Step Forward

Step Forward is a supported employment and volunteering service run by Cumbria CVS for people who have experienced severe mental health challenges. The nine‑month programme helps you move into volunteering or paid work through a three‑step process designed to be person‑centred, strengths‑based and hopeful. The service is hosted by Cumbria CVS and is funded by the North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board via the NHS Mental Health Transformation Fund. Over the nine months, you work through Plan, Prepare and Practice to create forward movement into placements that suit you, with interventions that can include access to talk therapies, grief support and confidence building. Once in a work or volunteering placement, Step Forward provides three months of in‑work/in‑volunteering support to help you settle, stay and develop. Employer engagement support helps you navigate conversations with placement providers. The team welcomes self‑referrals and referrals for others, and you can use an online referral form to start. The Step Forward footprint covers the North Cumbria area including Carlisle, Eden, Allerdale and Copeland. If you’d like to explore any of the additional resources (e.g., Workplace Wellbeing Training, Library of Lived Experience, Better Mental Health in the Workplace Toolkit, Wellbeing Guidance and Explainer Videos) you can email stepforward@cumbriacvs.org.uk. For direct contact, you can call 01768 800350.