Community and voluntary organisations have a vital role in Improving community mental health care and support. So, grant funding is being provided, with organisations invited to apply for money to develop and deliver services for people with complex mental health needs in their communities.

So far, £500,000 has been awarded in grants. Find out more about this work and the organisations providing it.

Who was involved in the design of the new model of care?

The following organisations were either consulted on and/or are partners involved delivering the new model of community mental health care and support for Leeds. Click on the organisation to see more information about it.

We know that connection to your local community, activities, and social groups are absolutely key to managing mental health and improving quality of life. That’s why, as part of Community Mental Health Transformation in Leeds, around a third of the investment has gone to community organisations and groups, to strengthen the support and activities for people with complex mental health needs in your local communities. 

Connecting Communities: Community Wellbeing Connectors

The amount of information on groups and activities in Leeds can be overwhelming, and people have told us they can struggle to understand what support would be right for them. 

As well as the Social Prescribers working across the city, there are specialist workers called Community Wellbeing Connectors, who work with adults with complex mental health needs to identify activities, groups and resources in their local communities that could support their mental health, as well as providing one-to-one outreach care and support, with a focus on mental health and wellbeing. 

The Community Wellbeing Connectors can visit you in your home, GP surgery, or somewhere in your own local community, wherever you feel comfortable. The service is run by three third sector organisations in partnership, Northpoint, Barca and Touchstone, each covering different areas of the city. 

The Community Wellbeing Connectors are currently working in the early implementer sites: covering Chapeltown, Burmantofts, Harehills, Richmond Hill, Pudsey, Bramley, Calverley, Rodley, Farsley, Swinnow and Stanningley. They’re also working with people registered at either Leeds Student Medical Practice or the Light GP Surgeries. 

The Community Wellbeing Connectors will scale up over time, covering more areas of the city – more details coming soon!

How can I access support? 

If you live in one of the areas listed as an early implementer site and think you could benefit from accessing a Community Wellbeing Connector, please contact your GP. 

Walking alongside you: Peer Support Service 

There is great power in healing through relationships with people who make us feel heard and understood. The Peer Support Service is built on lived experience and empathy, focusing on each of our individual strengths, and helping develop skills and strategies to maintain our health and wellbeing.

Anyone over 17, living in Leeds, who is currently receiving care through the GP or specialist services for ongoing mental health difficulties, could access up to 8 sessions of one-to-one peer support, offered flexibly within the community. Support is led by your needs and what is important to you. The service is a partnership between Leeds Mind, Leeds Survivor Led Crisis Service, Health for All and Yorkshire Mesmac. Mesmac hosts a role specifically designed to work with people who identify as LGBTQ+, and Health for All hosts a role specifically designed to work with people from diverse racial backgrounds. 

How can I access support? 

Ask a professional supporting you to refer you by emailing peersupport@leedsmind.org.uk, and the team will be in touch.

Activities and Groups: Transforming Mental Health Grantholders

On top of the offer from the Community Wellbeing Connectors and Peer Support Service, Transformation has funded a range of activities, support and groups from a wide range of community organisations to support wellbeing in your local area. 

Battle Scars

Running peer support for people who self-harm, also for family and friends. They hold face-to-face peer support groups, including:

  • weekly daytime 18+ peer support group with social time
  • fortnightly daytime 50+ group with social time
  • fortnightly evening group for family and friends of people who self-harm
  • fortnightly evening group
  • fortnightly evening LGBT+ specific group.
  • weekly 16-25s peer support group.

Caring Together in Woodhouse and Little London

Offering one-to-one support for older people with complex mental health support needs who live in one of the following:

  • One of the 9 tower blocks in Little London and Woodhouse
  • The Holborn estate in Woodhouse
  • One of the three older people’s residential schemes in Woodhouse and Little London.

This service is aimed at men aged 55 and over, with a focus on maintaining their activity levels. It includes befriending models, with one-to-one contact, telephone support or accompaniment to groups.

Complete Woman CIC

Co-designed activities, support and mentoring for men, women and families, based in North Leeds. A safe space to explore emotions, develop self-awareness, identify and heal childhood and life experiences traumas. Coaching will include goal setting, assertiveness and communication training, and mindfulness. There are weekly one-to-one support sessions with a mental health support worker, providing tailored advice, guidance, and mentoring. There are also weekly groups sessions, with creative or mindful activities.

Humans Being: Heads, Hearts & Hands

Heads, Hearts, and Hands is a seven-week course that supports women with complex mental health needs through wellbeing practices and arts and crafts.

The course supports women in finding energy for what they love, expanding their comfort zone, and feeling more in control of their lives. The weekly sessions run for a whole day:

  • 10.00am to 12.00 noon – Wellbeing Session
  • 12.00 noon to 12.30pm – lunch break (lunch provided)
  • 12.30pm to 2.30pm – Intuitive Art Session (drawing, collage, zine making, rock painting etc)

LATCH

Offering mental health and wellbeing support to the formerly homeless tenants at LATCH, and people at risk of homelessness, with psychotherapy, weekly group meditation sessions, yoga and anxiety and stress management sessions.

Oblong

Wellbeing drop-in serving people in the LS6 and parts of the LS2 area (Woodhouse and Little London). Providing short-term support to people with acute or complex needs, including food parcels, referrals and signposting.

They also provide group work (stay-and-play, drawing group) with plans to run groups around problem solving and de-escalation, for example benefits support, drinking/substance support and emotional regulation.

Shine Bright CIC

12-week Transitions (17-25 yrs old) WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Planning) programme that centres on peer support, recovery, writing your own wellness and crisis plans and exploring protective factors that get you well and keep you well for longer. Courses will focus those not in support or facing support from CAMHs ending, or those living away from the family home, such as vulnerable students, people leaving care, looked after children and people in supported accommodation.

Courses running from February 2025 to June 2026. After the course, there is rolling peer support available those who have undertaken the WRAP programme.

Shore Up CIC

Occupational Therapy group programme for individuals with complex mental health needs living in Leeds. A 12 week programme supporting individuals to better understand the link between how they spend their time and how they feel. Those who have completed the occupational therapy group programme will be invited to attend a co-designed Follow On Group. This is a series of drop-in sessions aimed at developing themes explored in the occupational therapy group programme.

Shore-Up also run a Social Club, one monthly online session (second Wednesday of the month, 8pm to 9pm), and one monthly in-person session (last Saturday of the month at The Thackray Museum, 2pm to 4pm). No referral needed.

Occupational therapy group programme

  • 29 April to 22 July at Feel Good Factor
  • 9 September to 25 November at Onwards Health and Wellbeing Hub
  • 14 January to 11 March at New Wortley Community Centre

The Follow On Group is open to graduates of the occupational therapy programme as an ‘opt in’, open-ended offer:

  • 4 June to 9 July at Onwards Health and Wellbeing Hub
  • 17 September to 22 October at New Wortley Community Centre
  • 27 January to 10 March at Feel Good Factor

Social Club – rolling programme.

The Conservation Volunteers: Hollybush Conservation Centre

Helping connect people with complex mental health needs to access nature and the outdoors. They run groups across the city ranging from practical conservation, through to vegetable growing and health walks. They can offer one-to-one support to help people engage with an activity best suited to their needs.

The Apple Box Company: The Bridge

Offering a weekly peer support group, advocacy work and helping to establish pathways between members of the Black community and mental health services. They support Black adults living in Chapeltown and Harehills with their in-person peer support group and social time. There are more groups and activities, including for people aged 50+, a family and friends groups of people who self-harm, an LGBT+ specific group.