Volunteer Fund raising for suicide prevention project | The Head Of A Pin C.I.C

Match-funding fund raising to go with Arts Council England application for third pilot of suicide prevention project.

What difference will you make?

Dear potential ally, I’m betting that you got on quite well with schoolwork. I didn’t - with the exception of art, and the arts in general. I’m a very hard worker but, like many other neurodiverse, my early years were plagued with being told I was lazy. This is only because I take so so so long at trying and failing to use the part of my brain that very probably works like a Ferrari in your skull but like an ephemeral Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in mine. We are both built this way. I know the value you bring to organisations and contributions you make to the way society is structured and run. I hope you see the value and positive contributions creatives bring. That you recognise that being able to neurologically do some things and not others shouldn’t be penalised with harsh restricted possibilities to economic safety. I hope you can recognise how unbalanced the world currently is, and that decisions that have wide reaching effects are being made with a profound deficit of kindness. I hope you’re curious about exploring approaches to change that. I got on with just about everyone at school but it was only in the art block that I felt a sense of normalcy. If you’re happy to wander over to the art block I’d love your allyship on weaving your skillset into the project (see PDF). I’ve had multiple feedback that the project has averted suicide but my disabilities slow it’s development. Your Ferrari brain would help speed that up. Kind wishes, Laura

What are we looking for?

Skillset - Fundraising/bid writing. Having a strong sense of social justice would be wonderful. An understanding of neurodiversity suicide rates or an interest in researching around this topic would be very helpful.

What will you be doing?

I would absolutely love your expertise in securing match-funding for the third pilot of the suicide prevention project I’ve been developing. Fund raising is such a specialist skill set, that’s a barrier to many like me with neurodiversity literacy disabilities. By hook or by crook I managed to secure the match funding for the first two pilots but at such considerable personal cost. Now I know about this wonderful platform, Reach Volunteering, and all you kind people on here I would love to give it a go to see if you are interested in using your skill set for this project. The match-funding can be in the region of 1-2k (or higher). I’ve included a link to an overview of the project in the PDF which will give you a better insight than I can with words (written communication is a disability) but, in short, it’s a suicide prevention project mainly targeting the neurodiverse, diagnosed and undiagnosed. This demographic/community, which is my community, is disproportionately affected by suicidal ideation and attempted/completed suicide. I have lived experience myself so have designed and developed the project specifically for those like me, who don’t resonate with the established approaches to suicide prevention. Like many who weren’t diagnosed with neurodiversity disabilities until later in life my self esteem and self perception of worth has been put through the wringer. I very clearly see now that this has been through a dangerous blindspot we’ve had as humans around neurodiversity differences, innate abilities, neurological protected characteristics, and passive discrimination. I’d love your allyship in creating positive systemic change.