Glasgow mental health charity Men Matter Scotland appealing for funds
Men Matter Scotland is appealing for funds to allow it to continue its street team.
Over the past 12 weeks, the charity has sent volunteers to patrol Drumchapel on Friday and Saturday nights and offer support to the vulnerable but fears it may not be able to fund the project beyond summer.
Operations manager Fraser Devine believes the initiative has made a big impact.
He said: “It is something we have wanted to start for a while because there are local hotspots for suicide in Drumchapel and the surrounding areas.
“We had the hub in Drumchapel but often guys struggle to come in the door with anxiety.”
The project has been funded by a £3,000 grant the charity was awarded through the Youth Philanthropy Initiative. YPI is a scheme that promotes charitable causes by getting school pupils to find a cause they feel would be deserving of the sum and present their case in front of a judging panel.
At the start of this year, two fifteen-year-old pupils from Drumchapel High School won the fund for Men Matter Scotland.
Devine added: “The girls came into the hub for a tour and an explanation of what we do, and they won the £3000 through that.
“We put the money to good use by training four guys to do the street team. The training was done through the G15 youth project.”
The volunteers begin the night by walking around Drumchapel looking for people who look sad or need someone to talk to.
In addition, someone is on call so that if a family member knows somebody struggling, they can phone in.
“Someone went missing in Milnagarvie on Friday and the guys were away to help them look for the individual,” Devine said.
“They’ll then make sure they get safe, whether that is by bringing them to the hub to get them a cup of tea and get them into the homeless unit in the town or if that is by getting them counselling.”
Finally, they cycle around the canal to look for any individuals who are at risk of taking their life.
Devine added: “We’ve had eight interventions, so it is proving to be working. The trouble is the funding runs out.
“We’ve got £1000 left and the funding will run out by the summer so we’re just hoping that somebody sees these articles and thinks that’s worthwhile funding to help save someone’s life.”
Anyone willing to donate can do so at: https://www.menmatterscotland.org/donate
