Over £25,000 awarded to Dundee groups to improve wellbeing

Over £25,000 awarded to Dundee groups to improve wellbeing with more ideas welcomed

From karate classes to debt advice the third sector in Dundee has stepped up to support and develop community wellbeing in Dundee. The intended outcome of the Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund is to develop a culture of mental wellbeing and prevention within local communities and across Scotland with improved awareness of how we can all stay well and help ourselves and others.

In Dundee the fund will be distributed by the cities Third Sector Interfaces (TSI) DundeeTSI to community groups and organisations. Dundee TSI is a partnership between Dundee Social Enterprise Network and Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action.

With an initial round one deadline of 10th December past, projects and activities are already underway, the next deadline on 17th January welcomes more groups and organisations to apply. There is a total of just over £400,00 to be distributed.

Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action Chief Executive Officer, Eric Knox said ‘I think this is a really positive development, the idea is this funding goes straight out into communities, out to the people who need it most.’

To apply please visit: https://dvva.scot/news/communities-mental-health-and-wellbeing-fund/

There is online guidance with frequently asked questions from groups and organisations who have been in touch so far but you can also contact funding@dvva.scot for support or advice on applying.

Editors Notes

The new Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund has been established with £15 million allocated to support mental health and wellbeing in communities across Scotland. 

This new fund is being delivered and managed by Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) in partnership with local integrated health authorities and other partners including Community Planning Partnerships and local authority mental health leads. 

The fund aims to support adult community-based initiatives to help address the impact of distress and mental ill health caused by social isolation and loneliness, as well as addressing the mental health inequalities exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

TSIs across Scotland are now rolling out their respective funds, with third sector organisations (TSOs) now able to apply to access the funding via their local Third Sector Interface (TSI). 

Each TSI will be publishing details of their own eligibility criteria and the application process on their own respective channels. Outlined in this document are suggested messages that can be shared to promote the fund. 

A dedicated webpage has been set up on the TSI Scotland Network website with a list of information on the fund by area, if you haven’t already done so, please submit information regarding the fund in your area for it to be included on the site. 

Read more about the funding announcement from Scottish Government and TSI Scotland Network.