About the National Social Inclusion Programme

The Social Exclusion Unit published its report ‘Mental Health and Social Exclusion’ in June 2004. The report's immediate impact is directed at improving the lives of people with mental health problems by reducing or eliminating barriers to employment and wider social participation. However it has great potential also to impact significantly across service areas, client populations and on the health, engagement and economic position of wider communities.

The National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP) has brought together the work of government departments and other organisations in a concerted effort to challenge attitudes, to enable people to fulfil their aspirations and to significantly improve opportunities and outcomes for people with mental health problems.

• Stigma and discrimination - a sustained programme to challenge negative attitudes and promote awareness of people's rights;
• The role of health and social care in tackling social exclusion - implementing evidence-based practice in vocational services and enabling reintegration into the community;
• Employment - giving people with mental health problems a real chance of sustained paid work reflecting their skills and experience;
• Taking part in the local community - enabling people to lead fulfilling lives the way they choose;
• Getting the basics right - access to decent homes, financial advice and transport; and
• Making it happen - clear arrangements for leading this programme and maintaining momentum.

Following on from the report, a further publication of 12 fact sheets ‘Action on Mental Health’ was launched in October 2004 to offer practical tips to improve opportunities and outcomes for people.

The work of NSIP has been reinforced by Reaching Out: An Action Plan on Social Inclusion which was published in late 2006 by the Prime Ministers Strategy Unit. This report focuses on adults who are the most socially excluded and identifies actions to build and deliver evidence-based models that will improve employment and education opportunities while supporting anti-stigma employer-based programmes such as Shift. NSIP, in particular, will focus on the development of dedicated regional teams to provide further support for the implementation of good practice in employment.

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We help to improve services and achieve better outcomes for children and families, adults and older people including those with mental health problems, physical or learning disabilities or people in the criminal justice system. We work with and are funded by

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