Mental Health Partnership Programme
The Mental Health Partnership Programme, led by NIACE in partnership with the LSC and the Inclusion Institute is a multi- sector network of policy makers, managers, practitioners, learners and service users from the learning and skills, health and social care, employment and voluntary sectors. Overseen by a cross-government Transition Management Group it seeks to influence policy and to support the development of good practice that promotes and improves learning and skills opportunities for people who experience mental health problems.
In 2009 we supported the LSC to produce the LSC Mental Health Strategy - The Way Forward - [PDF]. The strategy outlines the LSC vision 'that people who experience mental health difficulties should by accessing learning and skills provision, be able to lead active and fulfilling lives as part of their communities and in education, training and employment, in a way that sustains mental wellbeing'.
The work of the Mental Health Partnership Programme is to support the implementation of the LSC strategy. The Partnership Programme seeks to do this by concentrating on three over-arching strands of work:-
- Getting into learning for people who experience mental health difficulties
- Addressing the needs of particular groups of learners with mental health difficulties
- Improving learning and skills provision for people who experience mental health difficulties
Within these three strands of work there are numerous projects and activities that address particular aspects of the mental health strategy.
A final report on the work of the Mental Health Partnership Programme will be available in April 2010.
Resources and Policy Documents
LSC Mental Health Strategy - The Way Forward (March 2009) Implementing the LSC vision of learning for living and work (October 2006) - Of interest to organisations and individual with an interest in promoting social inclusion through learning and skills provision for people with mental health difficulties.
Learning for Living and Work - The national strategy for LSC-funded provision for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities across the FE system: 2006-07 to 2009/10.
Progression through Partnership - A joint strategy between the DFES, DH and DWP on the role of further education and training in supporting people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to achieve fulfilling lives.
Work, Recovery and Inclusion was published on 7 December 2009, alongside other reports on mental health which collectively set out the Government's new approach on mental health.
Realising Ambitions: Better employment support for people with a mental health condition, an independent review led by Rachel Perkins. Work, Recovery and Inclusion forms part of the Government's response to this review.
New Horizons is the Department of Health's new framework to enable England's strategic health authorities to deliver their regional plans for improving mental health and mental health services.
Working Our Way to Better Mental Health - A framework for action - The first national framework for mental health and employment.
Attitudes to Mental Illness 2009 Research Report from the Department of Health - This report presents the findings of a survey of attitudes towards mental illness among adults in England.
Mental Capital and Wellbeing: Making the most of ourselves in the 21st century - from the Government Office for Science
Delivering Race Equality's (DRE), this summary review looks back at DREs work as its five year plan comes to an end. DRE has carried out an extensive programme of work and this review describes some of the key challenges, successes and learning. It also outlines how DREs work will be taken forward under New Horizons.
Mental Health, Resilience and Inequalities from the World Health Organisation - Drawing on the literature on health and inequalities, this report argues that improving mental health brings significant benefits for health and quality of life.
Learning Through Life - Inquiry into the future of lifelong learning.
IFLL Wellbeing and Happiness - the Inquiry for Lifelong Learning (IFLL) thematic paper on wellbeing and happiness.
Wider Benefits of Learning research papers
Learning and skills for people experiencing mental health difficulties (pdf) - The information given in this briefing sheet is based on work learning providers are already doing for learners with mental health difficulties and reflects the good practice that has been developed nationally.
One in Four (pdf) - The writing and artwork collected here reflects the contribution that mental health support groups, user-led organisations and educational projects can make to encouraging people to learn about their conditions, gain insight and understanding, and to speak out, with authority of experience, about what is needed.
One in Four Campaign Pack - Resources and materials to support communication, raise awareness and increase knowledge of issues faced by people experiencing mental health difficulties including posters, activities and suggestions on how to make the most of the pack and its resources.
Copies of this pack can be obtained from the NIACE mental health team. Please contact Sue Rees, Programme Administrator: susan.rees@niace.org.uk
Reading for Pleasure - Developing the use of service-user-led reading groups in a range of settings, and investigating the impact on participant confidence.
Stimulating Demand for Learning - Strategies that work to stimulate and increase demand for, and participation in learning, by people with mental health difficulties.
Supporting learners with mental health difficulties Author Kathryn James published by LSN - Guidance for colleges and other post 16 education providers on implementing the Disability Discrimination Act.
The Really Useful Book of Learning and Earning 2010 (RUBLE) is designed to support people experiencing mental health difficulties who wish to return to or take up work, volunteering or learning.
1 in 4 Learners' Information Series - A series of leaflets for people experiencing mental health difficulties to help them make choices about taking up learning and choices to make regarding learning. These leaflets are available to download in different formats including easy read and audio.
- Should I Say? - A guide for learners about disclosing mental health difficulties.
- You Can Do It! - Have you thought about going back into learning?
Podcasts:-
- Hannah's Story: NIACE Press Officer Ed Melia talks to Hannah, a student at the Adult College in Lancaster, who is in no doubt about the positive impact learning has had on her mental health.
- Stewart's Story: NIACE Press Officer Ed Melia talks to Steward Holland, Adult Learners Week Award Winner about how learning has changed his life and the positive impact learning has had on his mental health.
Meeting the Needs of Particular Groups
Back on Track 2 - A project that promotes a model of collaborative working between Further Education (FE) colleges and Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services.
Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities (pdf) - Access to learning and skills for people from black and minority ethnic communities who experience mental health difficulties.
Direct Payments: Is it for me? - Information and resources for trainers and people in a position to make Direct Payments more accessible for people who have mental health difficulties.
East Midlands Care Programme Approach (CPA) Social Inclusion Project (pdf) – This report sets out findings from a project carried out in the East Midlands, and recommendations to improve services for people with mental health difficulties. It is aimed at mental health teams and policy makers across England, but will be of interest and use to service users and learning providers as well.
Hard copies of this report can be obtained from the NIACE mental health team. Please contact Sue Rees, Programme Administrator: susan.rees@niace.org.uk.
Mental Health and Wellbeing of Learners aged 14-19 - Report into the mental health and well-being needs, of young people aged 14-19 engaged in further education in the North West
Mental Health and Wellbeing and Lifelong Learning for Older People - Lifelong learning for people aged 50+ years and how this can help maintain and improve mental health and wellbeing in later life.
Race into Learning - A guidance pack for Community Development Workers, Support Workers, Carers, Mentors and others offering support to black and minority ethnic adults within the mental health care system.
Getting to Level 2 (pdf) - This briefing sheet looks at the strategies used to enable learners on Prescription for Learning projects to achieve level 2 or equivalent accreditation.
1 in 4 Learners' Information Series - A series of leaflets for people experiencing mental health difficulties to help them make choices about taking up learning and choices to make regarding learning. These leaflets are available to download in different formats including easy read and audio.
- Should I Say? - A guide for learners about disclosing mental health difficulties.
- You Can Do It! - Have you thought about going back into learning?
Anticipatory Checklist: Planning for Quality - Providing for learners with mental health difficulties (pdf) - This checklist is intended to help organisations to provide quality learning opportunities for people with mental health difficulties.
Boosting Work Based Learning Provision - This project has worked with a range of work based learning (WBL) providers: colleges, private providers, local authority, voluntary and NHS organisations to find ways of increasing the quantity and quality of the provision that is offered to learners with mental health difficulties.
East of England Mental Health and Employment Survey - Regional Mental Health and Employment Team July - September 2008 baseline survey of employers' views in the East of England.
Enabling Declaration - Explores practice within a range of settings that will enable and support people to declare, knowing that their needs will be met.
I'd Turn Up Even If I Won The Lottery! (pdf) - Research into the factors that impact on attendance, retention and achievement of learners with mental health difficulties
Making the Journey - Investigating travel issues faced by people experiencing mental health difficulties, and specifically if and how these issues impact on people taking up, or their experience of, learning and work.
Mental Health Matters for FE Teachers - A toolkit of resources to support the delivery of new professional standards for teachers in FE with regard to mental health and learning.
Self-esteem, confidence and adult learning (pdf)
Take Ten People - A toolkit of resources that promotes and supports an integrated approach to employment and learning and skills with adults who have experience of mental health difficulties.
Workforce Equality in Further Education - A resource pack to support the recruitment of people with experience of mental health conditions into Further Education.
Working Well - This resource pack promotes the positive mental health of people working in the post-16 education and training sector.
Podcasts:
- Rachael's Story: NIACE Press Officer Ed Melia talks to Rachael, a student who talks about the positive impact learning has had on her mental health.
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