We’ve just completed the second week of our Future Fund crowdfunder. With 6 weeks to go we’ve hit the £2000 mark and we’re aiming to try and clear our first milestone of £5,000 by the start of next week.
Expanding Our Reach
One of the key aims of The Future Fund is to help Space to Breathe reach more people who need support but who currently face barriers to accessing it.
Over the last ten years, we have worked with people from many different backgrounds and communities. We have been very aware of the challenges that economics bring to exclusion, but as our work has grown, we have become increasingly aware that some people face additional challenges when seeking support.
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28% of people who described themselves as “really struggling” financially reported difficulty accessing mental health treatment, compared with only 9% of those who were financially comfortable”
In the Future Fund we’ve got a few specific barriers in mind that we’d like to address.
Language
For those whose first language is not English, having complex conversations about emotional wellbeing, mental health and personal experiences can be particularly difficult.
For mental health specifically, NHS reviews have identified concerns around interpretation, confidentiality, cultural sensitivity and mental health stigma as barriers to engagement (source NHS England.)
While interpreters can sometimes help, there is often no substitute for being able to speak directly with someone who understands your language, culture and experiences.
As we look to the future, we would like to explore how we can make our services more accessible to these communities. Could we employ counsellors, wellbeing practitioners or support workers who speak languages such as Urdu or Malayalam?
Could we create new opportunities for people to access support in ways that feel more comfortable, culturally appropriate and accessible? This is a dream we’d like to realise through the Future Fund.
GEOGRAPHY
We are also seeing the geographical reach becoming an important issue. With changes in the way NHS Governance is working, many of our NHS colleagues now work across the wider South Yorkshire region, highlighting the growing need for support beyond Sheffield.
Through The Future Fund, we want to explore whether our services could reach communities in places such as Barnsley, Rotherham and beyond, bringing our approach to emotional wellbeing to people who may otherwise struggle to access it.
YOUNG PEOPLE
Another area of growing importance is the wellbeing of young people. Across schools, families and communities, concerns about young people's mental health continue to increase.
The NHS Mental Health of Children and Young People Survey found that in 2023 20.3% of 8–16 year olds had a probable mental health condition. This same survey noted that the prevalence of mental health challenges in children and young people has risen, which was 1 in 9 children/young people in 2017 but now 1 in 5 in 2023.
We believe there is an opportunity to explore how the values and approaches that have shaped Space to Breathe over the last decade could be adapted to support younger people.
Could our work around emotional stability, wellbeing and resilience be developed for those under 18 through the Future Fund? Could we help young people build the skills and support networks they need to navigate an increasingly complex world?
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WITH THE FUTURE FUND
These are some of the possibilities that The Future Fund could help us explore. We do not have all the answers yet, but we do know that the need for accessible wellbeing support continues to grow. With your support, we can begin to build a future where more people, in more places, can access the help they need to live healthier, more connected and more fulfilling lives.
If you’d like to give to the future fund, you can find out more and donate using the button below. Please help us reach our next milestone of £5,000 as we work towards our ultimate target of £20,000.