Nine projects from across Greater Glasgow and Clyde have received a total funding of £45,000 to tackle the stigma associated with mental ill-health in their communities.
The projects – which included work with Greenock Morton football club, groups supporting disabled people and a film project led by young people – are helping to tackle preconceived ideas about mental health, as well as discrimination.
Grants of up to £5,000 were made available for each project and managed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Healthy Minds Network. The Fund was delivered in partnership with See Me, Scotland’s programme to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination.
Heather Sloan, Health Improvement Lead (Mental Health) at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “While there’s been a lot of progress, there is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental ill-health. This can come from a lack of awareness and understanding of what mental health is. That’s why we developed this anti-stigma programme of work to try and address these issues – no-one should feel ashamed or stigmatised because of poor mental health.
“We are proud to have been running this programme for over a decade now. We have had tremendous examples where local groups and organisations within communities across Greater Glasgow and Clyde have come up with innovative and fun approaches to addressing the issue. Together, we’re working to end the stigma around mental health once and for all.”
Projects that were funded this year focused on addressing mental health stigma amongst children and young people, disabled people, and ethnic minority communities. The projects adopted a range of approaches to tackle stigma, including through various creative art techniques, training and capacity building, and conducting research.
Greenock Morton Community Trust was funded to tackle unspoken stigma both on and off the pitch. They provided mental health training for front-line staff and local clubs and developed an online wellbeing toolkit for staff, adults, parents, carers, and children and young people.
The Glasgow Disability Alliance used its funding to conduct a “Disabled People’s Mental Health Matters” research project, which was co-designed with disabled people. The findings have been included in a report that highlights their specific issues regarding mental health and barriers to accessing mental health support services.
Create Paisley engaged with 12 young people to work with a professional artist to create a mural that explores and challenges mental health stigma. Also in Renfrewshire, Youth Interventions worked with a group of 17 young people and a videographer to create a video that describes the young people’s real experiences of mental health stigma and discrimination.
According to research from See Me, more than two-thirds (71%) of people with mental health problems in Scotland have experienced stigma and discrimination. The impact of mental health stigma and discrimination can be wide-ranging, including making someone’s mental health problems worse and stopping them from getting support.
See Me Director Wendy Halliday said: “Working with the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Healthy Minds Network has really showcased the power of community when it comes to eradicating stigma. I’m truly inspired by the passion and creativity we have seen through all nine Anti-Stigma Fund projects, and I am sure that these groups and their incredible work will have a lasting impact on local people. Stigma and discrimination continue to be the biggest barriers people face when it comes to reaching out and asking for help with their mental health – and we can all play a part in putting an end to that as a part of the wider See Us movement.”
Funded organisations include Creative Steps, the Glasgow Disability Alliance, Hwupenyu Project, Move On, PEEK Project, CREATE Paisley, Greenock Morton, Teapot Trust, and Youth Interventions.
The 2022-2023 Anti-stigma Fund will be opening for applications in September 2022. For more information about the Fund, please visit the Mental Health Improvement Team’s website: