Over £1m awarded to 11 charities that support young women’s mental health, through our Young Women in Mind grant programme.
The Pilgrim Trust has announced today that over £1m has been awarded to 11 charities that support young women’s mental health, through its Young Women in Mind grant programme, bringing our total investment in this programme to £5m.
Set up in 2021, the programme aims to improve the mental health of women aged 16-25 in the UK by increasing their access to high quality, age and gender specific mental health services.
Published recently, Centre for Mental Health’s Empowering Minds report, commissioned by the Pilgrim Trust, evaluates the first three years of this Programme. The report affirms that targeted, trauma informed mental health support for young women is both life changing and urgently needed.
We are pleased to share more about the most recent charities who have received funding. The funding is the total amount spread over three years and includes a contribution to core costs.
Leo’s
Leo’s provides trauma-informed mental health care to families affected by premature and traumatic births, neonatal care and pregnancy and baby loss in the perinatal period across the North East.
The charity’s approach combines peer mentoring, group support, and counselling/trauma therapies, designed to reduce the risk of mental health crisis and prevent escalation to secondary services. Our award of £97,190 will help support young women aged 16–25 living in Teesside who have experienced neonatal care, pregnancy or baby loss – a group frequently excluded from statutory maternal mental health services.
Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Mind, Harrogate Mind and Darlington Mind
The three organisations that make up this partnership bid support young people to improve their mental health and wellbeing, reduce isolation and take control of their mental health.
Our grant of £101,125 is for the Beyond Harm project, to provide trauma-informed support for young women aged 16-25 who self-harm or experience thoughts of self-harm through one-to-one support, counselling and peer groups.
(c) Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Mind
Hey Smile Foundation
This is a partnership project led by Smile Foundation to support the work of Humber Wellbeing Hub and Blossom.
Our grant of £101,200 is to deliver support to young women aged 16–25 who are self-harming, experiencing suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, or emotional distress. Young women were central in shaping the proposal. The project will offer young women one-to-one support, creative and therapeutic group sessions, counselling and crisis de-escalation.
Support After Rape and Sexual Violence Leeds
Support After Rape and Sexual Violence Leeds is the dedicated Rape Crisis Centre for all women and girls in Leeds affected by rape and sexual violence.
The charity supports young women struggling with a range of mental health challenges including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive behaviours, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and self-harming.
Our grant of £101,200 will enable the charity to expand its range of counselling and therapeutic services and to meet a rising demand from younger women, under the age of 18.
GROW Organisation
Women and girls’ organisation GROW, delivers a range of services across Rotherham and Barnsley tackling sexual abuse, domestic abuse or exploitation, trauma and offers help for women involved in the criminal justice system.
Our grant of £100,561 is for the Vibe project providing tailored one-to-one support for young women. A mixture of therapeutic, advocacy and practical assistance will be available as well as peer support groups designed to reduce isolation and build confidence.
Family Gateway
Family Gateway works with families to alleviate poverty, improve employability skills and increase access to training and education, improve health and wellbeing and enhance social inclusion.
Our grant of £101,200 is for the Rise and Resilience project which will provide tailored mental health support for young women, through group sessions and counselling, addressing a range of challenges including anxiety, depression, self-harm, eating disorders, loneliness and isolation.
(c) Family Gateway
The Youth Association
The Youth Association works with young people facing multiple disadvantages across South and West Yorkshire.
Our grant of £91,366 is for the Thrive 360 project which uses youth work to improve mental health outcomes for young women. The project, which has been informed by the charity’s young women’s empowerment work, will include youth workers who will use trauma informed approaches to build trusting relationships with young women and create safe, exclusive spaces to discuss topics such as resilience, emotional health, healthy relationships, women’s safety and empowerment.
Sheffield Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre
Sheffield Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre works to support recovery for all survivors in Sheffield who have experienced rape, sexual violence, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation whenever it happened in a person’s life.
Our grant of £97,200 is for a psychoeducation and peer support programme for young women aged 16-25, combining creativity, activism, and mutual support. Bringing young women together in a supported group helps normalise their emotions related to their experiences of abuse and helps reduce feelings of shame and isolation.
Children and Young People’s Empowerment Project
Children and Young People’s Empowerment Project is a youth work charity supporting children and young people aged 11-25 to meaningfully participate in decisions that affect their lives. It focuses on marginalised communities and areas of high disadvantage.
Our grant of £100,944 is for the Girls@HOME project to support young women 16-25 living in Barnsley through one-to-one and peer group support. Tailored emotional and practical support will target a range of mental health issues, including self-harming, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. A peer support group, co-designed with young women, will explore concerns they have identified such as bullying, hidden caring responsibilities, unhealthy relationships, feeling overwhelmed by school and misogyny.
Well Women Centre
Well Women Centre provides gender specific, trauma informed mental health services and support to women and girls from age 16 throughout the Wakefield district.
Our grant of £97,473 will fund the HerSpace project offering psychological support, including one to one counselling and group art therapy, to young women aged 16–25 who face significant mental health challenges. These young women will have experienced complex trauma, including childhood abuse, domestic or sexual violence, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and unsafe relationships.
The Art House
Home to the largest creative community in Wakefield, The Art House was founded by disabled and able bodies artists to remove barriers to participation.
Our grant of £100,104 is for the ‘Photovoices – Expression Through the Lens’ project – a creative health programme supporting young women aged 16-25 to explore their mental health through photography, printmaking, journaling and visual storytelling.
Creative therapeutic approaches provided by The Art House will be combined with more traditional therapies and specialist gendered services offered by Well Women, a women-led charity with over 35 years’ experience supporting women affected by trauma, abuse and mental health challenges.
(c) Image Courtesy Emily Ryalls / The Art House
Feature image: Courtesy of The Youth Association