Over £160,000 to support Hidden Voices in Armed Forces communities
We are delighted to announce grants totalling more than £160,000 have been awarded to 9 outstanding projects in the first round of our Hidden Voices programme.
This programme supports projects which will enable and deliver accessible mental health and wellbeing support for those with seldom heard needs in Armed Forces communities.
Healing through creativity
In Northern Ireland, Belfast Exposed Photography have been awarded £20,000 for a project which will engage serving personnel, Veterans and Armed Forces families through a creative mental health and wellbeing community hub using tailored Therapeutic Photography. Healing Through The Lens will collaborate with Armed Forces and specialist non Armed Forces organisations to reduce health inequalities, raising awareness across a wider audience.
Mervyn Smyth, Engagement Manager, told us “Belfast Exposed are delighted to have received funding from The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust through their Hidden Voices programme. The funding will enable Belfast Exposed to undertake longer term meaningful engagement with Veterans, serving personnel and their families through our Therapeutic Photography programme, creating positive impact on people’s lives by removing people from isolation and having their Hidden Voices heard.”
Gaining a better understanding of mental health challenges
Walking With the Wounded were awarded £19,989 for Empowering Carers through Psycho-education. This UK wide project will offer online psycho-education sessions providing the knowledge and skills to help carers and families to manage their own wellbeing whilst better understanding the mental health needs of their family member. The focus will be on self-care and early intervention to protect their own mental health whilst supporting their family member.
Psycho-education is a therapeutic intervention providing information and support to help people understand and cope with mental health conditions, aiming to help change behaviours and attitudes, and improve overall health and wellbeing.
Kate Tabain, WWTW Director of Fundraising and Communications said, “We are grateful to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for their ongoing support for Walking With The Wounded and the Veterans and families we support. The funding from the Hidden Voices programme will enable us to launch our new ‘Empowering Carers through psycho-education’ project – an online psycho-education programme designed to support carers and partners of Veterans struggling with their mental health. Delivered by specialist high-intensity accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapists (CBT), these sessions will provide carers and partners with strategies and skills to support their loved ones and manage their mental health. Through our online sessions, our team can reach carers across the UK who need our help the most, regardless of location.”
Addressing the challenges of parenthood
Receiving £18,877, The Parenting Network (TPN) will provide a dedicated support programme for Dads/male caregivers from Armed Forces families in the Portsmouth area. Dadzchat provides a safe space for Dads and male care givers to share experiences and develop tools in response to trauma and challenges of parenthood which may be affecting their mental health or that of their family.
Vicky Chapter, Fundraising Manager at The Parenting Network told us they were delighted to receive funding through the Hidden Voices programme. “This will make such a difference to so many families in Portsmouth & the surrounding areas,” Vicky explained. “At TPN we really believe in the importance in supporting Dads through their parenting journey and reducing stigma around men’s mental health. Through this work we will be able to extend our programme to offer specialist support for Dads from the Armed Forces Community.”
Carol Stone, Director of Grants at the Trust said: “We are delighted to support these projects that will focus on supporting those who are ‘seldom heard’ in the Armed Forces community; enabling them to access tailored mental health and wellbeing support. We hope this funding will enhance prevention and early intervention through collaboration, helping identify and address both known and unknown gaps in service provision.”
Find out more
View a full list of all awardees from this round the Hidden Voices programme here.
Could you be the next Hidden Voices project?
Applications are now open for round two of Hidden Voices. You can find out more on the Hidden Voices programme page. You can also watch our recent Hidden Voices Lunch and Learn webinar here which provides an overview of the programme and advice on how to make a really good application.
Applications must be submitted by 8 January 2025.