iSE | Pitching for Mental Health Innovation Supported by Living Well UK
A huge congratulations to all our FUSE programme graduates who pitched their ideas in mental health innovation at iCentrum on Wednesday night.
The panel and audience were blown away by the passion, ideas and confidence of all our social entrepreneurs, each with determination to create positive change in society.
Nine candidates were shortlisted to pitch for five start-up grants supported by the Living Well UK Grant Fund. The funding aims to pilot and test innovative ideas that increase access to mental health services across the West Midlands.
On the panel were Simon Veasey, Adult Strategic Commissioning Officer at Coventry City Council, Reena Sidhu, Commercial Enterprises Lead, Digital Health Innovation, West Midlands Academic Health Science Network (WMAHSN), Ben Howells, CEO of Living Well UK and Harvinder Sohal, Living Well UK Marketing & Member Lead.
The funded projects were:
– MenTour, a mobile barbers initiative tackling men’s mental health through the barber’s chair.
– WINGS, a community based support group for autistic women.
– IBIC Change, working to create a cultural paradigm shift in black and minoritised communities to reduce the impact of mental health.
– Sophro By Nature, an East-meets-West early intervention pilot for children and young people with learning disabilities.
– Masterpeace CIC, tackling stigma and discrimination around mental health amongst young people.
The Pitch Night is the cumulation of six months of social enterprise support through iSE’s FUSE social enterprise start-up programme, delivered through masterclssses, 1-1 mentoring, peer support and access to eco-systems for growth.
Congratulations to all our winners and a huge well done to all that pitched before the audience and panel, you were all outstanding and your passion and commitment to social change shone.
For more on the next Health FUSE programme cohort starting in the Autumn, email elizabeth.forrester@i-se.co.uk
