Isorropia Mental Health Foundation Receives Funding To Continue Online Support

An Isle of Wight mental health and wellbeing organisation has received funding to continue its 'successful' online support for those in need.

Isorropia Foundation opened in 2019 and has offered multiple face-to-face activities and workshops to over 1,000 people since inception, and its team have created a new approach designed to empower individuals to take responsibility for their own wellbeing.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Isorropia Foundation prioritised the needs of members as well as the local community - deciding to rapidly transform its provision to make its programme and interventions available online and over the phone.

Ami Cripps, public and member engagement lead, explains:

“As a team, we consolidated our skills to establish and invite our members to a private online Facebook area. Within days we had implemented an online structure, including daily morning videos, topic videos based around managing mental health, daily livestreams and even some interactive fun!

"We also worked with partners to provide telephone support to community volunteers and the vulnerable people they were supporting.”

The foundation received a grant from local charitable organisation, WightAID, in July, which enabled it to build a media studio to enhance its online programming and create more content. 

Further funding was awarded from the National Lottery Coronavirus Support Fund, as Charlie Bell, CEO, explains:

“We were fortunate in September to receive confirmation that we had been awarded funding from the National Lottery Coronavirus Support Fund. This meant that we could expand our workforce to help more members and reach further across the Island communities.”

To date, online engagement has exceeded original expectations, reaching over 17,500 people in November alone.

The daily programme of activities hosted on the private Facebook page (available 24/7) attracted 245 of the 264 members to register online, with an average of 122 members interacting each day during the week and 111 members over the weekends.

The adapted online services, as well as supporting existing members, also enabled sixty new members to join and benefit from structured peer-led support during the initial lockdown period.

Vicki Haworth from Isorropia, said:

“Isorropia Foundation would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us so generously.

"Your encouragement and backing have helped to transform our organisation to meet the specific needs arising from this pandemic, and to improve the wellbeing and resilience of our Island communities disrupted by Covid-19."

If you, or someone you know, would benefit from mental wellbeing support, speak to your GP in the first instance.

The Isorropia Foundation website contains a number of resources and videos that may help you, and you can find their public Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/isorropiafoundation/.