A new project to help mental wellbeing across Leicestershire has been launched.  

Mental Health Friendly Places is a new initiative that aims to train local organisations and groups to become a Mental Health Friendly Place.  

The partnership project is led by Leicestershire County Council and offers free training programmes delivered by a dedicated team.

The training will help any organisation recognise the signs and symptoms of poor mental health, have healthy conversations and signpost to local mental health and wellbeing services. 

Mental Health Friendly Places has been created to help support and encourage local people to start or support conversations about mental health. 

Everyone is encouraged to engage from barbers, and pubs to tattoo artists and community centres. 

A survey by Mind charity found that one in four feel a non-judgemental space in the community where they could talk and listen to others would support their wellbeing. 

Training is split into three levels, and ranges from awareness sessions through to mental health first aid training.

Councillor Louise Richardson, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "The mental health of ourselves and others is so important, no matter what age you are, and this joint initiative gives us the chance to ensure that trained locations can have positive conversations with people about their mental wellbeing. 

"I'm pleased that we can work with Leicester City Council and Rutland County Council so that we can get as many Mental Health Friendly Places as possible in all of our local areas, and I'd encourage any interested organisation to contact us for free training."

Cllr Vi Dempster Assistant City Mayor for education, libraries and community centres, said: "Mental health friendly places are making support accessible within local communities. In Leicester we already have organisations trained in mental health first aid and this builds on that to provide a wider community resource to support people where and when they need it.

"People do not always want to access services due to time constraints or fear of being judge, this way people can have conversations about their mental health in an environment they feel comfortable in.

"By upskilling members of the community in mental health friendly places, we are giving them the confidence to have discussions about mental health and wellbeing. They will recognise signs and symptoms of poor mental health, ask appropriate questions, listen effectively and signpost to local mental health and wellbeing services."

More information about how to sign up and become a mental health friendly place can be found HERE.