What weighs 6,000 tonnes and helps young minds feel better?

Published on 11.08.21

Feeling Strong is a charity that helps young minds feel better in Dundee.

Last year, thanks to your donations, we gave Feeling Strong a small grant to help them make tiny changes during the pandemic. They made huge changes!

The team delivered 2,500 food and care packages to vulnerable families in Dundee. That’s six tonnes of food! For five days a week, these deliveries helped take a little weight off young people and their families who needed that extra support when schools closed, work stopped, and payments were slow or not enough.

Two Feeling Strong Volunteers holding boxes with care packages inside

If we want to see a big shift in young people's mental health, we need to fund community action.

Throughout the pandemic, Feeling Strong have achieved a lot. They did even more for their community than the 2,500 care deliveries…

– They turned their popular ‘Drop-in-Hub’ into a video conferencing and text chat service;

– launched a ‘Covid Care Campaign’ with practical advice for managing and maintaining mental health in lockdown;

– began weekly 1-1 Peer Coaching and Listening for young people, run by trained peer support listeners;

– started a new art and sport project to help young minds feel better; and

– referred young people on to other services for even more support.

Mental health research that's 'owned' by young people makes change.

Feeling Strong re search in 2020 identified a gap for mental health resources for young people and their guardians in Dundee. The charity believes that resources that support young people should be created by them. We agree.

When lockdown was announced, the charity knew exactly what was needed because young people had told them. Together with other young people, they created ‘Know Your Stuff COVID-19′ and Kid’s Guide to Feeling Strong resources. They updated their Young Person’s Guide to Feeling Strong, which is worth checking out!

“Although the times have been challenging, as a team we have successfully maintained our ability to work with the community and improve the lives of some of Dundee’s most vulnerable young people. This has been greatly helped by the support of funders such as Tiny Changes, allowing us to be responsive and agile.”

2021 and beyond

As Scotland and the world begins to open up again, we’re seeing the longer-term effects of the pandemic. Many young people have experienced loss of income, security, loved ones and their health. The close community support of charities like Feeling Strong is vital.

Tiny Changes is so proud of Feeling Strong and all they achieved throughout the pandemic.

We’re working hard to raise money and awareness to fund essential mental health services in communities like this one.

To find out more about Feeling Strong and the work that they do, visit find their website here.

To help young minds feel better and fund more projects like this one click here to donate to Tiny Changes.

Keep in touch on social media @tinychanges and subscribe to our newsletter.

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