We are delighted to be chosen as the recipients of four new grant awards which will all be used towards our new 'Never Mind The Stigma' programme launching in 2023. Our programme will be piloted in Portsmouth with males across the City.
The 'Never Mind The Stigma' programme will provide Peer Support Groups, Mental Health & Suicide Training and Wellbeing Skills Workshops to support and empower individuals to create a mutually supportive community network. The project aims are to increase awareness of suicide within the local community. It will provide free easy access to vital information with the aim of reducing stigma; encourage open conversations about suicide; provide support for those experiencing suicidal thoughts as well as those around them; equip those involved with the knowledge and confidence to support others. We hope this new programme will provide opportunities for people to approach others with concerns they may have. This could quite literally save lives as research indicates the majority of suicides are preventable through the supportive interventions of others.
Our Peer Support Groups will provide safe spaces for men to discuss with other males within the community the issues affecting them. This is vital as one of the factors that contribute to suicide risk in males is the difficulty to open up about difficult feelings or admitting they are struggling to cope. Our approach can help to give the males in our community a voice, and encourage them to speak up and seek help if they need too.
Our project is based on a community-based approach towards suicide prevention, and individuals will have the option to train as Mental Health and Suicide First Aiders. Having an increased number of first aiders in our city allows us to make our wider community safer. They will be equipped with the knowledge to spot signs of someone in a crisis and would have gained the knowledge and confidence to intervene appropriately.
Enormous thanks to:
The National Lottery - Awards for All
HIWCF - Portsmouth City Community Fund
HIWCF - GVC Holdings
Portsmouth City Council - Community Inclusion Fund
Please email us at: teamtonic@tonicmusic.co.uk for more information or keep an eye on our website and socials for more updates in the New Year.
