Time to Change announces closure
Fiona Simpson
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Mental health campaign Time to Change is set to close next year after the government said it was no longer able to fund the programme.
Announcing that the campaign, run by partners Rethink Mental Illness and Mind, will close on 31 March 2021 after 15 years, a statement from Time to Change said it had helped 5.4m people living with mental health problems.
Research shows people’s willingness to live, work and continue a relationship with someone experiencing a mental health problem has also increased by 11.6 per cent, it added.
“Despite this impressive track record, and identifying that the job is not yet done, the government has confirmed it is not in a position to fund the programme into the future,” the statement said.
The statement added that in the remaining months, Time to Change will continue to encourage people to be more open to mental health to help end the isolation, shame and worthlessness that too many of us feel when experiencing a mental health problem.
The campaign will continue to deliver the Ask Twice campaign in November and Time to Talk Day on Thursday 4 February 2021, it added.
“While Time to Change has been the principal mechanism by which its partners – Mind and Rethink Mental Illness – have delivered behaviour change at individual, organisational and community levels since 2006, the charities have always challenged, and will continue to challenge, stigma and discrimination in their own work.
“Over the next few months, Time to Change will turn its attention to embedding anti-stigma outcomes into the work of Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, while continuing to highlight the importance of tackling mental health stigma and discrimination to the government,” Time to Change said.
