To mark Children’s Mental Health Week 2022, BBC Children in Need announces new funding awards totalling £1,084,000 to #BeeWell, Black Thrive and Voices from Care Cymru

To mark Place2Be’s 2022 Children’s Mental Health Week, BBC Children in Need has announced three new funding awards – allocated through the charity’s impact programme focused on children’s mental health, A Million & Me – to #BeeWell, Black Thrive and Voices from Care Cymru. Organisations funded by the programme address emotional wellbeing among children who are beginning to struggle with their feelings, before mental health problems become established.

BBC Children in Need has dedicated £10m of funding to this programme to support innovative initiatives that can make a real difference to the emotional wellbeing of children, before emerging  challenges  require clinical intervention.

As part of the programme, Greater Manchester based #BeeWell has been awarded a three-year grant of £395,000 to further support young people to play a leading role in the response to the #BeeWell mental health and wellbeing survey– the largest of its kind in the country. Through the grant young people will receive training in peer support and social prescribing, as well as support to run mental health campaigns in their schools. They will also have access to grant pots to commission activities that support mental health and wellbeing in their local area and give young people access to the arts, physical activity and green spaces.

David Gregson, Chair of the #BeeWell Advisory Board, said: “We’re delighted to be entering this exciting partnership with BBC Children in Need’s fantastic A Million & Me programme. By listening to the voices of all young people wherever they are, we intend to make their wellbeing everyone’s business. We look forward to working with A Million & Me to do just that.”

Elsewhere, Brixton based Black Thrive has been awarded a two-year A Million & Me grant of £350,000 to implement a research based programme which will train children and young people in participatory research methods with peers, parents and carers which will provide insight to inform recommendations for policy changes that will help improve the mental health of Black children and young people. The findings will also support Black Thrive to develop criteria for a participatory fund, to support project ideas developed and chosen by children and young people.

Jacqui Dyer, Co-founder and Chair of Black Thrive, commented on the award, saying: “We are so thankful to BBC Children in Need for their invaluable support. We strongly believe that putting children and young people at the heart of this programme will enable us to improve the mental health of Black children and young people at a time when they need it most, in a way which will help them most. Thank you, BBC Children in Need.”

In Wales, Voices From Care Cymru has been awarded £339,000 over three years to provide support to eight – thirteen year olds across Wales who are in, and entering the care system, ensuring that they have positive relationships and activities to help them to thrive. Funding from BBC Children in Need will support Voices From Care Cymru to incorporate local organisations and support mechanisms that offer trust and certainty to children to improve their mental health and wellbeing.  As part of the programme, Emma Phipps-Magill, Operations Director at Voices From Care Cymru, will lead consultation with care experienced young people, taking on board their views and ideas to help shape the project to make the biggest possible impact on young lives.

Deborah Jones, co-founder and CEO at Voices From Care Cymru, commented: “Sadly, children who are recovering from the trauma of separation from their families and friends, as well as the situation that preceded that intervention, can find themselves isolated from both people and activities that had been important to them, and that’s why funding like this is so vital in supporting their mental health and wellbeing. Thank you, BBC Children in Need.”

Paddy Sloan, Project Director for A Million & Me, said: “As an organisation we know how important innovation is in helping make a difference to the emotional wellbeing of children and young people, and so we are delighted to be supporting such ambitious and creative organisations who share our ambition to increase the numbers of children experiencing positive emotional wellbeing.”

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Notes to editors

Press enquiries: For more information, please contact Henni Cardy at BBC Children in Need – [email protected]

About BBC Children in Need

BBC Children in Need’s vision is that every child in the UK has a safe, happy and secure childhood and the chance to reach their potential. The charity will realise this vision by supporting, promoting and publicising work that addresses the challenges that children and young people face and work that builds their skills and resilience.

BBC Children in Need is currently supporting over 2,500 local charities and projects in communities across the UK that are helping children and young people facing a range of disadvantages such as living in poverty, being disabled or ill, or experiencing distress, neglect or trauma.

bbcchildreninneed.co.uk