Wellbeing Care Packages

Initiative purpose:

This initiative is focussed on those who are going through difficult times and would benefit from knowing there are others who care about them.

Supported goals:

Work with local organisations and groups to improve attitudes towards mental health and to implement early intervention programs

Improve access to information and resources to support mental fitness

Be a visible, proactive, and positive presence in our communities

What are we doing:

We have worked with partner organisations who have identified young people to us, going through great challenges with their wellbeing.

We asked ourselves: What can we do to help these young people (and their families) build resilience and encourage and motivate them to pursue a more positive path to overcome the wellbeing difficulties they face?

Together with our partner organisations we created a ‘wellbeing care package’ for three young people facing such challenges. Each package was made up of relevant reading materials (books), chocolates, pens, leaflets and other personalised items. Our intention was to:

Demonstrate to the young person that others cared about them
Encourage self-care for the young person
Signpost the young person to materials and groups that would support, advise and encourage them on a more positive path for their mental fitness and wellbeing.

Encouraging responses to our three test scenarios, have meant that the Will Garvey Trust Foundation are now looking to run a pilot in 4Q23 with partner organisations (who will identify and select young people that could benefit from a ‘wellbeing care package”). If the pilot is successful we will roll out a larger programme in our local community in 2023/24.

The trustees have approved the pilot project and grants have been secured from two sources (Derbyshire County Council Small Grants Scheme and the Vernon Robert Baumer Foundation).

More about our Wellbeing Care Packages

Our pilot project is up and running and so far we have delivered 11 Care Packs to young people and families in our local area.

We are working, in the first instance, with EMA Training in Derby. Referrals are made by apprentice mentors and staff who provide anonymous information about each young person. They also try to select one item that is personal to each individual. This might be a voucher for a particular shop, something relating to a hobby, or simply something the young person might enjoy. The Care Packs consist of a range of items including ‘smellies’, a candle, something delicious to eat, a book, and mindfulness colouring, along with a postcard and a trinket designed by one of our volunteers, Emma Jane Bourne (Sweet Pea Designs). 100% of recipients agreed that the items in the Care Pack were helpful and one recipient said “I felt as though I was being thought about outside of just talking to someone and the care package actually helped me to find a new way to help myself relax”.

This project wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Derbyshire County Council Small Grants Scheme, and the Vernon Robert Baumer Foundation and we are grateful to their support of the project.