The idea
The project will be delivered by men with lived experience knowledge and aimed to help men suffering with mental health. Programs will run for 12 months from 02/ 24 til 01/25
The venue is Willenhall Memorial Park building, a really beautiful place and ideal for our therapeutic cooking activities that blend well with the free health activities on offer at the park.
Firstly our podcast will be a powerful tool for sharing awareness and engaging men to chat about their mental health stories. Hopefully a self help strategy solution in the prevention of sad ending tales. In addition we will create a WhatsApp group, as a channel for peer communication and a line of support when there is no one to turn to.
Secondly the project would act as a stepping stone to build a sustainable and resilient program. Although cooking would be the minds distraction, we would offer industry standard training, a work experience reference, all aimed to offer participants work and self employment opportunities.
What we'll deliver
- 50 cooking workshops
- Help 30 to 60 men with mental health issues
- 800 healthy meals
- mens mental health self help pod cast
- Celebration meal event
- 400 meals will be given to people by the participant to introduce them to our project
Why it's a great idea
In simple words, they will feel invested in our project, have something to look forward to, a place and people to turn to when they have those terrible moments and need to escape.
We have verified that our cooking program and self help mental health pod cast align to the local authority strategies.
We must never under estimate the devastation mental health has on our society. The stats clearly demonstrate the immensity of this life destroying problem. Below a few local statistics:
WMCA is estimated at around £12.6 billion equivalent to a cost of about £3,100 per head of population.
There is a 63% gap in the employment rate between people who are in contact with secondary mental health services and the overall employment rate across the WMCA
The Walsall Mental Well-being Strategic Plan is to prioritize prevention and early intervention by; knowledge of how and where to access support and reducing barriers about mental health stigma and awareness of mental well-being in our residents.
Steps to get it done
- Purchase the necessary equipment and set up the kitchen and podcast
- Begin the sessions which are already scheduled for Tuesday evenings
- We have successfully identified a trainer / chef to conduct the sessions
- Promote our campaign via our self help podcast on social media to recruit volunteers and participants once active
- Monitor growth and evaluate our sustainability to allow us to employ participants
- Organize the celebration meal to thank all and to continue to promote our pledge
We already have a list of people that want to talk about their battles.
As I am literally writing this application, today I was told of a man that committed suicide. My colleague said we were the last people to see him at Willenhall Memorial Park. He had a smile on his face and was enjoying his bike ride and we exchanged a few words.
Four days prior to this, another colleague told me of how a guy in their office was really happy on the last at work before he took his own life. It really hits home!
We can no longer follow stereo type of people and assume only certain reasons are the cause of mental health issues that lead to such heart breaking ends. It is the cancer and silent killer of our society.
From the Samaritans - The following figures are accurate as of 26 May 2023: 465 people died - 338 males (73%) and 127 females (27%)
75% of people who commit suicide have not had any contact with mental health services, making it potentially difficult to identify people at risk of suicide.
