The Pilgrim Trust has awarded £980,239 to 11 charities from its Young Women’s Mental Health programme across the North East and North West of England.
The Pilgrim Trust is an independent charitable trust that supports the urgent and future needs of the UK. It has committed £5 million in funding over five years (2021-2026) to help improve the mental health of young women (16-25) across the UK. Their three-year grants of up to £90,000 go to organisations that increase young women’s access to high quality, age and gender specific mental health services. All grantees join a facilitated cohort to learn and share models of good practice. The evaluation of the programme is supported by the Centre for Mental Health.
The fund is unique in addressing the specific, intersectional needs of young women – considering young women are especially vulnerable to mental health problems (over 25% of young women experience mental health problems) and those aged 16 to 25 experience many life challenges, including the transition from children to adult mental health services.
The successful 11 organisations include youth charities, women’s centres, art and creative charities, refugee charities and mental health charities. All are committed to serving the needs of the young women in their area through tailored, high-quality support, which is co-designed with the young women they work with.
Several grants will extend or build upon current services, enabling grantees to increase their support for young women; for example, employing specific members of staff or deploying more resources to better engage with young women. Another set of grantees are building new programmes to better meet the needs of the young women they work with – often a combination of counselling and well-being activities like yoga, group support and art.
Grantees are embedded within their communities, meaning they can offer culturally and community sensitive mental health provision. North East grant recipients include VONNE Membership+ Gold members, Middlesbrough & Stockton Mind and NE Youth, Silver members, Young Women’s Outreach Project and Bronze members, Youth Focus North East.
Pilgrim Trust Director, Sue Bowers, shares: “Whilst pressures on young women's mental health increase, recognition of the specific needs of young women continues to be over-looked, and therefore the Pilgrim Trust is pleased to support these charities with their work providing age and gender specific high quality mental health services.”
Jon Niblo, CEO of new grantee NE Youth commented: "NE Youth were delighted to learn the news that our application for our collaborative programme with New Beginnings North was successful and we are really excited about working with the young women and supporting them to overcome the barriers they face."
Similarly, Kevin Bradburne, Youth Fed’s Director of Operations said “More young women in Cheshire, between the ages of 16 to 24, will now have direct access to a female therapist who will be able to support them to explore their feelings, work through life challenges, and identify coping strategies.
Funding for this programme also enables young women to become empowered through accessing peer support sessions and helping each other to put protective factors in place, which will help them to
maintain good mental health in the future, whilst building lasting support networks”.
Around £3 million is awarded in grants each year to charities and other public bodies that focus on preserving the UK’s heritage or bringing about social change.
If you are interested in the Young Women’s Mental Health programme, visit the Pilgrim Trust website for more information.
Full details of successful grantees projects and charities can be found below.
New Beginnings North supports neurodiverse young women with their mental health through a co-produced, bespoke programme of activities. Its Healing Hearts & Minds programme is delivered in partnership with youth development charity, NE Youth, in North East England. The programme involves intensive mentoring and support by a Youth Worker trained in neurodiversity. (North East, £89,258)
The Birchall Trust provides specialist counselling support to people whose lives have been affected by sexual abuse and rape. By employing a new member of staff, they will run Empowered to achieve, a new young women’s wellbeing service which will offer psychoeducation, peer support groups and practical support. (North East, £89,936.15)
ARCH Teesside (ARCH) is working with partners Youth Focus North East and Middlesborough and Stockton Mind in Teesside. By employing a new member of staff, they will run Hope for the Future, a new programme to co-produce services and activities with young women for young women. (North East, £90,000)
Youth Federation is a charity that empowers, engages and enriches the lives of young people. By employing a new female member of staff, they will improve the mental health provision for young women through therapy, group support and awareness sessions. (North East, £90,000)
The Young Women’s Outreach Project supports the mental health of young women and mothers aged 11 to 19 with group work, one-to-one and specialist services. Their project, Wellbeing Warriors, helps young women get the support they need to improve the quality of their lives. (North East, £86,416)
EVA Women’s Aid provides support services to victims of domestic abuse and/or sexual violence. They will continue The Butterflies Project, which supports young women survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence with counselling, programme work and tailored support. (North East, £90,000)