New community-led action research projects revealed

Penumbra Mental Health, in partnership with Samaritans Scotland have revealed a new set of community-led action research projects.

Building on the idea that people in their own communities are best placed to think about how to keep people safe from suicide, a range of programmes have been funded.

Both Penumbra and Samaritans Scotland are funded as strategic outcome leads as part of the Scottish Government and COSLA's joint suicide prevention strategy, Creating Hope Together.

The Scottish Community Development Centre will manage this work, providing support and guidance to each project.

Let's introduce our 2025-26 cohort.

Eat Sleep Ride

Eat Sleep Ride is a registered charity based in East Berwickshire providing an inclusive, off-grid equine and nature-based community hub.

Through the community-led action research programme, Eat Sleep Ride wants to understand how social isolation, poverty, addiction, domestic abuse, and trauma contribute to suicide risk in East Berwickshire, and how connection — through nature, community, and belonging — can help people find hope again.

West of Scotland Regional Equality Council

West of Scotland Regional Equality Council (WSREC) is a leading advocate for equality, diversity, and inclusion in the West of Scotland.

Their community-led action research project will explore how stigma, cultural expectations, and systemic discrimination shape mental health and suicide risk for women within Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities in Glasgow and the wider West of Scotland.

Young Movers – Connect and Grow

Young Movers project, Connect and Grow was established to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues, provide support to young people experiencing mental health challenges, and create a safe, inclusive space where they can connect, learn, and grow together.

Through the community-led research, Connect and Grow aim to address the mental health inequalities faced by young people living in economically disadvantaged areas such as Easterhouse and Toryglen in Glasgow.

They'll do so by engaging directly with young people, families, and local services to better understand the specific mental health challenges and barriers to mental health support that exist. 

Healthy n Happy

Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust (HnH), is an award-winning charity and community owned organisation governed by local people in Cambuslang and Rutherglen.

Healthy n Happy will work with the community to explore topics that matter most to them with the broad theme of effective support pathways and what is available locally for people experiencing suicidal ideation and those impacted by suicide.

MADE 4U IN ML2

MADE4U IN ML2 is a community-led charity based in Wishaw which was founded in 2006 in response to a series of suicides among young men in the local area and the devastating impact this had on the community.

They propose to carry out research to explore the relationship between poverty, food insecurity and suicide risk in the ML2 community. 

Progress in Dialogue (PID) and the Greenbanks Tenants & Resilience group in Banff

This project will be delivered in partnership between Progress in Dialogue (PID) and the Greenbanks Tenants & Resilience group in Banff.

PID is a constituted, non-profit organisation governed and staffed by people from marginalised communities including Gypsy/Traveller and other ethnic minority backgrounds.

The Greenbanks Tenants & Resilience Group is a local, community-led collective focused on supporting families and neighbours facing social and health inequalities in North Aberdeenshire.

Their proposed project, Safe Conversations will explore how Gypsy/Traveller and settled communities in Aberdeenshire can create safe, culturally grounded spaces to talk about suicide, distress and mental wellbeing.

Youth Borders

Youth Borders is a registered charity which provides services and support to 50 youth organisations across the largely rural region of the Scottish Borders, as well as helping advance life opportunities for young people.

The focus for the community-led research project will be based around investigating, assessing and evaluating the current quality and availability of support for young people affected by or at risk of suicide.

There will be a particular focus on how young voices help shape the support which is available.

Men Matter Scotland

Men Matter Scotland is formed and operated by men with lived experience of poor mental health and suicidal ideation from their hub in Drumchapel, Glasgow and supports adult men from a wide range of ages, cultural backgrounds, sexualities and abilities.

By partnering with a range of construction firms (large, small and independent trades) across the West of Scotland, Men Matter want to investigate stigma and mental health challenges for men working in construction, and explore ways to support better wellbeing and open conversations about mental health.

What about the previous projects?

A recent learning event was a great opportunity for the three previously funded projects to share their findings.

You can learn more about each organisation's community-led action research in these short films: