GAMH Financial Inclusion Development Project
" People with mental health problems are more likely than the general population to be unemployed, rely on complex benefits and need advice and support with financial management. Mainstream advice services are less effective at reaching disabled and chronically sick people and informal services may not have the necessary training and support to provide the advice needed…" (Improving financial inclusion and access to money advice. Louise Dobbie and Morag Gillespie, Scottish Poverty Information Unit September 2009)
The GAMH financial inclusion development project which has been funded since 2007 has tested approaches and developed good practice to improve access to money advice services and raise awareness of the experiences of financial exclusion faced by mental health service users.
The project was formally evaluated by the Scottish Poverty Information Unit at Glasgow Caledonian University in 2009. The report found that the project had demonstrated consideral progress improving the reach and impact of mainstream local money advice services and is a sustainable model for service development.
The report also acknowledged the efforts of the project to provide financial inclusion awareness raising sessions to service users and carers from all communities in Glasgow including those for whom mental health is an issue and who tend to experience persistent inequalities and disadvantage.
"At the last event there were people from all communities across Glasgow, so there was people from the Chinese community there. There was people from the LGBT community, people coming from the Asian women's group so there was interpreters there…" (GAMH Steering Group member)
The project is now funded through NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde monies until July 2012. This next period will focus on delivering a series of financial capability awareness sessions to key staff within the community health teams, expanding the supported referral network to other service user groups and providing mental health awareness sessions to money advice agencies.
If you want further information on the project, please contact Marie Burns on 0141 552 5592 or Email: moneyadvice@gamh.org.uk