Home Secretary Amber Rudd visited Aspirations this week to speak with staff about how they work with vulnerable people to help them build their confidence and discover tools to manage their mental health. She praised the service, recognising that mental health affects 1 in 4 people and is the biggest issue for those signed off work.
During her visiting the Hastings and Rye MP explained, ‘I am sure this new support service dedicated to helping those struggling with mental health and the unemployed will be beneficial to helping people regain their confidence, feel less isolated and find new coping strategies. Ultimately, if Aspirations can help people back into work, volunteering or education it will be providing an invaluable service.’
Aspirations was launched in the summer and is a Building Better Opportunities (BBO) project – jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund. It is a free service which provides support for those who are out of work and struggling to cope with everyday life. The scheme aims to help individuals:
It is designed to improve the lives of people who feel their metal heath is affecting their ability to find and hold down regular employment.
After the visit, Mark Pinkney, operations manager at Aspirations, said ‘We’re very grateful for the Home Secretary’s visit because it’s really important that MPs understand how services like ours can benefit their constituents. The more we work together, the greater our chances of helping some of society’s most vulnerable people when they most need it. We sincerely hope that Ms Rudd tells her Parliamentary colleagues about the work that we do and encourages them to support similar work being carried out in their constituencies.’
Aspirations is a partnership between Porchlight, North Kent Mind, Sussex Community Development Association and Runway Training, working across Kent and East Sussex to tackle poverty and promote social inclusion.
Contact Aspirations:
Phone – 01227 314037
Email – [email protected]
