Around 100 of our employees will be trained in a new project which aims to improve the mental well-being of people who have been impacted by flooding, or whose homes are at risk of flooding.
We are leading the project which aims to reduce the impact of flooding on local communities.
Council officers will receive Psychological First Aid Training, which is designed to reduce the chance of post-traumatic stress disorder. The training will start this month and will be delivered by specialist trainers Purple Dog to a range of front-line staff.
Following the training, officers will be able to offer enhanced support to flood victims and signpost them to suitable mental health services where needed.
This is part of a West Yorkshire Flood Innovation Programme (WYFLIP) project which launched after receiving £56,000 funding from the Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and Kirklees Council.
The £56,000 will fund support from a mental health specialist charity, campaigns to raise awareness of available mental health support, promotion of green social prescribing, holding practical well-being events, and wellbeing packs.
There will also be wider environmental and recreational benefits for residents including improved physical wellbeing, connection to nature, community togetherness and resilience.
Initially, teams within Kirklees Council will receive the mental health training, creating a blueprint to be rolled out to local authorities across the region.
Cllr Munir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways said:
“There are steps we can take to reduce the chance of flooding, but it is likely to be a challenge that continues to affect our communities in Kirklees, especially as we see shifts in climate change.
“That is why this project is so important, and I am proud to see officers at Kirklees Council leading the way for our region.
“This project will help prepare communities for unpredicted flooding and will help them to recover with compassionate and understanding support.”
Cllr Katie Kimber, Spokesperson for WYFLIP and Luddendenfoot councillor, Calderdale Council, said:
“This is a really exciting and innovative project as usually funding is provided for engineering solutions such as building new defences.
“Flooding incidents are almost certainly set to become more frequent as a result of climate change and they have a devastating, long lasting impact on residents who are affected.
“Although the project is initially focused on communities in Kirklees, the plan is to share what we learn to benefit others further afield by developing good support and helping them to become more resilient and prepared for unpredictable flooding.”
Professor Joseph Holden, Director of iCASP and water@leeds at the University of Leeds and WYFLIP Board member, said:
“This is a great example of strong partnership working between organisations. We are delighted that through WYFLIP, academic research can be used to help improve flood resilience in the region. A key goal during this phase of the project is to identify other sources of funding so that this valuable work is sustainable.”