PP17102 - HeadStart - Place to Go / Work with Parents / News Hounds

“We want to equip young people to cope better with difficult circumstances, preventing them from experiencing common mental health problems before they become serious issues.”
- The Big Lottery Fund

Wolverhampton is one of 6 HeadStart partnerships in the country to have been successfully awarded funding from the Big Lottery to work with young people aged 10 – 16 and their parent/carers to improve emotional and mental health, mental wellbeing and resilience.

The HeadStart programme aims to realise the following outcomes:

1. Socially significant improvement in the mental wellbeing of at risk young people.
2. Reduction in the onset of diagnosable mental health disorders.
3. Improved engagement in school and improved academic attainment.
4. Reduced engagement in ‘risky’ behaviour.
5. Improved employability.

Do you want to work with us to help us achieve these outcomes?

HeadStart Wolverhampton is seeking the services of organisations with the ambition, track record, skills and experience to work in Partnership with us to deliver our Phase 3 programme.

The contracts will be operational for up to 37 months from 1 December 2017 and reviewed on an annual basis. HeadStart is a ‘test and learn’ programme that needs to ‘flex’ and ‘adapt.’

The services will be delivered through nine lots:

Place to Go (4 Lots)
Work with Parents (4 Lots)
HeadStart News Hounds (Nb: this will be a 13 months’ contract initially, and be delivered across all areas – 1 Lot)

The activities and interventions will be concentrated in the four HeadStart geographical areas which are:

Area A: Low Hill, The Scotlands & Bushbury.
Area B: Springfield, Heath Town, Park Village, Old Heath/Eastfield.
Area C: Bilston East.
Area D: All Saints, Blakenhall, Parkfields & Ettingshall.

Interested providers should have experience of leading or contributing to a similar service transformation programme, and should have an excellent understanding of the mental wellbeing needs of young people aged 10 to 16 in the HeadStart Wolverhampton geographical areas.

Successful organisations will also be able to demonstrate:

• Realistic, robust organisational self-assessment and learning.
• Some track record of delivering sustainable transformation with young people through community based programmes.
• An ambitious but achievable programme of activities and interventions to support HeadStart in meeting its desired outcomes.
• A clear understanding of the change management process needed to achieve transformation.
• An ability to anticipate and negotiate potential barriers.
• A realistic approach to future sustainability for their programme.

Bidders can be either private, third sector, and/or partnerships and consortia, and can bid for either single or multiple lots and locations.

You can find out more about our HeadStart programme at programme at www.headstartonline.co.uk.