The Michael John Murphy Bursary Scheme

Michael John Murphy
27th January 1953 - 11th June 2006

This is the fourth year of The Michael John Murphy Bursary Scheme under which small projects with budgets which might prohibit them from receiving our in-house training can now access a full day’s in-house training course, as a donation, under the Scheme.

There will also be one place reserved at all public courses, when announced, for application under the Scheme.

The criteria is that the applying Project or Agency are involved with either Mental Health; Children & Family or Drug & Alcohol issues and has a limited training budget.

The size of the group for training is not limited other than they must be attached to the project either as a volunteer or staff member.

The 2011 Recipient is St Vincents Housing Learning & Guidance - a housing project for single homeless substance misuers seeking to make life changes.

Set up in 1999, the Project is a bridge for adults to use to take them to more purposeful and socially positive lifestyles.

St Vincents works in partnership with Serenity House, a local day treatment programme. Staff at the Treatment Cente and St Vincents work together for the good of their mutual clients.

 

HRH Duchess of Cornwall with Emmaus Oxford

Steve James, the Project Manager, explains the remit of Emmaus: "We provide accommodation to people who are at risk or are homeless - we provide clients with a reason to their day, a reason to have hope for the future, to get skills they need to move on in their lives and to help others at the same time. We do this by attempting to create a home environment, and giving everyone a role to play within the community, whether that be the cooking, cleaning or working at the furniture recycling store".

2009 recipient was CREST Waltham Forest Mental Health Befriending Service

Crest provides one to one volunteer support to befriend people who experience significant and lasting mental and emotional ill health, compounded by isolation and loneliness. Currently, CREST is working in partnership with Qalb Asian Mental Health Services to develop a befriending service for the Asian community in Waltham Forest. Since 2004, CREST has administered The Sunshine Club, an out-of-hours drop-in for people with mental health problems.

The aim of befriending is to offer support in the community to adults (18 and above) who are experiencing mental and or emotional distress. Following, or during, a period of mental ill health, people can experience loss of self-esteem, confidence and purpose as well as a loss of contact with friends, family and the wider community. Although they may have assistance from professional agencies or services, they may well lack any avenue through which to make social and other contacts and to ease their sense of isolation. In situations such as these, the Befriending Service can introduce a volunteer who will provide much-needed human contact.

The 2007 recipients of the Bursary were SUB19 Project in Hackney,London, who provide information, advice, support and counselling to young people up to the age of 19. .

The Trustees also allocated a free place at our public course in London in October 2007 to BASE, a project in Bristol that supports children, young people and families by providing activies and services that aim to influence health and welbeing in local communities.

The first project to benefit from the Scheme was: Crossroads South East Kent in Ashford, Kent.

Crossroads South East Kent is a registered charity and a non for profit company that provide informal carers with an opportunity to have a break from their caring role, to do whatever it is that they need to do to get some relief and relaxation for a morning, afternoon or evening once a week or more if the case warrants this.

The staff and carers of the Crossroads South East Kent project

The main objective of the project is try to reduce the stress levels that can often result as a consequence of loss of independence , loss of opportunity bereavement (even though the person they care for is still physically around), and social isolation.

The service is open to all informal carers across all age groups and across the range of disabilities, including palliative care and mental health issues.

If you wish to apply under the Michael John Murphy Bursary Scheme for a whole team in-house training event  or for a place on our public course in London.  Please email the following details with supporting details about the work of your Project to:
info@brief-therapy-uk.com

or telephone us with any questions you have on Tel: 0208 947 8093 prior to applying.

Name of authorised applicant:
Name of Project:
Address Tel No:
Email:
Remit of Project:
Reason for Applying:

 

 

 

 

Some St Vincents Team members
The 2010 Recipient of the Michael John Murphy Bursary was Emmaus, Oxford. The staff and residents are pictured below with HRH Duchess of Cornwall.