Scottish mental health charity receives support from Alstom Community Project Fund – Scottish Business News

ALSTOM, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has announced the recipients of its UK and Ireland 2023 Community Project Fund (CPF). Ten charities and community-led projects across the two countries will share more than £140,000, including SAMH, Scottish Action for Mental Health. Alstom employees are also being encouraged to use their annual volunteering day to offer additional support to the beneficiaries.

Alstom’s CPF aims to fund projects that deliver social and environmental value for the local communities in which the company operates in. This year, the CPF will support projects as varied as suicide prevention and youth mental health, as well as social mobility and employment support.

Staff are encouraged to nominate good causes as part of the annual funding cycle and then work with a charity or community group to complete an application for up to £30,000 (€35,000). A senior panel then reviews applications against a robust criteria and, if successful, the project sponsor continues to support the individual scheme through delivery.

“It’s fantastic to be able to award another round of funding for charities and community-led projects across the UK and Ireland. I was humbled to review the applications, as many of the projects were seeking relatively modest grants which, in turn, make a significant difference to people’s lives and prospects,” said Colin Haynes, Environment, Health and Safety Director at Alstom UK and Ireland.

He added: “It’s essential that we reflect the communities we serve, and the Community Project Fund is just one way we can do this. By supporting initiatives that address social and environmental needs, we not only contribute to the well-being of these communities, but also reinforce Alstom’s commitment to sustainable development and social responsibility.”

Funds awarded to SAMH will support the charity’s peer youth programme. As part of this, young people will volunteer to be trained as Youth Peer Supporters across 40 secondary schools and colleges in Scotland to support mental health conversations, signpost and organise wellbeing activities to develop positive coping mechanisms among peers.

“We were delighted to be awarded funding from the Alstom Community Project Fund to help us deliver our Mental Health Youth Peer Supporters training to young people in secondary schools. Young people are passionate about mental health and they are keen to learn more and to support each other. Our programme helps schools establish groups and opportunities for young people to access support and advice in a safe environment. Young people develop a range of skills and abilities by engaging in the training and it provides an excellent opportunity for them to contribute to the wellbeing of their school community,” said Billy Burke, Head of Development and Innovation for the Youth Peer Supporters programme at SAMH.

With 37 locations and 6,000 employees, Alstom is Ireland and the UK’s leading supplier of new trains and train services, and a leading signalling and rail infrastructure provider. One of Alstom’s signature UK sites is the Glasgow Traincare Centre in Polmadie. The railway depot is currently the main base of the Caledonian Sleeper service, where it is maintained and cleaned by over 100 staff who provide a round-the-clock service. Polmadie typically welcomes 17 trains per day, including Avanti West Coast’s fleet of Class 390 Pendolinos – built by Alstom.

In 2022, Alstom’s CPF supported nine projects which tackled multiple social and environmental challenges to a total value of £151,000. Recipients included Suited for Success, Railway Children, Glasgow Children’s Hospital, Casino Model Railway Museum and Widnes Foodbank.