Funding to help prevent male suicides

Inner South Leeds is one of the priority areas for a new fund aimed at projects that help to reduce the numbers of suicides amongst men in Leeds.

Grants of up to £25,000 are available to projects which provide social activities to reduce social isolation for men at risk of suicide and provide outreach work in communities where suicide risk is higher. Leeds City Council’s Public Health team are working with Leeds Community Foundation to distribute a total of £70,000 annually.

Cllr Rebecca Charlwood, Leeds City Council executive member for Adults and Health, said:

“Each death by suicide is a tragedy. This new programme demonstrates our commitment to help tackle this important issue in Leeds. It focusses on improving the health of communities that need it most. It’s really good that we’ll be using best practice and innovative ideas to help reduce the number of suicides and attempted suicides in the city.”

The areas prioritised for funding are Inner South, Inner West and Inner East Leeds and Horsforth: areas with higher incidences of suicide. The programme is now open for applications from community projects and Leeds Community Foundation is keen to hear from organisations who can focus on local community engagement and participation in the development and delivery of social activities that reduce social isolation in men.

Dr Ian Cameron, Leeds City Council’s Director of Public Health said:

“This programme will provide small grants of below £10,000 and larger grants of up to £25,000 for projects with a wider reach or potentially more significant impact. We will be looking for applications from projects delivering new activity or increasing the reach of existing activity in relation to suicide prevention work within local communities.

Pip Goff, Partnerships Director of Leeds Community Foundation, said:

“The grants are available for local organisations delivering targeted and evidence-based interventions in line with the Leeds Suicide Prevention Action Plan. This could include activity such as supporting engagement and empowerment of local people; encouraging innovation to support decision making and choice; widening access to local services that reduce the risk of suicide; capacity building to help emerging groups develop; use of new technologies and innovative ways of connecting with socially isolated men.”

The funding will include the cost of evaluating the projects.

The programme for applications closes at midday on Thursday 25 October 2018. For more details on the programme and how to apply visit: leedscf.org.uk/leeds-mens-suicide-prevention-fund