A NATIONAL mental health programme has launched a funding initiative to help projects which are tackling the stigma of mental health.

See Me, the organisation which works towards ending mental health discrimination, is making £230,000 available to schemes which can change the way people behave towards sufferers.

The Community Innovation Fund, the largest amount ever to be made available for projects of this kind in Scotland, hopes to tackle stigma in workplaces, in health and social care, with children and young people, in minority groups and in the general public.

Judith Robertson, See Me programme director, said: "We are creating a movement of people, groups and organisations all over Scotland who care about injustice and equal rights in society.

"The Community Innovation Fund is vital in bringing so many amazing ideas to life and allows us to support real changes in communities.

"However this funding will not just allow people to make changes in their area, but through our networks will allow people to share ideas, so they can inspire each other to make real changes all over the country.

"What is great about these projects is that they are led by people with lived experience of mental health problems, who are at the front of the drive for change."

In previous years, the funding has helped projects tackling a range of subjects including mental health in the justice system, discrimination towards students at universities and on public transport, as well as projects creating art and drama exhibitions.

The Hope Cafe in Lanark, South Lanarkshire, received funding last year for their Bun and Blether project which runs workshops in different organisations, helping people to open up about mental health issues.

The cafe's Lisa Cameron said: "The funding from See Me has created two paid positions for our project. These positions have enabled us to create, continue to develop and deliver the workshops across Lanarkshire.

"We are encouraging organisations that it's not enough to just 'talk' about mental health.

"We stress that it is vital that they make changes to the language they use and the behaviours they display towards their colleagues experiencing challenges to their mental health."