St Mungo’s Lifeworks project shortlisted for Andy Ludlow award

03 July 2009

A mental health project tackling social exclusion by offering psychotherapy to homeless men and women has been shortlisted for a prestigious Andy Ludlow Award for services to the homeless.

The Lifeworks project, run by St Mungo's, London's largest homeless charity, offers homeless adults in Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea, Camden and Islington comprehensive access to psychological therapies.

The project is the first of its kind to offer access to fully-qualified psychotherapists regardless of diagnosis.

The service has had 263 referrals since January 2008, of which 63 percent have taken up a place in therapy. Assessment shows that 75 percent of clients are achieving positive outcomes, including taking up employment or training, renewing contact with families or taking up drug or alcohol treatment.

Tackling mental illness is a priority for St Mungo's. Around a third of rough sleepers have a diagnosed mental health problem - a percentage that hasn't changed in fifteen years and is over twice as high than in the general population.

Peter Cockersell, St Mungo's Director of Programmes, said: "We are delighted to have been shortlisted for this award. It comes at a time when breaking the link between mental ill health and homelessness is top of our agenda.

"Lifeworks plays a vital part in helping clients to learn to manage their lives in a way that does them less social, emotional and physical damage and brings them greater satisfaction and a greater ability to focus on their aspirations."

The short listing comes as St Mungo's prepares to launch its 40th anniversary Action Week with a £1 million Mental Health appeal to break the link between mental ill health and homelessness.

The money will go towards funding specialist staff (including a mental health specialist to work alongside our successful Putting Down Roots gardening programme); developing our supported housing for those with mental health problems; promoting well-being, extending training and enabling more research and lobbying projects.

In October St Mungo's will publish its Call for Evidence final report setting out a clear case for action and investment to break the link between mental ill health and homelessness.

For more information on St Mungo's Action Week visit: http://www.mungos.org/st_mungos_action_week_5-12_july_09/

ENDS.

Notes to Editor

  • For more information please contact Michelle Southby on 0208 762 5570 / 0797 901 8734 or michelle.southby@mungos.org
  • The Andy Ludlow Awards Ceremony is due to take place on 15 October 2009 at the British Library. The winner will receive £20,000 with £10,000 going to each of the runners-up and a further £1,000 going to the remaining shortlisted projects.
  • St Mungo's is London's largest charity for homeless people. We run every day of the year and each night house over 1,400 homeless men and women. St Mungo's run emergency services, support homeless people in their recovery, and work to prevent homelessness.
  • This year St Mungo's celebrates its 40th anniversary year. Events will include a St Mungo's Action Week from 5-12 July 2009, the launch of a £1m fundraising appeal on mental ill health and the publication of research about mental ill health and homelessness.
  • There are an estimated 3,400 rough sleepers on the streets of London over the course of last year.

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