HAMPSHIRE County Council (HCC) has secured around £300,000 of European funding to test new ways of supporting men of all ages with their mental health.
Now it will combine with Kent County Council and European voluntary and community organisations on trial projects aimed at helping men suffering from loneliness and social isolation.
HCC Executive Member for Public Health, and the council’s Mental Health Wellbeing Champion, Councillor Patricia Stallard said: “Hampshire has been at the forefront of developing innovative ways of supporting people to improve their mental wellbeing.
“This is an exciting opportunity for us to test a wide range of community based approaches to support people experiencing social isolation, and associated mental health issues.
“Through the programme we hope to support men in particular to connect better with their local communities and improve their physical health and mental wellbeing.”
The Step by Step (SBS) programme will invest in more than 90 projects over the next four years, of which about 40 are expected to be in Hampshire.
As on average men are 20 per cent less likely than women to seek support for mental health issues, most of the schemes will be aimed at men, although women will also be included.
The projects will identify opportunities to work with local community-based groups to tackle loneliness and improve social connections and friendship building.
This supports men to deal with mental health challenges more easily and remain independent.
The projects could reach up to 6,000 men in total and will be fully evaluated.
Funding for the SBS programme has been secured from the European Union and the European Regional Development Fund.
For more information about the project visit the council’s website at: www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/publichealth/sbshampshire or e-mail [email protected]