Mental Health Partnership Programme in the Regions

The aim of our regional work is to promote the mental health and wellbeing of all learners and staff and to strengthen the capacity of the further education sector to improve access to and success in learning and skills and employment for people with experience of mental health difficulties and/or their carers.

The work of the RPOs in the regions helps to build the capacity of the further education sector to support best practice and collaborative working in further education and with other sectors.

For example:-

The RPO in Yorkshire and The Humber is producing a learning resource pack, 'Mental Health Matters for FE Teachers' to support initial teacher training.  The pack will help to ensure that mental health awareness is embedded in teacher training and that new and existing teachers are able to develop effective teaching and learning strategies to support learners who have mental health difficulties. 

In the North East, the RPO has been working with the regional Centres for Excellence in Teacher Training; Work-based Learning Providers and other learning and skills partners to improve services to learners with mental health difficulties.  They are also supporting partner agencies in the FE/post 16 sector in the region to create mental health friendly working enviroments and support other initiatives such as Mindful Employer and Working Well and leading research into ways of increasing the number of staff with mental health difficulties recruited in the FE/post 16 sector in the region.

Each RPO hosts three regional learning events a year and facilitates a virtual learning network, via the NIACE Moodle. You can get details of forthcoming events in the regions by contacting the relevant RPO for your region or the mental health programme administrator; Susan Rees susan.rees@niace.org.uk.

The project officer in each region works with the Learning and Skills Councils (LSC),  learning providers and other partners to progress work in order to implement the LSC's national mental health strategy, The Way Forward -LSC, 2009. This work includes advocating for different and more vulnerable groups of learners who experience mental health difficulties.

For example:-

The RPO in the North West led an LSC-funded research project exploring The Mental Health & Wellbeing of Learners aged 14-19 in further education in the North West Region.

The RPO in the East of England is working with several providers who are delivering equality and diversity development projects for the regional LSC. For one project, this involves offering specialist advice to a brokerage project for young people with mental health difficulties who are 'not in employment, education or training' (NEET). In another, project, the RPO has supported a group of multi agency workers in Hertfordshire to develop and deliver training to build the confidence of local learning providers in working with local Black and Minority Ethnic communities.

RPOs also work at a strategic level with government offices, local authorities, the strategic health authority, primary care trusts and mental health and employment services to support the translation of national and regional policy into practice to support people's recovery and tackle their social exclusion.

For example:

The RPOs in the North East and East Midlands are members of their Regional Employment Teams, working in partnership with the Strategic Health Authority, Primary Care Trusts and other stakeholders in each region to deliver the Public Service Agreement Target 16 (PSA 16).

In London, the RPO is a member of the mayor's London Mental Health Employment Partnership Group, which links to the London Working for Wellness Strategy. 

The RPO in the South East works closely with the regional Action for Inclusion projects to ensure that the learning and employment aspirations of people who experience mental health difficulties are recognised and supported.

Two other important dimensions of our work in the regions are involving learners/adults who experience mental health difficulties in our work and facilitating effective partnership working within and beyond the further education sector.

Supporting and developing learner involvement has been the focus of the West Midlands RPO's work this year, linking to and informing our national project to develop a model for learner involvement.

In the South West region, the RPO brought together a partnership in Bristol made up of the local LSC, local authority mental health commissioner, local FE providers, a community learning provider, the mental health trust and third sector employment and mental health support services. This partnership is developing a strategic action plan for learning for mental health and wellbeing for all staff and learners as well as developing more and better learning provision for people who have experience of mental health difficulties.

The whole of the further education sector, including those with responsibility for delivery of relevant public sector targets and those people who plan, manage and deliver different kinds of learning provision, as well as practitioners and learners. The work is also directly relevant to people working in mental health and employment. Anyone who is  interested in improving access to and success in learning and skills for adults who have experience of mental health, including people who have experience of mental health difficulties and/or their carers is invited to participate in this work.

Established in 2004, the regional networks continue to grow and develop. Nationally there are now over 2,000 members, who form a critical mass of people who advocate for better opportunities in learning and skills for people who experience mental health difficulties; help to influence policy and inform good practice in the further education and other sectors.

The regular regional learning events attract in excess of 50 participants at each event.  Through the National Partnership Programme moodle members are able to ask questions of each other, share ideas and good practice as well as finding out what is happening in their region.

If you are interested in improving adult learning and skills opportunities for people who have experience of mental health difficulties you are welcome to join our Network.  Membership is free and you will be joining over 2,000 people accross the country who share an interest in this subject.

How to join:-

• Download a network joining form, complete and return to susan.rees@niace.org.uk Or contact your local Regional Project Officer.

The Partnership Programme also supports network members by offering the opportunity for online networking via a NIACE Moodle and provides an email newsletter to keep you up to date with NIACE news, information about regional and national projects, details about conferences and free resources.

Each RPO acts as a contact and information point in their region and completes specific development work to support progress on regional and local priorities.

A vast number of resources and publications have been produced by the MH team to support the work being done in the regions.

Documents
	Regional Project Officers contact information (pdf)

Web Links
	Resources & Policy Documents

This work will strengthen the capacity of the FE sector and partner agencies in each region to:

• Promote the mental health and wellbeing of all learners and the FE workforce.
• Improve learning and skills and employment opportunities and outcomes for diverse groups of people who experience mental health difficulties.
• Develop a more integrated approach to employment and learning and skills for people who have mental health difficulties in each region.
• Involve learners and people who use mental health services in our work.
• Support implementation of the LSC National strategy for mental health and learning and skills, The Way Forward -LSC, 2009, and contribute to the delivery of relevant national and regional policies to tackle stigma and discrimination and reduce the health, social and economic inequalities experienced by people who have mental health difficulties

Please see contact information for Regional Project Officer in your area or contact
Susan Rees
susan.rees@niace.org.uk
+44 (0)116 2044256
NIACE 21 De Montfort Street Leicester LE1 7GE