Change Mental Health’s pioneering and innovative collaboration with Kingdom Housing Association, which is the first of its kind, demonstrates positive impact in its first report.

Over the first six months of service delivery, impact has been demonstrated by delivering integrated, holistic and person-centred support for tenants and communities. The report covers the project, referral pathways, service engagement and supported transition, as well as feedback and reflections from both Change Mental Health and Kingdom Housing Association.

Key impact statistics from the service include:

• 24 referrals, reflecting both the ongoing demand for accessible mental health support and the trust place in the service to respond to a diverse range of tenant needs.
• 58 hours of dedicated support delivered, with several tenants now actively receiving one-to-one support.
• Sessions are mainly focusing on emotional regulation, wellbeing planning, social reconnection and sustaining tenancies.
• Anxiety and depression are two predominant mental health conditions reported in tenants referred to the services, with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) featuring quite highly.
• The method in which people receive support varies, from digital means to a home visit.

read the full report

In the report, Ashley McKnight, a Neighbourhood Officer in the Mid-Market Rent team at Kingdom Housing Association, says:

“Most of the people we deal with have never had support. They’ve just cracked on with it. But behind the scenes, especially after Covid, it’s anxiety, depression and things building up. And they don’t know that there’s a place they can turn to.

“There was one tenant who hadn’t left the house in ages – they wouldn’t have reached out to a GP. Isla went in, sat down and within minutes they were talking about things we would never hear. She helped them deal with their mental health but also flagged the physical health issue they’d been ignoring.

“It benefits the association too – building trust, improves communication and helps us understand people better. If tenants feel like we’re actually helping, they’re more likely to speak to us, which makes everything easier – from arrears to engagement.”

The partnership first began in November 2024, offering a version of the Resilience service within Kingdom’s Tenancy Support Service. Through the Mental Health Resilience Support Worker, essential support helps tenants to build mental, emotional and behavioural resilience. The service ensures that customers can cope with challenges that will lead to more secure and sustained tenancies, giving them the tools and confidence to thrive within their communities.