Huddersfield-based occupational health specialist, PROHMS, has partnered with The Howarth Foundation to provide free mental health support to individuals from across Kirklees and Leeds who have experienced homelessness.
PROHMS will provide two mental health referrals each month for a period of six months to clients of The Howarth Foundation who are being supported back into skills training and employment following chaotic lifestyles stemming from substance abuse, domestic violence, and homelessness.
PROHMS will donate the time spend delivering the referrals free of charge to The Howarth Foundation, a self-funding charity.
Sandra Babbings, CEO at PROHMS, said: “As a business, we are committed to giving back to our community and supporting others wherever possible.
“With mental health impacting so heavily on people’s lives, we hope that gifting this support will have a big impact on the general well-being of The Howarth Foundation’s clients and help them in their day to day lives.
“We will be offering referrals for individuals working with The Howarth Foundation that might need specialist mental health support.
“This could be one off counselling sessions, somebody to talk to confidentially, assessments and signposting to other services, or providing short term interventions and strategies that will hopefully enable the individual to better manage any symptoms, thoughts, and feelings they may be experiencing.”
Sandra added: “Mental health support improves overall mental well-being. Providing clients of The Howarth Foundation with access to specialist mental health support will help to improve their self-esteem, in turn boosting their confidence to interact with others and form relationships.
“It will improve their resilience and should give the individual a better understanding of their own mental health along with a toolkit of coping strategies, skills and interventions that will hopefully support them as they engage in employment.”
Andy Howarth, CEO at The Howarth Foundation, said: “We have known Sandra and the PROHMS team for a number of years. They are exceptional, and I am absolutely delighted that they have so kindly chosen to gift their skills and experience to The Howarth Foundation in the form of mental health referrals and guidance for our clients.
“We are an entirely self-funding charity and so to receive this support, which equates to a value of around £3,000, is truly fantastic
“Having mental health support immediately available for our clients who may need it has often been the missing link in their journey back into employment.
“To be able to now provide it through our partnership with PROHMS is an absolutely massive boost for The Howarth Foundation and our clients.”
The Howarth Foundation was founded in 2017 and its Business Building Futures programme helps people who are, or have recently been, homeless across Kirklees and Leeds develop the skills and confidence they need to get back into employment.
To date, the charity has placed 30 people into employment, 34 people into training, referred 17 people for housing assessments, and supported other individuals into addiction recovery programmes.
PROHMS was established in 2003 and delivers quality healthcare and training to help businesses improve the health of their employees, empower individuals, and maintain health and fitness both inside and outside the workplace.
