Action Together is working on behalf of The Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership (H&SCP) to offer small microgrants across Greater Manchester (GM) for groups offering (or wanting to offer) peer support to new and expectant parents. The development of Perinatal and Parent Infant Mental Health (PIMH) Peer Support is part of GM’s ‘Whole System’ approach to supporting families in the 0-2 period.
Across GM, there are already specialist services supporting those with moderate to complex needs but there aren’t enough lower level, peer led services supporting those with mild to moderate needs. Peer to Peer support is acknowledged as having a positive impact on parents; knowing that there is somewhere to go where others have previously had, or are currently experiencing similar concerns and worries can be extremely beneficial and provide much needed connection at a time that can often leave new parents feeling isolated.
Grants of up to £1,000 are available to support GM based peer-led Voluntary groups that can:
- Engage local parent’s (remotely or face to face), in a welcoming, safe and nonjudgement environment; where they access peer support, socialise with and learn from other parents.
- Recruit/use volunteers with lived experienced of perinatal stress; to offer valuable support to new parents and help ease the sense of isolation or overwhelm, often felt when new parents experience anxiety, or feeling down, or that they can’t understand why they are ‘struggling’ with feeling anything other than joy. This type of support gives a sense of relief, connection and also promotes coping strategies.
You do not have to be a ‘constituted’ (have a set of rules that govern what you do) group to apply.
Who can apply? Voluntary, Community, Faith, Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations. Applications are invited from existing peer support groups and from people interested in setting up new groups.
For more information and to apply click here or contact Roma Hashim on 0161 339 2345 or email: [email protected]
Deadline: 12 February 2021