Southwark Partnership Award – Mental Health & Wellbeing Activities
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) are inviting applications from grassroots and community based VCSE organisations in Southwark to deliver accessible, culturally relevant activities that promote mental health, wellbeing, and social connection.
The Partnership Awards form part of the wider Southwark VCSE Community Co-Operative, supporting a stronger, more coordinated ecosystem of community-led mental health provision across the borough.
About the award
We are funding organisations to provide activities that:
- Promote mental health and wellbeing
- Reduce isolation and strengthen social connections
- Support culturally diverse, faith and racialised communities
- Offer inclusive, low-risk activities suitable for residents and CMHC service users
- Build stronger links between VCSE groups and CMHC teams
Activities must take place in at least one Southwark neighbourhood:
- Borough
- Bermondsey & Rotherhithe
- Camberwell & Walworth
- Peckham & Nunhead
- Dulwich
Organisations can apply for one fixed annual grant:
£5,000 · £10,000 · £15,000 · £20,000 · £24,999
Funding is awarded annually over a 24month delivery period.
After 12 months, a review will be carried out to inform future commissioning.
Who Can Apply
Eligible applicants include:
- Grassroots VCSE groups
- Registered charities
- CICs (with 2+ directors)
- Not for profit companies (e.g., CLGs)
- CIOs and Community Benefit Societies
- Grassroots organisations: Locally based, community-led groups that emerge from the interests and needs of community members. They operate on a bottom-up basis, prioritising local participation and decision-making rather than national or externally driven structures.
We particularly encourage applications from:
- Black- led Global Majority- led organisations
- Groups providing culturally specific or faith- informed mental health support
Hosted/umbrella arrangements are permitted with confirmation and a hosting agreement.
What We’re Looking For
Examples include:
- Creative arts, crafts and music
- Peer support and conversation circles
- Faith or spiritually informed wellbeing activities
- Movement, exercise or leisure groups
- Gardening, nature-based sessions
- Cooking, community meals and social gatherings
- Skills-based or educational sessions
Activities must be inclusive, accessible, and safe for residents with low- level mental health needs.
Requirements
By mobilisation (July 2026), organisations must have:
- Safeguarding and complaints policies
- Risk assessments for activities
- Level 2 Safeguarding & Prevent training
- Enhanced DBS checks for staff/volunteers
- Basic governance and financial procedures
SLaM will provide induction, templates, training access, and ongoing support.
Application Timeline
- Applications open: Week Commencing 16 March 2026
- Deadline: 8 May 2026 (5 pm)
- Shortlisting: Mid–Late May 2026
- Interviews: Early June 2026
- Decisions: Late June 2026
- Mobilisation: Early July 2026
- Training & CMHC induction: July 2026
- Activity delivery begins: August 2026
How to Apply
Submit your application using the online form:
FAQs
Who can apply for the award?
Eligible organisations include Southwark-based VCSE organisations such as:
- Registered charities
- Community Interest Companies (CICs with 2+ directors)
- Not-for-profit companies (e.g., Companies Limited by Guarantee)
- Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs)
- Community Benefit Societies
- Grassroots organisations: Locally based, community-led groups that emerge from the
interests and needs of community members. They operate on a bottom-up basis,
prioritising local participation and decision-making rather than national or externally
driven structures. - Religious groups may apply if support is not dependent on taking part in religious
activities
What type of activities can be funded?
Any community-based activity that promotes mental health and wellbeing, reduces isolation, or strengthens social connections. Examples include: creative activities, peer support, faith-informed wellbeing, movement or exercise groups, gardening, community meals, social gatherings, skills-based or educational sessions.
Activities must be accessible, inclusive, culturally relevant, and suitable for residents with low-level mental health needs
How much funding is available?
Applicants can apply for one fixed annual grant of:
£5,000 · £10,000 · £15,000 · £20,000 · £24,999
Funding is awarded annually over a 24-month delivery period. A 12-month review will be undertaken to inform future commissioning.
Do we need to be a registered charity or CIC?
No. A range of legal structures are eligible, but organisations must be a legal entity for SLaM to process payments.
Hosted/umbrella arrangements are allowed, provided a registered organisation takes
responsibility for safeguarding, compliance, and financial management.
Do we need safeguarding documents in place before applying?
Not at the application stage.
However, safeguarding and complaints policies, risk assessments, and a designated Safeguarding Lead must be in place by the time of mobilisation (July 2026).
What training is required?
All delivery staff and volunteers must have Level 2 Safeguarding and Prevent training, dated within the last 3 years (and refreshed every 3 years).
If your organisation cannot access this training, SLaM can facilitate i
Do we need Enhanced DBS checks?
Yes. All staff and volunteers delivering activities must have an Enhanced DBS dated within the last 3 years, renewed every 3 years.
DBS costs must be included in the project budget
Will we be expected to work with service users from the Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC)?
Activities must be suitable for CMHC service users whose needs can be appropriately supported in a community setting.
You may receive referrals, but the level of referral will vary depending on the service user's needs and organisational suitability.
What monitoring is required?
A light-touch, supportive approach, including:
- Simple participant and engagement numbers
- Quarterly monitoring meetings
- Participant feedback or short case examples
- Forecasted and actual spend updates
Templates will be provided
When will the activities begin?
- Mobilisation: Early July 2026
- Induction & CMHC training: July 2026
- Activity delivery starts: August 2026
How do we get support with the application?
SouthwarkVCSE@slam.nhs.uk (Attn: Seun Popoola
