Disordered Eating Pilot 2024-2025 Report
Disordered Eating Pilot 2024-2025 Report
Overall, the programme demonstrated that the voluntary and community sector is well placed to provide early intervention and preventative support, particularly through culturally and racially sensitive approaches, supporting open conversations, dispelling stigma and fostering resilience around disordered eating.
There were two strands of funding for this Pilot programme:
Three larger grants of up to £20,000 were awarded for work with young adults aged 14-25 years to provide prevention and early intervention programmes, as well as effectively supporting those with a diagnosed eating disorder to access treatment and be supported through recovery and relapse. These grants were designed to work closely with both the young people themselves and, through referrals to the STRIDES service, work with the Harrow lead for this service.
This strand supported 238 young people in Harrow in 226 sessions, workshops or one-to-one therapeutic support.
Four small grants of up to £3,000 were awarded to increase awareness and remove the stigma, especially within under-represented groups through community-based sessions. This work included sessions with young people, ideally those with lived experience or from under-represented groups, in the campaign messages, design and roll out locally.
This strand supported 45 young people and 60 parents AND carers in Harrow.
Across the funded organisations, outcomes achieved included increased awareness and understanding of disordered eating, improved confidence and self-esteem, reduced anxiety, improved coping mechanisms, and increased confidence to seek help or support from peers. Several organisations reported improvements in emotional regulation, resilience and personal safety, alongside reductions in anxiety and self-harm behaviours. Organisations were able to approach the subject through diversionary discussions on mental health, fitness, food and active lifestyles, which kept young people engaged and less self-conscious about taking part.
None of this would have been possible without the vital and generous support of Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.
