In 2023 the Request for Support (RfS) form was edited to ask whether your clients had rough slept, were rough sleeping or were at risk of rough sleeping without your intervention. Many thanks to all who completed this section of the form because we could report back the outcomes to the WMCA from which we had received a grant to help reduce rough sleeping. SCAH has been awarded another grant under the Rough Sleeping Initiative by the WMCA for 2024….so please keep ticking the boxes on the form!
In December 2023 SCAH received the largest grant it has ever been awarded from The Inclusive Communities Fund (details below*). Based on feedback received from yourselves and your clients it appears that the receipt of a Starter Pack has a positive effect on the mental well-being of the client. Perhaps this is not surprising, because if you had nothing or very little and somebody gave you a basic pack which enabled you to begin to re-build your life you would probably feel better! SCAH’s application to The Inclusive Communities Fund was based on the effect the Starter Pack has on the mental well-being of the recipient – and this is the outcome we are now trying to determine. The RfS has been slightly edited again. A ‘1-10’ scale is included for you to give a view of the mental well-being of your client before they receive a Starter Pack and then again, once they know that they will receive a Starter Pack. None (?) of us are psychologists, but as human beings we can all make a subjective assessment of somebody’s mental state…or, with a ‘1-10’ scale the client could be asked for their self-assessment. We do not profess that this is a perfect way of measuring the outcome, but it should, given sufficiently large numbers, give an indication of the effect on the mental-state of the clients who receive a Starter Pack so please complete the new section of the form.
Many thanks for your support with this request – by continuing to be able to access grants SCAH can continue to support your clients…but SCAH can only do this if it complies with the feedback requirements of its funders.
* The Inclusive Communities Fund was inspired by the momentum generated by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. It aims to strengthen the achievements prompted by the Games, offering community organisations access to new funding to make a difference for the people they work with. The Fund will serve as a catalyst to address inequalities, forge deeper connections between individuals and organisations, and continue the legacy of the Games. Grants are available for projects that contribute to the four core missions of bringing people together, improving health and well-being, helping the region to grow, and putting the region on the map. The fund encompasses three key themes: physical activity and sport, mental health and well-being, and arts, culture, and creativity. The Inclusive Communities Fund is made possible by the UK Government through the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS). It will be overseen by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and administered by the Heart of England Community Foundation, the leading, independent, grant-making body in the West Midlands and Warwickshire. United By 2022, the Games' Official Legacy Charity, will partner with the Community Foundation to deliver community engagement activities and support organisations in successfully applying to the Fund.