Catalysts for change
We provided small grant funding that enabled community nurses and midwives to develop and deliver their own practice development projects aimed at promoting health equity.
We encouraged project leads to think about their project as a catalyst for broader change, and to work closely with local community groups and third sector agencies. These grants were dependent on availability of external funding sources and were awarded by a selection committee.
We had a successful two-year funding partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund, which supported the delivery of 23 projects, covering a broad range of topics, supporting young people, families, marginalised groups and those impacted by trauma.
Together the projects reached nearly 1000 people, with almost 600 people taking part directly in the activities provided and more than 350 staff and volunteers benefitting from training or development.
The nurses and midwives who were awarded funding told us they gained confidence, inspiration and skills from the experience:
The project has undoubtedly aided my personal and professional development, and I am constantly recommending QNIS to my colleagues. I was successfully appointed to [a promoted post in my NHS board]. I believe that the knowledge, skills and confidence I have gained whilst undertaking this project was an important factor in achieving this promotion.
I learned so much from this experience. I would be more confident to take on a project again and would take more leadership in the future.
Money isn’t everything but by having the access to the grant money it was a lot easier to get support from other groups, organisations and management with being able to take the project forward. It also raised my awareness of how communities are keen to support each other but sometimes they just need one person/group to help start the ball rolling.
As a result of this experience, I can’t wait to apply again for funding to develop another project!
Projects we've supported...
Family nurses increasing book ownership and improving core literacy skills for very young parents and language development for babies.
Mental health nurses providing highly supported outdoor educational opportunities for young people recovering from a first episode of psychosis.
Health visitors providing baby massage, baby wrap and baby walk classes, and training for facilitators, for a community with few existing resources.
Community health nurses providing and improving access to community activities such as yoga, for severely marginalised populations.
Mental health nurses enabling provision of specialist financial advice for people discharged from secure forensic mental health facilities.
Midwives ensuring perinatal mental health service development is informed by the voices and experiences of women and their families.
Family nurses increasing book ownership and parent-infant relationships for babies and very young parents.
Dementia nurse consultant providing a programme to improve the psychological wellbeing of family carers.
Care home nurses introducing Namaste Care for people with advanced dementia and their families.
Mental health nurses providing trauma-informed access to cervical screening for those who have experienced sexual violence.
Learning disability nurses improving pregnancy care and parenting support for parents with a learning disability.
Respiratory nurses improving early respiratory diagnosis and intervention for people reluctant to access mainstream services.
Community health nurses providing group-based social support to engage severely marginalised populations in health and wellbeing activities.
Family nurses developing a local peer support network to encourage and support breastfeeding among very young mums.
Family nurses promoting economic self-sufficiency through improving financial literacy for very young parents and their families.
Learning disability nurses adapting existing resources to teach emotion regulation skills for people with learning disabilities.
Community infant feeding nurses supporting breastfeeding mums by improving awareness in wider family networks.
Mental health nurses providing programmes of activities for socially isolated young people and supporting them to attend.
Community nurses codesigning a resource to help them, and others, deal with inverse traumatic stress.
Respiratory nurses creating a supported community singing group to improve respiratory health and reduce social isolation.
Cancer specialist nurses enabling psychotherapeutic help for young children affected by their parent’s cancer diagnosis.
Community yoga programme co-produced with and for women affected by trauma.
School nurses taking a whole school approach to improve resilience in pupils primary 4 – 7.