Pilots launched in UK to help people with mental health conditions ready themselves for work

03/07/2023

Fedcap Clubhouse

Fedcap Clubhouses Logo

An innovative new pilot scheme is being rolled out in the UK to support people with mental health conditions ready themselves for employment.

Not for profit organisation Fedcap, which delivers the Restart Scheme on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions, is opening two Clubhouses in Burnley in the North West and Staines in Surrey.

They are based on the existing successful model run by our US-based parent company, The Fedcap Group, accredited by global not-for-profit organisation, Clubhouse International.

Clubhouse is a space where people with mental health conditions can go and experience a work-ordered day. People who attend aren’t customers or clients, but members, who join Clubhouse to gain experience in various roles to build confidence in the workplace, learn and improve their skills set and increase their readiness for employment.

Brian Bell, CEO of Fedcap, said: “Almost a quarter of people who are economically inactive across the UK have reported a mental health condition – 600,000 people. Behind those numbers are individuals and families who are stuck and can’t progress, often waiting months for support due to the sheer numbers in our health system.

“Half of our customers reference mental health as a key barrier to work and we’ve been actively looking for ways to expand our mental health support – particularly for those whose mental health challenges are causing them to struggle to engage not only with work, but with everyday routines.”

Opening today, the Clubhouses in Burnley and Staines will be the second and third of their kind to launch in the UK. There is currently only one other accredited Clubhouse in the UK – Mosaic in Brixton, London.

At Clubhouse, members make their own decisions, discussing how they want to structure their day and supporting each other to achieve daily tasks.

 

Brian added: “We’ll spend the next three months working with and learning from our members in our two Restart pilot sites, sharing our insights and experiences with our funders, DWP, with our aim to expand the initiative to further locations.”

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