Applications Now Open for Lambeth and Southwark VCSE Inreach Project
Applications are now open for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs) in Lambeth and Southwark to take part in the new South London and Maudsley VCSE Inreach Project, launching in early 2026.
To access the application forms, service specifications and more information: www.slam.nhs.uk/VCSE
The programme will run across 25 inpatient wards and aims to bridge the gap between inpatient care and community life by connecting people with meaningful, culturally relevant activities and support.
As part of the project, successful applicants will receive £12,250 of funding per ward, with each organisation able to apply to work on up to three wards.
This yearlong initiative will bring local grassroots organisations onto our inpatient wards to deliver evening and weekend activities to create more therapeutic environments and support service users in their recovery journey.
Hannah Tendler, Community Partnerships Officer, said: “During evenings and weekends, our service users can have a tough experience on the wards due to a lack of structured activities, and feelings of isolation and boredom. This project aims to address those issues while also supporting our service users with the transition back into community living. If they engage in an activity while on the ward, knowing they can do a similar activity with the same group in the community gives them something to look forward to and supports their recovery journey.”
The project team will continue to work with service users and staff to ensure that the activities that will be implemented on the wards are both enjoyable and supportive of overall wellbeing. Service users have expressed an interest in a broad range of activities, including music, art, exercise and mindfulness. One service user shared that activities on the ward give them “the opportunity to laugh and care for each other.”
Hannah said: “We really hope to hear from a wide range of organisations across the boroughs so we can focus on finding the perfect match for the diverse and bespoke needs of our service users. We serve some of the most culturally diverse boroughs in the UK and therefore, we will be prioritising applications from Black-led organisations to ensure we can deliver culturally appropriate activities for our service users. This project is a powerful one with the ability to improve the experiences of our staff and our service users through support from the incredible voluntary groups in our areas that sit at the heart of the community.”
Cofunded by Maudsley Charity and the NHS England Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme, this project offers an important opportunity for local groups to make a tangible impact on the wellbeing and longterm recovery of people receiving inpatient care with us.
