Trainee Clinical Psychologist Carly Spicer made her mark during a work placement by helping a social enterprise secure £100,000 of government funding.

Carly, who is studying for a Clinical Psychology Doctorate at The University of Birmingham, recently completed her fourth placement with Midlands Psychology, a Stafford-based organisation that provides mental health and community support services to children, young people and families. 

Carly supported the Ten-19 staff team in securing funding to launch a Peer Mentoring Social Action Programme across Staffordshire. 

She provided contributions to the funding application and presented the project to a panel during an application interview with the Cabinet Office in January. 

The Cabinet Office launched the fund last year and received 687 applications from across the UK. The Ten-19 proposal was one of only 26 chosen for funding. 

Carly said: “It was incredibly nerve-wracking but I was really honored to be chosen to present on Ten-19’s behalf and am thrilled that we have been awarded the funding for this exciting project.”

Ten-19 focuses on building links with Staffordshire services for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people and improving outcomes for them by creating opportunities for education, recreation and lifestyle change.

The project will target vulnerable and disengaged young people between the ages of 10 and 19 who are on the periphery of offending. 

It will also provide voluntary opportunities for ex-offenders aged between 18 and 26 to become trained and develop their skills as mentors.

The evaluation of the project will be provided by the University of Birmingham’s Dr Gary Law and Dr Ruth Butterworth, who also contributed to the funding application.

If you are a local provider of recreation activities or educational services to young people in Staffordshire and would like more information about the project email Sarah Greenhaf.

For details about becoming a mentor visit Midlands Psychology's website.