The Benefits of Investing in Youth Mental Health - Tellmi Sponsorship
We’ve all seen the headlines: “Buckling NHS fails to treat 250,000 children with mental health problems”.
One in five young people now has a mental health problem, but the NHS is struggling to manage surging caseloads. Open referrals to Children and Young People's Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are at a record high of over 466,000¹ and the threshold for treatment is now so high that one-third of all referrals are rejected. When six children in every classroom are struggling, we desperately need scalable solutions.
Tellmi is a multi-award winning mental health support service that is evidenced to improve mental health in young people². Over the last 12 months, Tellmi has supported 762 young people who were suicidal and 14,000 young people who were dealing with issues such as anxiety, depression, or self-harm. Providing mental health support before, rather than after a child reaches crisis point is better for children, parents, and teachers, and it is also more cost-effective for the NHS. However, in the post-pandemic landscape, young people’s mental health is not being prioritised in the way that it should be. Tellmi is funded by the NHS in three regions, but the labyrinthine procurement process can take years. We believe that young people deserve better, faster, access to support, so we’ve launched Tellmi Sponsorship.
Now, for the first time, organisations across the UK can help Tellmi to deliver mental health support to young people as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. CSR is predicated on the belief that companies should be good neighbours and should think about how their actions affect people and places at a local, National, and Global level. Well-planned CSR strategies benefit the community but they can directly benefit businesses too. Research shows that over 90% of shoppers worldwide are likely to switch to brands supporting a good cause, and engaging in socially valuable projects can reduce employee turnover by 50%.³
Through Tellmi Sponsorship, organisations can now provide mental health support to young people in their local community. They can sponsor a school, or schools, in a chosen area, and Tellmi will provide all the young people with access to evidenced mental health support. Tellmi data insights enable companies to track their impact, share success stories, and celebrate the positive change they have brought to their local community. It's a unique opportunity that offers substantial benefits to everyone involved.
Sam Cande CEO at Responsible Futures, an organisation that educates, inspires, and guides businesses to become more sustainable and socially responsible says ‘Supporting communities and being socially responsible in the context of mental health transcends traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) because it's about genuine commitment. It reflects a company's recognition that mental health is a pervasive societal issue that affects its workforce, customers, and stakeholders. Going beyond CSR demonstrates a sincere dedication to human well-being, which, in turn, generates goodwill, trust, and sustainable growth for the organisation.’
If you would like to learn more about Tellmi Sponsorship and how your investment could improve the lives of children and young people in your area please get in touch.
References
Ravaccia GG, Johnson SL, Morgan N, Lereya ST, Edbrooke-Childs J Experiences of Using the Digital Support Tool MeeToo: Mixed Methods Study JMIR Pediatr Parent 2022;5(4):e37424
