Entrepreneurs set to help mental health therapists reach even more patients

Two city entrepreneurs’ hopes of changing the world of mental health therapy have taken a step closer after successfully becoming part of the Aster Group social incubator, inc.

Through their social enterprise Co-Opts, Kevin Flanagan and Jeremy Christy from London are designing the first set of digital tools to help mental health therapists be more productive. By recording, transcribing, and summarising mental health therapy sessions it’s hoped the tools will help therapists to treat more patients and achieve better outcomes.

Kevin said: “Jeremy and I met four years ago at an event about  mental health. We had both found ourselves there through different routes. Mine started when one of my children was having mental health problems and I realised how ignorant I was of mental health, but also that the state of mental health treatment was not what I expected. We realised we had the same desire to help improve mental health services.”

Jeremy added: “We’re motivated to reduce  the chance of another parent having that awful “rabbit in headlights” moment, and to give control back to service users, to improve the number of people being treated and recovering. Being part of inc. will help us do that.”

Applicants from all over the UK applied to be part of the Aster Group inc. programme delivered by the Aster Foundation; a part of the housing association that invests in projects that aims to improve lives by providing opportunities in local communities. Its objective is to develop businesses with a social purpose such as those tackling homelessness, mental health, financial exclusion, unemployment, and the economic recovery from COVID-19.

The inc. 10-month business development programme designed to bring their ideas to market and connect with potential partners and investors. The programme draws on the resources and expertise of Aster Group, and its people, with mentoring and additional guidance being provided by established social entrepreneurs. It is the first scheme of its kind to be created by a housing association in the UK and is now in its second year.

 The Co-Opts team will be working with people across Asters communities who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition to help inform their work.

The Aster Foundations Mental Wellness and Resilience programme trains and educates around 2,000 people and businesses per year to help them understand how to improve their own wellbeing and mental health, as well as how to support those around them. Last year the Foundation trained 1,421 people and aims to help at least 20,000 people improve their mental health and wellness by 2030.

For further information about the Aster Foundation, visit www.aster.co.uk/foundation

 For further information about Co-Opts http://co-opts.com