"We will encourage peer support and community connections which we hope will allow participants to bond and make friendships"
Greenock Morton Community Trust is one of 20 Inverclyde organisations awarded money as part of the Scottish Government’s Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing fund, administered in Inverclyde by CVS Inverclyde .
We caught up with Chief Executive Brian McLaughlin about how this funding will help the charity.
How important is this funding for your work?
This funding is crucial for us as we expand our support to Inverclyde. We have been extremely proactive to responding to the needs of Inverclyde residents and this will allow us to engage more people and provide vital support. This funding has allowed to deliver an idea we have been developing for a while and we see this as being a positive addition to our project delivery.
Can you tell us briefly what you will use the funding for?
This funding will be used to offer a safe space for people to attend and participate in a walk with other like-minded people. We will encourage peer support and community connections which we hope will allow participants to bond and make friendships to take forward out with the group. In addition we will also provide a hot breakfast for those in attendance.
What impact do you think the fund will make for your work and the wider community?
This will allow us to engage more of our community and provide vital services and a place for people to feel included and supported. In addition to the above we will also encourage more community connections and create positive relationships for people to feel included and part of their community.
In your opinion, how has the pandemic impacted our mental health and the support services helping people.
It has shown that we are willing to adapt and help our community. The pandemic has had many negative impacts on our community but what has shown is the real togetherness in Inverclyde when times are tough we are all prepared to do our bit and help our residents through a variety of projects / schemes such as digital inclusion, meal delivery and mental health support.
In your opinion, how important is the third sector in supporting mental health in our communities?
The third sector in Inverclyde has really shown the importance of support for mental health in our communities especially in the past 2 years during the pandemic. The third sector has the unique ability to engage many people from different backgrounds which supports many vulnerable people who are facing many challenges on a day to day basis.
Discover more about their incredible work on their website here.
Author:
Chris Park
Publish Date:
Apr 25, 2022