VCMA Collaborative project - Mental Health UK

NGN are issuing this award notice to Mental Health UK. They are a National Mental Health charity that covers all of the UK and has representatives in each GDN area.

Mental Health UK are the only national charity that can cover all GDN areas at the same time.

Objectives

• To launch the new support service, 'Money Navigators', for customers who utilise MHUK support services, offering energy safeguarding and CO awareness as part of this extended service.
• To enable effective referral pathways from GDNs and their partners for customers with poor mental health in addressing pressing challenges with their utility costs; ensuring facilitated access to energy initiatives like the Warm Homes Discount scheme, the CO safety programme, supplier advocacy services to address energy debt, and access to key services like the Priority Services Register.
• To train all Mental Health & Money Advice Advisors and Navigators as energy specialists, so that anyone accessing the service via any referral mechanism can be supported with their utility needs.
• To introduce a new network of partners to support people with poor mental health through joined-up customer journeys, e.g., Gas Distribution Networks, Energy Saving Trust, StepChange, Age UK and Mental Health UK.
• To upskill and train GDN engineers and customer experience colleagues on mental health; helping them provide appropriate support and great service to customers experiencing mental health problems.

Training for Gas Distribution Networks

• Mental Health UK will carry out a need analysis discovery period to determine the specific requirements of GDN colleagues, primarily engineers, regarding mental health and how to support and signpost vulnerable customers with poor mental health and severe mental illness, as well as have to support engineers and wider colleagues with their own mental health.
• Mental Health UK will provide awareness training content to meet the needs of engineers and front-facing colleagues. This will be supplied for the adaption to the GDN's own E-Learning teams/external providers who will format the content to the relevant platforms. The e-learning can be used for the 2-year duration of the project, with an annual license fee to be agreed if the GDN's wish to use it thereafter.
• Mental Health UK will provide a range of learning that will encourage further learning and engagement for all (in the form of physical and downloadable resources), designed to equip engineers with the tools, understanding and knowledge of how to spot the signs of poor mental health, and how to compassionately signpost customers in need of support.