IPH, Open, Conference, Belfast, Northern, Ireland, Dublin, Titanic, October, 2014, Public, Health

1. Building Capacity for
Mental and Emotional
Wellbeing
Shauna Houston
CLEAR Project

2. My Approach
Background Process outcomes
Learning
points

3. Background:
 CLEAR
 Capacity Building
 Either a strategy for achieving a healthy society or an objective in it’s
own right.
 Top down organisational approach
 Bottom up organisational approach
 Partnership approach
 Community Organising approach
 Health Literacy
 ‘the cognitive and social skills and ability of individuals to gain access to,
understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good
health’ (WHO 1998).

4. • Programme
Funding
• Grant Fund
• Partnership
Approach
• Top down
organisational
approach
•Bottom up
organisational
approach
I) Quality skills
development
and learning
opportunities
II) Improved
Structures and
Mechanisms
IV) Investment
III) Opportunity,
skills and
support to input
into forums,
partnerships and
strategic groups
P
R
O
C
E
S
S

5. Quality skills development and learning
opportunities
Provision of a range
of skills and
knowledge based
training
programmes
 Myths Demystified
 Reinforced sound health
messages
 Increased skills and
Knowledge base
 Improved Health Literacy
 Reinforced sound health
messages
P
R
O
C
E
S
S
O
U
T
C
O
M
E
S Bottom Up Organisational Approach

6. Improved Structures and Mechanisms
 Development and roll
out of localised
Standards
 Evaluation
 Consultation
 Development and roll
out of regional
standards
Localised standards
 Encouraged organisations to
review practice
 Enabled identification of areas
for development
 Provided a framework for review
which is free to access
 Independent review process
 Assurances for funders
Regional Standards
 Strengthened service and
practice
 Improved governance
 Accountability
P
R
O
C
E
S
S
O
U
T
C
O
M
E
S Top down organisational approach

7. Opportunity, Skills and Support
 CLEAR Forum
 Bereaved by Suicide
Project
 Strategy group
involvement
 Networking
opportunities
 Collaborative working
arrangements
 Supported community
activation
 Increased knowledge of
processes and procedures
 Increased awareness of
service provision
P
R
O
C
E
S
S
O
U
T
C
O
M
E
Partnership Approach S

8. Investment
 Training and
development
programme
 Development of
Standards
 Small grant
 Increased knowledge and skills
 Access to self- assessment guide
to support improved structures
and mechanisms
 Direct funding for project
development
 Detailed guided application
process to build capacity in
relation to funding applications,
health initiatives and strategies.
 Supported outcome
measurement to evidence
effectiveness of programmes
P
R
O
C
E
S
S
O
U
T
C
O
M
E
Programme Funding S

9. Learning Points:
 Leadership and buy in from partners is essential.
 Making the links between health messages and the needs of
community providers.
 Using a variety of methods can have the best outcomes for
capacity building; these should have a clear link with changes
in one area impacting on other areas.
 If it’s not working… Stop doing it!
 Change brings fear… keep things as simple and straightforward
as possible

10. How do these initiatives lead to the Improved
Capacity for Mental and Emotional Wellbeing?
 People are well informed and motivated to look after
their own mental health and that of others.
 People have positive and accepting attitudes to people
with mental health problems.

11. Final Comments
Rome wasn’t built in a day!!

12. Contact Details
www.clearproject.co.uk
shauna@derryhc.com