A pioneering and peer-led emotional resilience initiative borne out of the tragic suicide of a Tyneside man has been given a major boost after receiving more than £218,000 in funding.
The funds, awarded to Tyne Housing Association by The National Lottery Community Fund, now give the green light for a resident-led idea to become a reality, potentially helping thousands of vulnerable people receive the support they need to deal with challenging times.
Ben was a popular resident of Tyne Housing Association who regularly championed issues for those experiencing homelessness. He sadly lost his life in 2023 after suffering a period of poor mental health, with many of his close friends, fellow residents, staff and support workers left devastated by his passing.
In particular, friends closest to Ben and residents living alongside him in Newcastle upon Tyne found themselves struggling to deal with their grief and emotions and came to realise that there was a ‘gap’ or ‘missing piece of the jigsaw’ in wider public support services to help those most vulnerable.
Coming together regularly, staff and a residents’ consultation group discussed in detail what people were going through and ways to offer help, feeling a strong determination to create something that could make a real difference going forward. This was not only to support people going through similar circumstances but to also create a legacy for Ben.
By working collaboratively and in partnership with one another, the group – 12 residents, Tyne Housing staff, management and Board members – came up with ideas and a spotlight was shone on wellbeing and developing emotional resilience. The concept of a ‘Reaching Communities Emotional Resilience’ programme was then born.
…and now the group will see their efforts come to fruition after The National Lottery Community Fund awarded the project £218,701 over a three-year period to get it off the ground.
“Ben was a brilliant guy and a great friend, and many of us struggled to cope in the early days. It impacted us a lot.
“I know Ben is one of a bigger group of people who tragically have taken their own life, but when it’s someone you know, a neighbour and a friend, it hits you hard. We will never forget Ben and his passing has been our motivation to help others and hopefully reduce the numbers of people struggling with their mental health.”
A friend of Ben and part of the residents’ consultation group, Karl
Thanks to National Lottery players, the Emotional Resilience Programme will be delivered from the Joseph Cowen Centre in Byker and will further enhance and expand Tyne’s health and wellbeing offer.
It will be available to Tyne residents and visitors living in Tyneside and Northumberland and could also pave the way for other organisations to develop similar schemes across the country to help those most vulnerable or experiencing homelessness.
“We listened very carefully to our residents and visitors who all shared a similar experience of grief and highlighted a specific gap that existed in mental health services at a time when it’s needed most. By working with the group, we were able to develop ideas that plugged this specific need, so we are absolutely delighted that our bid has been awarded funding.
“This is another example whereby dialogue with residents has led to a tangible change in our service delivery, and we’re now actively recruiting emotional resilience support officers to join our progression team and fully implement this initiative. This will also support our wellbeing hub and various peer-mentor Health Champions projects across Tyneside too, again working closely with partners to deliver valuable outreach activities to the benefit of all residents.”
Bryan Beverley, Wellbeing and Learning Manager of Tyne Housing
Funds for Tyne’s Emotional Resilience Programme were awarded by The National Lottery Community Fund.
“At The National Lottery Community Fund, we work with and alongside communities, responding to their unique needs and opportunities, and focusing on the areas of greatest need.
“Mental health is such an important issue in our region, so we’re delighted to fund Tyne Housing’s new community-led initiative to expand their health and wellbeing services and continue to support some of the most vulnerable people across Tyneside and Northumberland.”
Head of Funding for North East and Cumbria, Duncan Nicholson
Tyne Housing is a charitable North East housing provider that supports over 1,000 vulnerable people each year through its accommodation and support services. This spans Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Gateshead.
