A PROJECT between York St John University and local mental health service providers has been awarded £15,000 for further development.

The project, called Building Bridges, sees students and lecturers delivering theatre and other arts-based courses to people who use mental health services, with the aim of developing expertise, skills and knowledge.

Building Bridges has received a Higher Education Social Entrepreneurship Award from the charity UnLtd, and the Higher Education Social Entrepreneurship to help develop the scheme as a social enterprise.

Dr Nick Rowe, senior lecturer at York St John University, leads the project, and said development of Building Bridges would benefit students and society.

“The project is an innovation in line with current agendas relating to widening participation and lifelong learning in the Higher Education sector and to social inclusion in the mental health field,” he said.

“It offers valuable ways for students to develop the attitudes and insights needed to work with people who use mental health services and it inevitably challenges the cultural attitudes that surround mental illness.”

The project began in January 2007 with An Introduction To Theatre course run by staff and students and offered to local people who use mental health services.

Beverley Hunter, from North Yorkshire Community and Mental Health Services, said Building Bridges had been well supported and created fantastic opportunities.

“Our partnership with York St John has created fantastic opportunities for people who use our mental health services to have exposure to education that may not otherwise have been available,” she said.

“The feedback we have received from our service users and their families is overwhelming in support of this very exciting project.”

The university now offers two theatre courses, a dance and music courses each year, and supports a performing company, Out Of Character, who performed at York Theatre Royal earlier this month.

Project leaders plan to use the development funds to secure national recognition for the scheme, and ensure its long-term sustainability.