To increase the support available to communities, helping to improve wellbeing, Torus Foundation is proud to lead on a new initiative working with parents across Liverpool.

Thanks to funding from Public Health Liverpool and The Life Rooms at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, the Foundation has been commissioned to work with local partners to deliver family wellbeing and resilience first aid training through an initiative titled Look aHEAD.

Part of a pilot from Public Health Liverpool and The Life Rooms at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, to provide a community based mental health prevention offer which will support individuals and communities post the COVID-19 pandemic. Their Micro-Commissioning Programme is working with organisations from the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE), to encourage activities, initiatives and partnerships across communities to support the health and wellbeing needs of Liverpool residents.

The Foundation have partnered with national provider, Interface Enterprises, to deliver the family wellbeing and resilience first aid training to parents, carers, guardians and people looking after children recruited by ten community providers across Liverpool, with the opportunity to learn more about ways to improve wellbeing. At the end of each training session, participants are encouraged to identify their own personal targets to work towards which are reviewed regularly.

The training will cover how to increase family and carer resilience followed by monthly group discussions and support sessions. Leaders from the community providers have been trained up to facilitate these sessions. These conversations will provide a reflection space and give those looking after children, a chance to meet others with similar experiences.

The sessions are also an opportunity to help identity if further training needs and support for participants is required, of which the organisations involved are able to make relevant referrals to other key partner organisations.

Parent participant, Becky commented,

“It was great to have the chance to sit and talk to other parents and share our experiences. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who has trouble understanding why my son won’t listen to me.”

Positive Pathways is one of the ten community providers currently working with participants.

Nikki Jones, Director at Positive Pathways North West adds,

“We as an organisation have enjoyed hosting the course. It was lovely to see the parents, carers and guardians have the space to talk to others in similar situations to them.

“They were able to empower each other by sharing how they deal with different situations and discuss how to do things differently. As parents they don’t often have the time to reflect and think about how they ‘parent’.

Between now and Summer 2023 the community organisations will have supported 300 participants through the Look aHEAD initiative.

Helen Cibinda Ntale, Head of Health and Wellbeing, Torus Foundation said,

“It’s a great recognition for Torus Foundation to have been commissioned for Look aHEAD and we’re delighted to be part of an important initiative providing non-judgemental support and reassurance for those looking after young people.

“The Foundation collaborates with like-minded organisations to help maximise our varied programme of support. For Look aHEAD, we’ve selected community groups to help us take the training forward benefitting families by raising awareness, reducing stigma around mental health and increasing confidence for families to speak to young people about the issues they be struggling to open up about.”

Michael Crilly, Mersey Care’s Director of Social Inclusion and Participation adds,

“We are so lucky to have such a diverse and vibrant voluntary sector in our City. The sector played a vital role in supporting our communities during the pandemic. As we work towards recovery, we are proud to commission such an inspirational range of VCSE organisations seeking to support our communities’ wellbeing through innovative activity and meaningful partnerships.”

In addition to the work community providers are carrying out, Torus Foundation is considering hosting an online session if there’s an interest to take forward.

If you live in Liverpool and are a parent, carer and guardian and would be keen to find out more, please email info@torusfoundation.org.uk and quote ‘Look Ahead’ for further details.

As the charitable arm of North West growth and regeneration group, Torus, the Foundation works with key partners to deliver a varied programme of support for communities. By working in partnership, the Foundation is able to increase access to opportunities and strengthen the support available focusing on employment and skills, financial and digital inclusion, youth provision, health and wellbeing.

While many of the initiatives target helping Torus tenants and residents, some of the projects like Look aHEAD is helping to benefit the wider community. Speak to the team to see what free support is available from Torus Foundation.