LOCAL GRANTS SCHEME GUIDELINES

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‘see me’s new Local Grants Scheme will grant awards of up to £5,000 to local groups across Scotland who can come up with fresh, innovative and exciting ideas to tackle stigma and discrimination associated with mental health in their area.

Groups and organisations in Lothian, Borders, Fife, Western Isles and Forth Valley Health Board areas are eligible to apply in this round.

There will also be one Equality Award of £5,000 on offer for work which aims to tackle mental health and stigma inequalities in one or more equalities groups in one of the above areas.

"‘see me’s vision is for a Scotland where all people with mental health problems are fully equal and included. This is your chance to make a real difference in your community. We will award grants that help to tackle public perceptions of mental ill-health and which promote positive messages about recovery." – Suzie Vestri, ‘see me’ Campaign Director

Who can apply?

Any community, voluntary or health group or other organisation that operates within Lothian, Borders, Fife, Forth Valley or Western Isles Health Board areas. If you have an idea that you think could work in your local area, we want to hear from you! Projects should be led by people with lived experience of mental ill-health or those who provide care and support.

Equality Grant (Download Equality Grant form)

We also invite applications from organisations from any of the above areas who work within an equality setting, either with a particular group or community of people who experience stigma and discrimination.

The equality grant will fund projects that focus on tackling stigma and discrimination associated with poor mental health, recognising the double discrimination they may experience and the cause and effect that their mental health has on their life experiences. Your project should celebrate diversity whilst demonstrating the particular issues experienced by that group in tackling stigma and discrimination of mental health within their community.

Such projects could involve working with people who experience inequality due to age, disability, gender, sexuality, race and faith.

Your project should be completed within 9 months of receiving your grant. You will be notified of the results of the panel decision by mid-November 2010.

Please check that you have filled in all sections of the application form before submitting.

Please do not send any additional information other than a detailed budget breakdown.

Your group should be a voluntary, community, health, education or social enterprise based organisation.

What we will not fund

Projects that have already started
Projects that are part of a larger project or organisational development
Study days
Fundraising
Basic equipment

What we will fund

We are looking for a range of initiatives that will demonstrate the above. This could include sports and physical health activities, working with a local artist to promote positive images of mental health through creative arts, song, music, dance, drama etc. speaking out through volunteer speakers and media volunteers. These are only examples and we will consider any initiative that is new and innovative.

We will fund projects that aim to:

change public understanding, attitudes and behaviours so that the stigma and discrimination associated with mental ill-health is eliminated.
enhance the ability of people to challenge stigma and discrimination.
ensure people with mental health problems and those who support them are valued and included.
improve media reporting of mental ill-health.

To meet the criteria your application should answer the following questions:

Does your project have some relevance to mental illness and discrimination?
How does your project raise awareness of mental ill-health in a way that promotes understanding and change?
How does it demonstrate leadership by people who are or have experienced poor mental health or are carers of people with a mental health illness?
What positive messages and approaches will you use to challenge stigma and discrimination associated with mental ill-health?
How is it inclusive and does it value diversity?
How will your project promote an understanding of recovery?
What makes your project creative and innovative?
What impact will your project have on those you are working with?
What impact will your project have on the general public?
How does your project encourage debate about mental illness to those outside the mental health arena?
How will your project promote ‘see me’ values and its objectives?
What other local partners are you working with to ensure the best possible results?
How will you know your project has been successful?
How will you measure your achievements?
How will you evaluate your project?
How will you promote ‘see me’ through branding and other means?

In addition, you should think about:

How will your project generate potential media interest?
Will you work widely across the Health Board Area?

Publicity

All publicity and promotional materials must display the ‘see me’ logo.
Artwork and visual materials developed by awardees must be approved by ‘see me’.

Feedback and evaluation

On completion of the project you will be invited to a feedback day to talk about your project and network with the other successful applicants. We will also require a written evaluation report and will send feedback guidelines to successful applicants.