Community Mental Health Support Bank

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Access to mental health support is a growing challenge in Newport and across Wales. Many people from minority communities face extra barriers when seeking help. From language and cultural differences to a lack of trust in mainstream services. At the same time, mental health services are under pressure, with workforce shortages and a lack of culturally competent practitioners. The Community Mental Health Support Bank (CMHSB) aims to address both issues simultaneously.

Beneficiaries

Children / Young People
It benefits young people by giving them creative, entrepreneurial, and professional skills, building confidence, opening pathways to employment or self-employment, and connecting them with mentors, community networks, and real-world opportunities
Adults
It equips adults from minority communities with accredited mental health skills, creating career opportunities while increasing culturally competent support, improving access to care, and strengthening community wellbeing in Newport and Wales.
The General Public / Mankind
The CMHSB trains culturally competent professionals, improving access to care, reducing mental health disparities, and strengthening community wellbeing, benefiting individuals, families, and society as a whole.
Carers
The CMHSB trains local, culturally aware professionals, providing carers with better-supported, accessible, and empathetic mental health services, thereby reducing their stress and improving care for those they support.
Homeless & ex convicts
It trains minority community members as mental health support workers, increasing access to culturally competent care for homeless people and ex-convicts, helping them address trauma, manage wellbeing, and reintegrate successfully into society.
Other Charities or Voluntary Bodies
The CMHSB will supply trained, culturally competent mental health practitioners who can support charities and voluntary organisations, improving service quality, expanding capacity, and enhancing access for diverse communities.
Reach of your work
10-15 trained, based on 6-month pilot capacity

Geographic reach

Wales: Newport

BENEFICIARIES REACHED ANNUALLY

25

20–25 trainees per year, ensuring quality and full support

SIZE OF PROJECT PER ANNUM

£25,000.00

TIMELINE

Oct 2025 - Apr 2026

Project Outcome Targets

Create a support request bank for mental health referrals

Create a hub of competent and experienced mental health professionals

Create job opportunities, empowerment, affordability, and revenue for minority households

Project Activities

Recruitment & outreach: Targeted outreach in migrant and minority communities to attract individuals
Training programme: Partnering with accredited training providers to deliver Level 2-4 qualification
Placements & mentoring: Participants will be offered short placements or shadowing opportunities
Talent bank: Establishing a small but growing Community Mental Health Talent Bank
Showcase event: Bringing together trainees and partners to connect participants to employers.

Resources Needed For The Project

Resource	Description	Quantity needed	When needed	How this donation supports the project (Enabling Actions or KPIs)
MONEY	To fund training, space, staff, and resources needed to build skills and deliver lasting community impact.	£10000	Flexible	It empowers the communities to build skills, enterprises & local impact.

Project Impact and Partners

IMPACT REPORTING

Bi-annually

March 2021

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

UN SDG 1: No Poverty

UN SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

UN SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

UN SDG 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal

UN SDG 2: Zero Hunger

How we monitor the quality and results of our work

We have two volunteers who are experts on MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning)

WHO IS ALREADY FUNDING THE PROJECT?

N/A

N/A

OTHER PARTNERS

H.E.A.L

community sexual health campaigner