Programmes

Over the last 3 years ( 2020-2022 ) Living Well successfully ran a range of programmes in and around Birmingham. These programmes strengthened the communities and improved the mental health of many service users.

Please have a look at some of these programmes, their funders, and their goals in the list below.

2022

• Living Well - Birmingham Pride
  In September 2022, Living Well Consortium had a presence in the Charity and Community area at Birmingham Pride. Whilst Pride is all about fun, brightness and going big – this environment can be overwhelming for some, so we created a chilled out area with bean bags, wellbeing books and bracelet making materials. Visitors were invited to make a bracelet, using varied coloured and shaped beads, which they felt represented their feelings over the past 12 months, and one that represented how they want to feel for the future 12 months. This simple and therapeutic craft opened up a space for people to talk to LWC staff about their mental health and the challenges that the LGBTQIA+ community face – and to hear about the support that is available to them through LWC. It was a beautiful weekend of meaningful dialogue and creativity and we look forward to going back!
• Bring it on Brum HAF /Street Games
  Provision to school-aged children who are eligible for Free School Meals of Physical and Creative Activities to support mental health for families across the city.
• Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust Nonclinical support to young people aged 11-16. This programme is currently renewed.
• Good Things Foundation + National Data Bank
  Securement of preloaded sim cards with data to those financially struggling to access the internet + participants on “Digital Skills Pathway”.
• Good Things Foundation –“Digital Skills Pathway”
  Support of vulnerable/disadvantaged services users to be able to access digital provision with 1-1- support sessions over an 8-week program. 

2021

• Living Well - Solihull Food Festival
  In September 2021, Solihull BID invited LWC to attend their buzzing annual Food Festival to offer a chill out zone for visitors to take a quiet moment in. We created an elegant ‘living room’ tent with comfortable armchairs, beanbags, books, children’s crafts and a bespoke chill out Spotify playlist QR code. This gave visitors, and LWC staff, an opportunity to take a moment to pause and reflect, and engage in dialogue around mental health and the support that is available to local Solihull people at LWC. Throughout the weekend we had drop in activities from some LWC Members including free tasters of healthy food and drink from Communities Engage Thrive and the very popular Smoothie Bike from Impact 4 Life.
• Kickstart (UK Government)
  Offer of a 6months job to a young person aged 16-24 on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Click here to get to our Kickstarter site.
• Bring it on Brum HAF/Street Games
  A service offered to school-aged children who are eligible for Free School Meals of Creative activities (music, dance, drama, art, writing for wellbeing, drumming) and Mindfulness, meditation, and the 3Bs of well-being to support good sleep habits across the city as well as the provision of healthy meals.
• Think Active
  Provision of physical and mental health activities specifically in North Solihull for families and young people.
• Birmingham City Council
  Delivery of well-being sessions to the finance and governance team during the Council's planned work wellbeing week.
• CCG/Winter Pressures
  Provision of support to families living in temporary accommodation with a series of activities (sports, mindfulness, wellbeing, creative arts, nutrition) and access to mental health therapies
• FitCap
  Provision of running, walking, football coaching, MHFA & F.A qualifications & access to well-being PWPs and recovery coaches.
• Good Things Foundation-“Census Support Service”
  Supporting Good Things Foundation to ensure people who are digitally and socially excluded have the support they need to complete their census in the very first “digital first” being exercised in England and Wales.
• National Lottery + WMCA –“Stand Out”
  Program aimed at providing unique training, volunteering, and employment opportunities to disadvantaged young people across the West Midlands. This programme is still in delivery.
• Dosthill “Open Water Swimming”
  Delivery of open water swimming session at Dosthill Quarry from Sollihul Rural PCN’s for all ages. Over a period of 6 weeks this programme was offered to people struggling with the mental health impacts of Covid 19. Please click here to see our blog post about this programme.

2020

• Living Well - Wellbeing Pop-Up
  In February 2020 – LWC opened a Wellbeing Pop Up in the Great Western Arcade. This was a weeklong pop up of wellbeing focussed events such as a yoga, mindfulness, bitesize CBT, nutrition workshops and fitness sessions. All activities were timed either before working hours, over lunch, or after working hours in order to allow local workers to attend. Our objective was to provide free wellbeing activity and raise mental health awareness to the local corporate organisations and their workforces.
• Heart of England Covid Resilience Fund
  Delivery of Trauma Counselling for 11–13-year-olds (Running dedicated freephone services to provide mental health support services to individuals in Birmingham and Solihull, supporting them in their emotional and psychological problems arising out of the COVID-19 situation).
• National Lottery
  Support in developing online therapy services to change how service users are supported to access therapies.
• BBC Children in Need Covid 19 Next Steps + Edgbaston Locality
  Provision of a range of Mental Health Therapy services to young people aged 11 to 18 supporting them through a critical stage of their development. This was delivered to young people in a variety of group-based physical activity sessions and mindfulness well-being activities within communities, through peer-to-peer support for their physical and personal development, as well as gaining support from mentors and counsellors as well as one-to-one counselling working towards reducing the stigma associated with mental health.