Every single one of Blackpool’s 10,937 10-16 year olds is set to receive help thanks to a £10 Million boost from the Big Lottery Fund.



Blackpool Council has been successful in its bid of £9,996,247 to the Big Lottery Fund’s HeadStart programme.

HeadStart is a programme designed tobuild the resilience of our young residents to help prevent them from developing mental health problems as they get older.

In 2014 the council was granted £500,000 to trial a number of initiatives before submitting a bid for the full funding.

Over the last 18 months more than 1200 young people have benefitted from schemes such as Walk and Talk where young people have had counselling sessions outside the normal setting of a meeting room. Young people embraced the approach to the full, with sessions taking place everywhere from animal sanctuaries to parks to kitchens. They reported that the activities and locations helped them to open up in a way which couldn’t happen in a meeting room.

Cllr Graham Cain, Cabinet Secretary at Blackpool Council, said: “During the last 18 months we have trialled a number of projects and now we have a much better idea of what works and what doesn’t. Our proposals are ambitious but if they work as well as we know they can, we will change thousands of lives for the better.

“Having an approach which makes our young people more resilient is so important. It’s easier to get on in life and overcome challenges if you feel emotionally strong and have a way of coping.

“It is heart-warming to read the case studies written by the young people that HeadStart has already helped. This funding is going to help so many people, every single young person between the ages of 10 and 16 years old will benefit from HeadStart.

“I would like to thank and congratulate our Young People's Executive Group, which has helped us to develop and strengthen our partnership into a real force; by challenging professionals to make the right decisions.

“Only our young people know what growing up in Blackpool in 2016 is like, and they have taken the lead in teaching us how this investment can work for them.â€

Taylor Morrison Eaves, 18, Chair of the Young People's Executive Group, said: “ If someone had told me three years ago that I would now be finishing a Performing Arts Course at College with amazing grades, going to University doing something I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember and have to confidence to perform at the Grand Theatre, do presentations about what I'm passionate about and go and get what I want, I wouldn't have believed you, and it's mostly thanks to HeadStart Blackpool.

“HeadStart Blackpool has taught me so many new skills that are so useful in various situations; they've taught me interview techniques, how to lead a workshop, evaluation skills and so much more that is going to come in handy in the future.

“I think HeadStart Blackpool is vital for the young people in Blackpool and the young people who will join us in the future. Building resilience is key to helping young people have the strength and confidence to face life's adversities and ask for help when they need it.â€

Lyn Cole, Big Lottery Fund England grant-making director,said: “Mental health issues in early teens, if not tackled early, can develop into more serious conditions, impacting on school results and opportunities later on in life. HeadStart has been developed with young people to ensure that mental health is embedded in a school’s culture and pupils’ emotional welfare is recognised as fundamental to their overall achievement. This will raise awareness, tackle stigma and enable young people to seek the support they need when they have problems and are under stress. This funding will make a huge difference to the development of young people at a crucial time in their lives.â€

HeadStart Blackpool is a partnership made up of Blackpool Council, health, schools, police, voluntary sector and most importantly young people