provides training and support for this role which can be emotionally draining.
“We’re involved with families with complex needs that need sensitive support. Mental health problems, including the effects of alcohol and drug abuse, are very common to the families we work with. It became clear that both our volunteers and our staff needed more knowledge, skills and expertise in mental health ‘first aid’. In 2014, we piloted a course to bridge this gap and it was so successful that we decided to roll it out to everyone working for us across the county. The Evelyn Trust generously agreed to fund several two-day Mental Health First Aid courses for staff and volunteers which have been delivered at locations in Wisbech, March and Cambridge. These sessions have given everyone a chance to be trained,” explains Heng Khoo, Scheme Manager at Home-Start Cambridgeshire.
The Mental Health First Aid courses are delivered by MIND in Cambridgeshire and focus on being alert to the signs of mental health problems, preventing deterioration, helping recovery, signposting and building confidence in helping individuals and families. The volunteers and staff were also trained in ways to help reduce the stigma of mental health problems.
The courses evaluated very well and 100% of attendees reported an increase in knowledge and understanding, plus improved confidence in supporting people with poor mental health. 93% of attendees said they would be ‘extremely likely’ to recommend the course to other people.
This is the first Home-Start Cambridgeshire project that the Evelyn Trust has funded. The Trust recognises that Home-Start provides invaluable support in the home for the most vulnerable families in our communities. Home-Start helps families in Cambridgeshire by providing a volunteer to visit them regularly for friendship and support. Home-Start support helps in many ways to improve the emotional health and well-being of children and parents, with a focus on reducing isolation, improving the home environment and increasing access to a wide range of health, education and community services.