Thinking Differently is a two-year pilot supporting five VCSE organisation that includes flexible grant giving and capacity building support provided by Nova. The project is a partnership with the Mental Health Alliance, who recognise the important role that VCSE organisations play in supporting people's mental health, and funding is distributed through the Wakefield District Third Sector Framework.

The organisations selected to take part in the project, following an open tender process, are:

• Evergreen Active
• 5 Towns Christian Fellowship
• Wakefield District Society for Deaf People
• Turning Minds Around
• West Yorkshire ADHD Support Group

The project involves peer support and learning sessions delivered by Antony Nelson, who hopes that "this will be a great chance for sharing learning and supporting an even more sustainable VCSE sector for the benefit of the people of the Wakefield District". The project will be externally evaluated with findings informing future Mental Health Alliance work with the VCSE sector.

The organisations have been hard at work and have told us how they're getting on so far:

5 Towns Christian Fellowship

5 Towns Christian Fellowship told us about their strategic day with Antony which "helped us uncover some issues that we need to address and put steps in place to helps us become more resilient as an organisation moving forward. We’re looking forward to learning from the other groups and implementing the recommendations."

Evergreen Active

Evergreen Active are happy to share that they've:

• Enrolled 2 people onto the Mental Health & Exercise Coaching Award
• Launched their first 6 week programme for men's physical & mental health in Ossett, called Work It Out, starting in February.
• Met with Antony & Lydia to create our Development Plan - "which was brilliant and so helpful!"
• Identified one of two new running group leaders who they will put through the England Athletics Leadership in Running Fitness qualification so that they can set up new groups in their part of the district.

Turning Minds Around

Turning Minds Around have made some fab progress and told us that "things at TMA have been moving forward at a good pace." Their development day with Antony has been "invaluable" and "has made us aware of so many areas of the organisation which needed work and growth, the best five hours Turning Minds Around has had!"

Since the development day, TMA have had three practice meetings that have provided structure, agenda, brainstorming and many new ideas from the team.

"The tablets and software licences for our cCBT have been purchased from the funding and we now have two cCBT workstations to commence working with our clients...Our workshop programme will be starting before Christmas with anxiety being the first and meditation/ mindfulness second."

"The Thinking Differently funding has given Turning Minds Around the seeds to grow and provide a much needed service for the most vulnerable members of our community. 2023 will be TMA's development year, and thanks to the funding, support from Nova and Antony we are all motivated and empowered about our future."

Wakefield District Society for Deaf People

Wakefield District Society for Deaf People have interviewed for a Business Development Officer this week, which is the start of their journey to becoming more enterprising thanks to Thinking Differently. They are looking forward to meeting Antony very soon!

West Yorkshire ADHD Support Group

West Yorkshire ADHD Support Group updated that they "met with Julie and Antony a couple of weeks ago and made a good start on our development plan." They have also been awarded a large grant from The National Lottery, using the money from both funds to pay salary and employ more staff.