MELKSHAM based charity Wiltshire Mind have been awarded a grant of £97,539 by The Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) which was established to help ex-Service men and women make a successful transition back to civilian life.
The grant will deliver and evaluate a pilot online support service to carers of people suffering from severe mental illness (SMI) in the armed forces community over a one-year period.
Caring for loved ones who have SMI can be incredibly difficult, leaving many carers feeling lost and helpless as to how best to provide support. Many are unable to access appropriate services which can assist with their particular circumstances. The online service, which will be facilitated by Wiltshire Mind and run by Healios in collaboration with the Army Families Federation, will enable carers to easily access resources to help build their understanding of mental health difficulties and acquire some of the skills necessary to care for their loved ones. This service will be particularly important for those making the transition from military to civilian life.
The pilot project intends to recruit 50 carers from the armed forces community based in the Wiltshire area who are currently looking after a family member with SMI. Wiltshire Mind expects that the evidence generated from the independent evaluation of this innovative model of support will be used to refine and to develop the approach more widely. Ray Lock, chief executive of the Forces in Mind Trust said, “Giving carers access to vital support and resources will help them in turn provide the type of support their loved ones need. The evaluation of this pilot programme will provide the evidence-base we need to improve support to carers across the armed forces community and indeed across the general population too, and we are extremely proud to partner with Wiltshire Mind.”
David Mckeigue, chief executive of Wiltshire Mind said, “This is a unique online service which focuses on helping the carer deliver significantly better outcomes for themselves and indeed their loved one, and, because of the way the service is delivered, the number of carers that can access the service is significantly higher than conventional face to face methods.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with both the AFF and Healios on this exciting pilot. The innovative approach and unique service delivery of Healios is of huge value and benefit to all carers wherever they may be located.”
