SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health)

Who is this Programme for?

☒ Unemployed parents

☒ Employed parents on low income

☒ Unemployed people aged 16-67yrs facing barrier to employment

☒ People with a long term health condition or disability

The NOMIS data for Clackmannanshire for calendar year to March 2024 demonstrates a high number of economically inactive residents, due to both ‘long term sick’ (43.2%, 3900 people), which is a significant rise since last year and is considerably more than Scotland (32.7%) and Great Britain (27.3%) averages.

Whilst not all of those included in the above numbers will be economically inactive due to mental health problems, national statistics show that c.25% of those on long-term sick (circa 975) will have a mental health diagnosis; and the very nature of being economically inactive for a long period of time can lead to poor mental health, further exacerbating the challenge of finding employment or simply engaging with employability support.

In offering communities in Clackmannanshire a flexible, engaging personal programme designed to nurture and support people by building both confidence and competence, it will provide those who are disengaged from employability the platform to consider fulfilling their potential via a return to meaningful employment.

Step Up model offers:
• A blend of Personal Development & Employability Skills
• A holistic approach supporting overall wellbeing
• A perfect platform for further progress
• Excellent work preparation for people with mental health problems, low confidence and motivation
• Positive outcomes: health improvement, positive destinations
• Positive Mental Health disclosure
• New life skills

Step Up will equip participants with the ‘soft skills’ and offer practical support, to ensure readiness to engage, for example, with IPS – e.g. ensuring each person has a CV, cover letter, bank account, valid ID etc

Location of Delivery In order to promote referrals to the programme, we will utilise locations such as:
• Mental Health Resource Centre, Sauchie
• Alloa Jobcentre Plus
• Skills Development Scotland, Alloa
• Clackmannan Health Centre, Clackmannan
• Hallpark Medical Practice, Sauchie
• Kincardine Health Centre

For programme delivery we will utilise:
• Alloa Hub, Maple Court, Alloa
• Hawkhill Community Centre
• Alloa Speirs Centre, Library

All are fully accessible with transport links. Have utilised in the past for our services.

For participants who wish to gain qualifications we will utilise, for example, Forth Valley College, Alloa Campus.