It’s Welsh Charities Week - let's celebrate our Powys mental health charities

This week, 13 – 17 November 2023, is Welsh Charities Week! It’s a chance to recognise and share the good work of charities, social enterprises, voluntary organisations and community and volunteer groups in Powys.

According to WCVA, which hosts Welsh Charities Week: “The last few years have seen the sector and country as a whole endure a series of challenges and difficult circumstances. Welsh Charities Week is a chance to recognise and celebrate all the work that people and organisations across the voluntary sector in Wales do to shine a bit of light in the dark. It’s an opportunity to come together and show appreciation, to remind people that what they do makes a difference.”

To celebrate the wonderful work of our Powys mental health charities for Welsh Charities Week we decided to showcase one of the current activities or services available from each organisation. There is so much support out there for people who need help to boost their emotional wellbeing, we need to shout loud and make sure everyone, absolutely everyone, knows about it. We never know when any one of us - you, me, our family and friends, may find ourselves struggling with our mental health and need that support.

So support these local charities, because they support us. Show them some love, because they are lifesavers, literally in some cases. You could help spread the word about their services, you could join in their fundraising activities, you could volunteer at their centres. There are so many ways to celebrate and support their essential work.

Let’s hear more about them. From South to North up through our magnificent and large county of Powys:

Ystradgynlais Mind - In-work support service

The In-Work Support Service is a new, Welsh Government funded service being delivered by Minds in Powys. It is a 2 years’ project focussed on reducing the impact of health issues in the workplace. It is aimed at individuals and businesses, providing therapeutic support for employees and training and advice to businesses throughout Powys.

The new 'In Work Support Service' at Ystradgynlais Mind can help those who are struggling with their mental health whilst working.

The free service provides therapeutic support to help people who are absent from work, or at risk of becoming absent, due to their ill-health.

Head over to the Ystradgynlais Mind website to find out more!

Brecon & District Mind - Mums Matter

Mums Matter is a National Mind programme that was created by Mums for Mums with babies up to two years old to help them to adjust to motherhood. Brecon and District Mind have been delivering it for nearly five years now. The six-week face to face course runs for groups of Mums for two hours each week; childcare is also provided.

There is a strong emphasis on peer support and being able to have honest conversations about the inevitable challenges that come with being a mum – tiredness, perhaps a loss of identity, anxiety, guilt and loneliness.

If you miss a course, there are always new courses coming up. The latest course starts in Brecon this week at the Subud Centre, and there is also a Mums' Social group during term time which is open to expectant Mums too. It's a great place to chit chat and get to know the Family Team at Brecon & District Mind. 

Find out more on the Brecon & District Mind website.

Mid & North Powys Mind - Bereavement Cafe

If you are experiencing grief and loss and would like to connect with others who have, or who are undergoing, a similar experience, why not consider going along to Mid & North Powys Mind’s Bereavement Cafe.

It takes place on the first Friday of every month at All Saints’ Church in Newtown at 6.30pm.

The cafe is part of a Bereavement Support service offered by the organisation. You can be matched with a Bereavement Supporter who will work alongside you, listening and helping you work through your grief in your own way, on a one to one basis. Your Bereavement Supporter is a volunteer who has undergone extensive training.

Each session will last about an hour and will continue for an average of 6 sessions. Support can be face to face and/or telephone/Zoom, depending on what works for you. Anything you say is kept in the strictest confidence, unless someone’s safety is at risk. 

Check out the Mid & North Powys Mind website to find out more.

Ponthafren - the Gym

Ponthafren recently announced the opening of the new Ponthafren Gym at the Armoury in Welshpool.

It has been shown that doing physical activity can help improve your mental health. Physical activity can help with:

• Sleeping better.
• Feeling happier.
• Managing stress.
• Managing anxiety or intrusive thoughts.
• Improving self image.

Ponthafren Gym is a great place to get healthier in a relaxed non-judgmental atmosphere.

Come along and join for a Healthy Mind & Body with Ponthafren. Membership is just £15 per month. You must complete a compulsory induction before using the equipment. 

All you need to know is on the Ponthafren website.

We wish our local mental health charities all the best for Welsh Charities Week 2023! 

Long may they continue to support our communities.

New In-Work Support Service launched at Mid & North Powys Mind

 by Anna Poulton 

In-Work Support Service Coordinator, Mid & North Powys Mind

The In-Work Support Service is a new, Welsh Government funded service being delivered by Minds in Powys. It is a 2 years’ project focussed on reducing the impact of health issues in the workplace. It is aimed at individuals and businesses, providing therapeutic support for employees and training and advice to businesses throughout Powys.

Namrata Bhardwa (Nami) and I (Anna Poulton) are the manager and coordinator for the service respectively and we have recently been employed by Mid and North Powys Mind who are facilitating the service. The In-Work support service will be using therapies offered by regional Minds in Powys to deliver the Mental Health individual therapies and the wellbeing and training aspects of business support.

Anna and Nami

Why are we needed?

The service has been available in other areas of Wales for a while now, and our service now means that all local authorities in Wales have an In-Work Support Service. The Welsh Government is developing a new strategy for Mental Health 2023 and this service, which is also part of Healthy Working Wales, will help to deliver this.

Who can use the service?

Anyone 16 or over who is in employment or off sick from their job, an apprentice or self-employed who lives in Powys can access our support. Referrals can come from anyone, yourself, your GP, your employer, etc. You can contact via the website, email or a phone call to Nami or Anna is all that’s needed. The same applies to businesses, and small/medium enterprises based in Powys are eligible for support.

What support can we offer?

We can offer rapid access to high quality mental health and physical therapies, training and specialist support delivered by Mid & North Powys Mind, Brecon & District Mind, Mind Ystradgynlais and a range of external partners.

We can currently offer:

• Counselling.
• One to One support.
• Supported Self Help.
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) and Hypnotherapy.
• Physiotherapy.
• Osteopathy.
• Employee training.
• Wellbeing advice & support.
• Employment law specialist support.
  
  

The therapeutic support is set out across up to 6 free sessions, and the business support is delivered in a tailored package by either Nami, Mind’s training staff, or Rradar-our specialist law firm – depending on their needs. 

As an example, we could provide advice around employee policies such as creating, updating or overhauling a family friendly policy. We could provide legal advice around HR issues. We could help with implementing wellbeing tools into the workplace such as a Wellbeing Hour. Staff training could be provided to some or all staff; examples of this training are: 5 Ways to Wellbeing, Mental Health Awareness, Tai Chi and other relaxation techniques, Assertiveness Skills and Stress & Anxiety Management and many more which can be adapted to suit a business’s needs.

At the moment Nami and I are meeting and getting to know other services available to the people we will be supporting. This will help us to signpost to further support, provide a continuation of support for people who are receiving support elsewhere and to make sure that we can signpost people to the appropriate support if they don’t match our criteria.

It has been great to meet so many like-minded people and learn about all of the other great support providers in Powys. We have already made some really valuable connections and are continuing to make more and more as time goes on.

We held a launch day at PAVO in Llandrindod Wells on the 4th of September. Nami and I presented an overview of the service to the audience including: local businesses, Mind employees, Welsh Government representatives, colleagues from other support providers such as Department for Work & Pensions and members of the public. 

The launch went really well; I had never presented to a room full of people before so I was very nervous! We started off with a short quiz as an icebreaker which also helped to settle my nerves. The room at Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations was really well set out. It was bright, the technology all worked and we had plenty of space. We had a warm welcome and everybody enjoyed the lunch at the end which was supplied by The Herb Garden. I’d like to thank PAVO in Llandrindod Wells for all of their help.

Who am I?

I’m Anna, I have recently begun working for Mid and North Powys Mind in Llandrindod Wells and have 20 years’ experience of previously working in the adult health care and support sector. My job as Service Coordinator is doing the admin for the service, I run the social media and I meet clients to see if they are eligible. I have also spent some of my time out in the community promoting the service at events such as the Cost of Living Fair in the Pavilion in Llandrindod Wells and in some supermarket foyers across Powys. 

In my spare time I am an animal lover, I have 3 dogs and 2 cats who take up a lot of my time! I am a volunteer for Many Tears Animal Rescue, I check that people’s homes are suitable for the pet that they would like to adopt. I also enjoy craft, especially knitting and making Christmas decorations.

For more information about the service and how to refer yourself, please visit our dedicated In-Work Support Service Powys website. 

Good Grief - bereavement service in Powys

 

by Abbie Lycett
Bereavement Support Service Co-ordinator - Mid & North Powys Mind

Grief

There are many reasons why you might experience grief:

• When a partner, close friend or relative dies.
• The end of a pregnancy, through miscarriage or termination.
• The end of a significant relationship.
• The death or loss of a much loved pet.

There are many causes of grief and loss and no way of grieving is right or wrong. It is important to accept the way you feel and try not to compare your feelings to those of others and think you ‘should’ be feeling and grieving in a certain way.

You feel what you feel and that is okay.

Grief can sometimes feel overwhelming and we can feel lonely. In the Mid and North Powys Mind bereavement support group we want to support you so you don’t feel alone.

The Good Grief group

This is a friendly, supportive group open to anyone who has experienced grief and loss – whether it’s a loved one, a pet, a job, or a relationship.

It’s a safe, non-judgemental and confidential space for you to talk about your experience and your feelings if you wish, and to listen to others.

We meet on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month on Zoom, 11am - 12pm. Feel free to bring along a cuppa.

If you’d like to join us, do get in touch at bereavement@mnp.org.uk and we will send you the Zoom details.

Stevie

Stevie is regular group member, who has since started volunteering to support the running of the group. He says:

“I have been joining the Good Grief group since the group began in February 2021. When I first joined the group, I felt so welcomed by the member of staff, Lizzie, as she so loving and caring, and everyone else in the group as well - they are all so friendly!

I feel that the Good Grief group has really helped me to open up about the loss of my Gee (my Grandmother) and my best mate. I’ve been able to talk about my difficulties and worries, and also the good times we had too, without feeling judged.

Also there is an amazing Facebook group you can use if you’re struggling in between the weekly Zoom sessions, where you can talk to others from the group about how you’re feeling and what’s going on, or even private message the member of staff Lizzie who is always willing to listen and help, and will get back to you as soon as she can.

I would really recommend this group to anyone who is struggling with the loss of a loved one, a pet, a family member, a friend, etc. So come along and say hi in a safe, friendly, loving environment. You will feel so welcomed to this amazing group.

Feedback from others

“The thing I found most useful was the perspective the group gave me on my own grief. You stop wallowing when you find there are plenty of people in a tougher situation than yours.”

“That call was amazing today, I felt so welcomed.”

“I walked past the seasonal aisle in Home Bargains today. All the Mother’s Day gear was out and I laughed. For once I didn’t feel like I was alone in my bitterness. Thanks Lizzie and all you guys for making me feel a bit less alone in this mess.”

The Good Grief bereavement service covers Mid and North Powys and is for adults, 

young people and children.

You can find out more from on Mid & North Powys Mind’s 

Bereavement Support Service webpage.

To book an appointment or for more information contact Abbie:

Tel: 07496 870 039

Email: bereavement@mnpmind.org.uk

Office phone: 01597 824411

You can read about the Powys Bereavement Project in our August 2020 post 

Bereavement Support in Powys.

Running for mental wellbeing

Earlier this summer the mental health charity Mid & North Powys Mind launched a free 12-week beginners’ running course in Newtown, North Powys.

“It is suitable for complete beginners - whether you've never run before, or you used to run and haven't for a little while. There's no pressure to be a certain fitness - no one will get left behind!”

Our Health & Wellbeing colleague Andrew Davies, who works as a Participation Officer for Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations, has joined the group. We asked him to tell us more about the course and why he signed up.

Andrew Davies, Health & Wellbeing Participation Officer, PAVO

Are you an experienced runner or a beginner?

I have done walk to run groups before and got up to taking part in local 5k runs. However, I then started attending a more advanced all men's group and damaged a muscle in my leg and have struggled to get back into running since.

Why did you sign up to this running course? And what was your view of running at the beginning?

I signed up as I struggle to find the time and commitment to run by myself. I know that the exercise I get out of it is really good for both my mental and physical health but with two young children at home I struggle with the motivation to go out. I find running with a group forces me to go out.

How many are in the group and who leads the course?

We currently have around 12 attendees each week and 4 leaders overseen by Lizzie Cockle from Mid and North Powys Mind. Lizzie is also the Training Team Lead and a 1:1 Support Worker for Montgomeryshire.

Whereabouts do the group run in North Powys and when?

The group meets every Monday evening and we currently run routes around Dolerw Park alongside the River Severn in Newtown.

Tell us a bit about how the course works (5K – Couch)

The course starts in week 1 with a 5 minute walk and then a 30 second run for 4 repetitions. The walks then decrease in time and the runs increase until by week 8 you are running for the full hour and hitting 5k. 

This is all done at everyone's individual pace, and the faster runners do loops to help those who aren't so fast to catch up, so the group stays together. We also have support runners at the front, middle and back to make sure we are all going at a pace that is comfortable for us. This means you don't feel you are holding anyone up, or falling too far behind, and so get despondent with it. The whole group also encourages each other throughout the run.

Have you set any personal goals for your own running and why?

I have a bucket list and one of those is to run a half marathon. I feel it is a really good thing to have those goals in life of things you want to achieve, see and experience.

Why is running good for mental wellbeing as well as keeping you physically fit? How does it make you feel mentally after a good run?

I find that running really helps my mental wellbeing. Not only does it increase your endorphins (the body's natural painkillers and mood enhancers) but you are also out in nature and it gives you that break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and some much needed "me" time.

Why is it good to run in a group rather than on your own?

Personally, I struggle with the motivation to go out on my own - there is always something else I could be doing. You also get to meet and chat to a group of really interesting people that you may not have met before. Some of the people I have met running are now really good friends.

Do you have any tips for people who think they can’t run?

If you think you can’t run, have a go! I always used to say I would only run if I was being chased but I love doing it now I have been shown how to do it properly. Even if you don’t get to the end of the course the first time, do what makes you comfortable, and then join again and try and get past where you were the last time.

What is the most challenging part of the course, and the best part each week?

The most challenging part of the course is the increase in time running! But the feeling of self achievement when that whistle blows, and you have managed to increase what you did the week before, is wonderful.

Will Mid & North Powys Mind be running future running groups for beginners? How can people find out more?

Hopefully MNPM will be running future running groups. For more information please visit the running group Facebook page or contact Lizzie Cockle by emailing lizzie@mnpmind.org.uk

Many thanks to Andrew for telling us all about his running adventures. Do you run for your wellbeing? Let us know more in the comments below.

Managing mental health as lockdown restrictions ease this summer

It’s officially summer and we’re easing out of lockdown and into ‘normal’ life. But if you need help managing your mental health and wellbeing during this period of change, you’re not alone, as the SilverCloud Wales Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) team can explain.

SilverCloud Wales is an Online CBT service designed to help people aged 16+, experiencing mild to moderate anxiety, depression or stress, manage their mental health and wellbeing.

CBT works by encouraging you to challenge the way they think and behave so you’re better
equipped to deal with life’s problems.

There’s no need to be referred by a GP – you can sign-up for and access SilverCloud Wales anytime, anywhere, on your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer.

SilverCloud Wales is an NHS Wales service, run by Powys Teaching Health Board, and offers help for anxiety, depression, stress, sleep, money worries and more.

Choose one of the easy-to-use, interactive online mental health and wellbeing programmes to complete over 12 weeks and receive fortnightly feedback from a qualified SilverCloud Supporter, one of the mental health professionals whose role is to support users of the service.

SilverCloud Supporter Alexandra Birrell, explains why, if you need support managing your mental health and wellbeing, particularly with anxiety, as lockdown restrictions ease this summer, you’re not alone…

“The past 15 months have been unprecedented. None of us have ever experienced anything like this so no-one could have possibly known what to expect.

“At the core of anxiety is often a difficulty in dealing with uncertainty, and at the core of low mood is often feelings of powerlessness and lack of control.

“We were instructed to stay home, which impacted our interaction with our social support networks, which usually serve to protect us from difficult feelings. However, 15 months later and for many these conditions have become the new normal. Now, being able to venture out of the house and managing social interactions is what brings up feelings of uncertainty.

“Of course, people will have different feelings about this, depending on their situation.

"Some people are naturally cautious whereas others are embracing the opportunity to reconnect with loved ones. The difficulty is that these differences in boundaries are now something that we must learn how to communicate and navigate.

“The way that people navigate boundaries is often related to their self-esteem. People who struggle with their self-esteem tend to wonder whether their needs are important and may struggle to communicate them. If we struggle to communicate our needs, our needs may not be met which can then confirm the feeling that one’s needs are not important.

“SilverCloud Wales users choose one online programme to complete over 12 weeks, with fortnightly feedback from a SilverCloud Supporter. SilverCloud Supporters can give users access to additional modules if we feel they need more support in certain areas. The Communications and Relationships module is a popular one…

“The Communication and Relationships module starts out with a quiz to identify your unique communication style. For example, do you see your needs as more important, of equal importance, or less important than the needs of the people around you? Do other people know what you want and need?

“If you are struggling with communication, it may be that over the years you have learned to communicate in a way that is either too aggressive or too passive to get your needs met. This module offers support and advice around learning to communicate in an assertive, yet respectful way. It also focuses on strategies that may support you in improving the relationships in your life and making sure that you have a healthy support network to lean on when you start to struggle.

“The Self-Esteem module is another one that clients find useful and relevant to their experiences. This module looks at ‘self-talk’ - the way that we speak to ourselves.

“When we are struggling with low mood or anxiety, a common symptom is negative self- talk. We may find that we tend to berate ourselves or judge ourselves in a way that we never would with a loved one who was struggling. The Self-Esteem module offers support around building a practice of self-compassion by learning to offer ourselves kindness, support, understanding and tenderness rather than beating ourselves up, which only serves to make us feel worse.

“If we can improve our self-esteem and our belief that our feelings and our needs matter, this can also support us in navigating these end of lockdown boundaries with the people around us.

“The Relaxation module features a number of exercises that can be really beneficial. Users learn helpful relaxation techniques that can be used in day-to-day life to unwind and de-stress…

“In order to change longstanding habitual patterns or tendencies, we have to be able to slow down enough to notice those patterns. Many people struggling with anxiety feel that their mind is running a mile a minute, and that one thought seems to lead into the next which leads into the next and so on. These worries may be paired with physical sensations of anxiety such as a racing heart, difficulty breathing or a tight chest.

“When practising relaxation, many people report that as their body returns to a state of rest, their mind will slow down as well. It is from this place that we can catch what difficult thoughts are coming up, notice those patterns so we can start to challenge and change them.

“My advice for maintaining positive mental health and wellbeing for people trying to adjust to the ‘new normal’ over summer is…

“Each person will need to weigh up how they feel about the restrictions lifting and what is most beneficial for their own mental health. For some, seeing their loved ones will be supportive, whereas for others it will be a source of stress and will bring up feelings of awkwardness when trying to communicate this.

“Often, people find that their mental health starts to spiral and they don’t understand why it’s happening - they just know that they’re feeling increasingly distressed, low, or anxious, or a combination of all of these feelings.

“CBT provides a framework for understanding how some of the natural and automatic ways that human brains and bodies respond to uncertainty can actually serve to make us feel worse. In that sense, the journey of recovery can be about learning to focus on that which is still within our control, and finding empowerment through identifying coping strategies and ways of better managing our feelings.”

ONE SERVICE - THREE WAYS TO ACCESS

1.  SilverCloud Wales – The flagship service, available across Wales. 

This is a self-referral service which means that you can sign-up directly, without having to be referred by your GP or other healthcare professional. Choose one of the easy-to-use, interactive online mental health and wellbeing programmes to complete over 12 weeks and receive fortnightly feedback from your online SilverCloud Supporter, one of the mental health professionals whose role is to support users of the service. Find out more and sign-up here.

2.  SilverCloud Blended – A tailored version of SilverCloud for Powys residents. 

Choose one of the easy-to-use, interactive online mental health and wellbeing programmes to complete over 12 weeks and receive six face-to-face* sessions with an Online CBT practitioner whose role is to support users of the service. To find out more and signup, please contact: Ponthafren Association covering North Powys and Brecon & District - https://www.ponthafren.org.uk; Mid and North Powys Mind covering Mid Powys - https://mnpmind.org.uk/; or Ystradgynlais Mind - https://minditv.org.uk/.

*These may be telephone and email support sessions, depending on Covid restrictions.

3.  SilverCloud Workforce – A tailored version of SilverCloud specifically for NHS staff  

     and keyworkers. 

You'll have access to four online mental health and wellbeing programmes: Space for Resilience; Space from Stress; Space from COVID-19; Space for Sleep. This is an unsupported service so you will work your way through your programme of choice on your own, at your own pace. Sign up directly for the service without needing to be referred by your GP or other healthcare professional.

Visit https://cymru.silvercloudhealth.com/signup/ and enter access code WALES2020.

For more information about SilverCloud Wales online CBT

- If you have any queries, please email Silver.Cloud@Wales.nhs.uk or call 01874 712 428.

- Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SilvercloudW

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SilverCloudWales

Celebrating Side by Side Cymru - mental health peer support in Wales

Artwork by Debbie Roberts engagevisually.co.uk

In March 2019 we lived in a very different world and I attended, in person, the launch of Mid & North Powys Mind’s latest project – Side by Side Cymru. MNPM was one of four local Mind groups in Wales, led by Mind Cymru, to provide this peer support project funded by the Welsh Government.

Here at PAVO we have followed the local project closely and with much interest, as we truly believe peer support to be crucial in the promotion of improved emotional wellbeing for people in Powys. I was, therefore, delighted to be able to attend the virtual celebration of the Mind Cymru project recently to find out more about how this approach had been received across Wales.

What is peer support?

“Peer support is about people using their own experiences to help others. It can happen in a group, on a 1:1 basis and also online as well but for this project we will focus on peer support that takes place face to face in a group situation. It’s about people taking a lead and taking control very much on an equal basis. So it’s a different model from more traditional health and wellbeing models. Through peer support we can feel valued, more connected to others, and more able to take control of our lives.” Mind Cymru, March 2019

“The connection to someone who is interested in similar things to you, or someone who has been through similar experiences, is a connection of equals and really invaluable. It is insightful and totally authentic.” Mid & North Powys Mind, March 2019

Sara Moseley – Chief Executive Officer, Mind Cymru

Peer support is needed more than ever because of what has been happening to us during this pandemic. There’s a huge amount of evidence now about the mental health impact of Covid. Many, many people have been behind closed doors, really feeling low, anxious and lonely. Peer support is about the power of unlocking that through the power of our own experience, kindness and compassion. In its simplest form it’s about using our own expertise and knowledge to support each other emotionally, practically and realise that there are positive, hopeful ways through mental health difficulties.

Covid has also put some of our networks and communities under considerable strain. Younger people in particular are feeling very isolated – being cut off from usual networks has a real detrimental effect on your mental health. As well as the human stories from over the past 3 years of the project we are now in a place to come out of the pandemic stronger than we were before. We have some very practical things that we have to say to decision makers about how we build back stronger and in a way very rooted in communities, and empowering to us as individuals.

Liam Pywell – Senior Peer Support Officer, Mind

Peer support based in the community and led by people with lived experience of mental health issues can be life-changing, and that’s why we believe it should be available to people across Wales.

The project worked with 318 peer support leaders across Wales who in turn supported 3800 people in their communities. We provided over £50,000 in grants to over 221 organisations and groups. We delivered over 100 activities, including training, networking and shared learning.

The hubs facilitated physical and virtual spaces to bring people together to connect, share learning and access some much-needed resources. We wanted the peer leaders to feel more confident, knowledgeable and able to provide peer support to their community and to build on the resources such as our peer support toolkit.

Mind Cymru’s independent evaluator – MEL Research - concluded in their final report that the Side by Side Cymru hub model is an effective way to supportive community based organisations and peer leaders, and that there is a real need for these types of programmes.

The local hub offer centred around three things:

1. Training & shared learning.
2. Funding.
3. Networking opportunities.

Through the evaluation the value of Side by Side Cymru became clear: peer leaders increased their understanding of peer support and the value it provides, and their confidence to deliver improved peer support. The research tells us that peer support improves our sense of wellbeing, increases our sense of hope, and helps us to become more empowered to make decisions and take action.

We also found that peer support can reduce health care costs as people who use less mental health services are often involved in peer support. But peer support is not free – we do need financial resource to support those community groups. Finally, a range of peer support options should be available to support people from all different backgrounds and makes peer support available to all.

Lorna Jones – Peer Support Hub Worker, Mid & North Powys Mind

In a short video Lorna (bottom centre) was joined by one of her volunteers – Lynda (top right), and Bethanie (top left) a peer support leader. Bethanie attended a course with Mind after experiencing post-natal depression and went on to lead a peer support group for parents of children with additional needs. The Side by Side training helped her to be professional, and to learn about specific areas such as safeguarding. She found the toolkit really helpful to refer to for guidance at any time.

Bethanie also said that the training was particularly useful as she made connections with people who could also help her. “It was like peer support for a peer support leader.” We were working with young children but others were in peer support groups for older people who were lonely and vulnerable. We could mix together and create further networks too.

It has also been a lifeline for Bethanie’s own mental health. “It’s something to look forward to, even now with Covid we can still communicate online and it helps us feel less isolated.” The funding paid for the cost of venues.

Lynda helped Lorna massively with the training. She recalled how members of her own family had been dealt with on a very clinical basis in the past, so she felt privileged to be involved with the project which supported people at a community level. “It was great to see the range of people that attended the training – from young Mums, through the age ranges, and a lot of men including a male voice choir.” Lynda realised that they took what they had learnt to all spheres of their life, not just the areas they were representing.

Lorna said that when she read the evaluation report the one thing that really hit her was the huge area that the project had covered in Powys – right from Machynlleth in the north west to the Herefordshire border in the south-east of the county. They worked with 75 groups in total.

“People have said they would be lost without these groups to go to. Our inspiring peer support leaders gave up their time to hold these groups for no other reward other than helping others. They are the unsung heroes in our communities across Britain.”

Bethanie: “Side by Side grew me and my group. It was like the seed we needed.”

Panel discussion

Julian John, CEO of Cwm Taf Mind, chaired the panel discussion with Fateha Ahmed of EYST (Ethnic Minorities & Youth Support team Wales), Zoe King of Diverse Cymru and William Evans – the Young People’s Participation Lead at Mind Cymru. There is only space for very brief sound bites here but they give a flavour of the conversation.

Q1: What does an excellent peer support project look like (and how do you know)?

“It would include a diverse group of people with lived experience who are able to support each other and have empathy. You will see the improved progress in young people if the project is successful.” Fateha Ahmed

“Empathy has to be at the heart of a good peer support project, also coproduction. It’s all about lived experience and shared experience. To know how we did we can consider the distance travelled – how people are before joining the group and how they are since. Have they achieved life goals in certain areas?” Zoe King

“It might look different to different people from different communities / ages. The type of resources and training required will be dependent on someone’s age. It needs to be flexible and accessible, safe and rewarding for a younger person.” William Evans

Q2: What can traditional mental health services learn from community led peer support?

“Lived experience needs to be at the heart of the services they deliver.” Zoe King

“Peer support has a strong bond of friendship. A counselling service may last for 6 – 8 weeks only but friendship may last life long.” Fateha Ahmed

“Traditional mental health experiences are often too rigid and don’t treat people as individuals – young people want the emphasis to be on meaningful connections and a lot less on checklists and criteria.” William Evans

Q3: What roles do organisations like ours have in developing peer support services for the future?

“Many children and young people are fairly creative and innovative in their use of social media to create their own peer support networks. Organisations need to allow them support and resources to enable them to do that safely.” William Evans

“Organisations could connect grassroots’ groups to wider networks with similar aims and goals. Larger organisations could communicate opportunities as well and also provide training.” Zoe King

“EYST has been inviting our volunteers to share their lived experience – how they actually dealt with their anxiety and depression. The young people always say they learn better hearing other people’s stories.” Fateha Ahmed

Q4: How do we connect to the networks of community groups across Wales?

“Doing with and not for. Going into those communities and engaging with people in coproduction and finding out what solutions they have.” William Evans

“We have a community infrastructure (with village halls / groups etc) we also have a County Voluntary Council infrastructure that is supporting those groups across Wales. Is there something we need to do with our CVC partners in reaching community groups?” Julian John

“Yes, absolutely. We work with diverse groups to gain those lived experiences that we then feed back into consultations. CVCs are already well placed to do a lot of this networking.” Zoe King

“We need to find key individuals who are trusted in the community and work with them to provide the best possible service for our young people.” Fateha Ahmed

Angie Darlington, West Wales Action for Mental Health, added – “it is broader than CVCs, mental health development agencies are available across Wales to share out our peer support experiences and reach out into the communities.”

Sarah Moseley said at the end of the session: “It has been a really moving and inspirational afternoon. We want to use this as a spark to think how we sustain, build, grow and strengthen (the peer support approach). One of the most powerful things I have learnt is that there are moments in your life, or things that happen in your life, that make you uniquely ready to connect, share and give support.”

Side by Side resources

Side by Side toolkit and further information

For further information about the Side by Side Cymru Peer Support project email peersupport@mind.org.uk

You can also watch a video about the Side by Side Cymru Peer Support project.

The new normal for our Powys mental health charities

 

Back in July we had a really helpful roundup from our mental health charities in Powys, to find out how they had been innovating to ensure continued service provision for their members since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We recently met with them again, and decided this would be perfect opportunity to do a further update to share more information about their services in this strange and challenging year.

Here is what they had to tell us about what’s been happening for them lately. 

Please note that this update was made earlier in December, before the Welsh Government's latest announcements about new Covid-19 restrictions were announced for Wales.

Ystradgynlais Mind

Ystradgynlais Mind has migrated the majority of its service to online platforms and telephone support. We have increased our social media presence. The result of expanding our social media presence has been the ability to engage with and support many more people, particularly young people. 

Gareth James & Iwan Evans raised £2000 for Ystradgynlais Mind on a running challenge

The impact of digital exclusion has become more apparent to us since the onset of Covid 19. We have attempted to overcome the impact of digital exclusion by the provision of some IT equipment via purchases made through ‘Computer Recyclers’ plus issuing repurposed mobile phones etc. We have also increased our one to one telephone support to those who are digitally excluded and provided pre-arranged ‘welfare checks’ for those who are not receiving the same level of support previously delivered via statutory services. 

Perinatal support is now being delivered via webinar alongside one to one counselling support and peer support groups. We have also extended perinatal support to partners. Counselling provision has been increased by 75% to address the increasing demand for counselling. Referrals to blended online SilverCloud CBT have increased, the practitioner is currently holding a waiting list. Active Monitoring has been able to fill the gaps left by blended counselling through the provision of printed supporting materials and telephone support - this service is operating at capacity. 

After receiving Zoom training a member is able to access online counselling

Yoga and Mindful meditation has all been migrated to remote delivery. These sessions are proving popular and participation has increased by 150%. Peer supporters are now facilitating twice weekly online/phone support sessions. This group is growing in size and service users involved are supporting one another to form their own social support networks, reducing social isolation and increasing their own personal resilience.

Brecon & District Mind

Some of the issues that have come up for Brecon & District Mind recently include employment, children with anxiety around school or Covid itself, and a lot of people are keen for the drop-in to restart, so we are doing that now ensuring people making appointments to attend. Also a lot of people are becoming agoraphobic because of the rules and regulations. And there is some worry about Christmas and issues around that.

We have returned to face to face meetings outside and walk & talk sessions, but had taken the decision not to open the centre before the firebreak lockdown. We are going back to 1:1 sessions (as well as the drop-in) by appointment only. We will continue our schools work with children and young people, ensuring that this is done safely. We are doing a lot of family work and safeguarding and are looking into extra/crisis support in the evenings. A recent survey has shown that people have appreciated the support they have received from us in the last year with comments like: “Don’t know what I would have done without (Brecon) Mind’s support”, “excellent service”, brilliant counselling."

Unfortunately as we speak the guidelines and regulations around Covid have changed yet again so we are now having to revert to remote services until the New Year when the Welsh Government will be reviewing the situation. There will be staff available over the Christmas period to offer support by phone should anyone need this. Our centre is now closed and staff mostly working from home.

The Green Minds project is continuing and Brecon Cathedral is funding this for 1 day a week. Our Mums Matter project is also continuing with a new Zoom course starting in January. Our blended work in partnership with the online SilverCloud CBT is quieter. However, we are doing more wellbeing calls by phone and having more referrals into that. A survey we did shows that people prefer 1:1/ face-to-face support and so we are busy with that.

We have been fortunate in securing funding to employ our first Digital Technical Officer who is helping us develop our digital service offering and upskilling staff and service users where needed.

Mid and North Powys Mind

Here at Mid and North Powys Mind we are seeing very high levels of demand overall across all of our services, including more complex cases requiring more time for our support workers. We expect this trend to continue through to Spring 2021.

An episode of THRIVE on Facebook

The team is providing a blended service of both online work, including blended online SilverCloud CBT, counselling and support work, as well as still providing face-to-face meetings as and when needed. This blended approach means we can still meet the high level of demand as phone sessions are usually shorter and do not require time for travel, whereas the face-to-face sessions are there for those clients who struggle with the remote support.

We had our first day back working in Builth and Llandrindod High Schools to offer support to students aged 16 and over - this support had been halted in January. We’re going in with a really open mind as obviously things have changed since the last time we were there. It’s a very different environment now and we are taking it slowly, working with the schools and students to co-produce the support for the greatest impact. We still have 2 weekly online youth group sessions that are well attended.

We were lucky to secure some space in the Armoury, thanks to Ponthafren Association, and have started to run our first face-to-face Mums Matter course in Welshpool. Seven mums attended, which is our highest number since lockdown started. Two more face-to-face Mums Matter courses will be running in January/February.

Our Outreach group in Knighton used to meet every week on a Friday, but has been operating via telephone support with help from dedicated volunteers since the first lockdown. Now with the help of Impelo (a local charity using dance to transform people's lives) we are hoping to run one face-to-face dance session a month in Knighton, giving group members a chance to meet in a safe and supportive environment.

In Llandrindod our Tai-Chi group is meeting again in Celf after not meeting for a time and briefly being held in the Rock Park. This group is going well and is supported by volunteers and a trained tutor.

Since March we have supported over 500 people through face to face or phone meetings. Live broadcasts have continued to be very popular. Our digital content on Facebook and Youtube has been well received and we have been producing videos on Mindfulness, Tai Chi, THRIVE tips and other wellbeing activities. On Facebook we have had over 68,000 minutes of our videos watched since March and have now reached over 30,000 people.

We continue to offer remote training via Zoom, this has been a huge success, with many people previously unable to attend due to travel now being able to access the support.

Ponthafren Association

At Ponthafren Association we have been continuing to provide our services. Face-to-face this is appointment-based only to reduce our numbers in the buildings. Zoom has become the go-to for most things which has been really positive. Two Zoom groups, crochet and afternoon tea, have been very popular. Plus the videos on how to make Christmas decorations. Life skills courses have been popular and there has been strong demand for anger management courses. We continue to see an increase for all our services whilst working in partnership with others such as the Newtown Network.

Lockdown has created the opportunity for some people to reflect and explore their gender and we are currently supporting a number of people around this.

The Armoury, our new building in Welshpool, is preparing to open which is great. The construction company Paveways provided free labour and materials to refurbish the building through their charity’s arm, and they have been fantastic. You can watch a video of the work here. 

It’s been truly magical how the community has supported Ponthafren to support others. Rory raised over £800 as Santa on a bike and Cathy Beech released a record to raise funds for us.

You can find out more about the services these organisations are offering on their websites (linked above) or Facebook pages where you will also see details of their Christmas and New Year opening times.

Wishing everyone a relaxing Christmas and a peaceful New Year, 

and hoping for brighter times in 2021!

Mental health charities in Powys - innovating for lockdown

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic I have been amazed by the speed and efficiency with which mental health charities across Powys have been able to adapt the delivery of their usual services to meet the demands of the “new normal”. Most have also developed new and innovative services. Like all of us the people running these charities have faced the sometimes conflicting challenges of trying to meet the needs of their members and clients whilst at the same time the requirement to safeguard their hard-working and committed staff and volunteers. 

The headline news is that - whether online, on the phone, or even - at a social distance - providing a face to face service, your mental health charities are still there for you.

Here are some of the changes they have made over the last four months. These changes are to help support people’s general wellbeing during this difficult time but also to continue addressing more serious underlying emotional distress whether related to Covid-19 or not.

Mid & North Powys Mind

Mid & North Powys Mind staff pre-pandemic

Due to the pandemic we had to close all of our in-person groups and our building to the public, but we have been supporting people on a one to one, remote basis instead (phone, WhatsApp video call, text, etc). We have also continued to support new people during this time. 

We moved our training courses online straight away and have been delivering these via Zoom video conferencing. Courses have included: Hypnotherapy for Relaxation, Recharging & Healing, Stress & Anxiety Management, Keeping Mentality Fit and we have Managing your Emotions running in July. The Mums Matter courses are delivered online now as well, along with a number of regular Mums Peer Support groups across mid & north Powys.

Mid & North Powys Mind continued doing in-person crisis work from the start of the pandemic, for the people that needed that additional support. And now we are moving to a more mixed approach of part in-person work, outside at a social distance, and part remote work, with people. This will much better enable us to support new people, as it is so much easier to build an open and trusting relationship in-person and keeping the part remote element will enable us to have a space to share very sensitive or confidential information, which is not always possible outside.

Our Blended Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy service, normally based at GP surgeries, has also moved remotely and is now open to referrals directly from the public, without the need to see your GP, which is a great step forward. We are also planning new Facebook Live broadcasts to showcase CBT and Silvercloud.

Facebook Live broadcasts have been incredibly popular. We've got three live shows running weekly at the moment: Tai Chi, Hypnotherapy for Relaxation, and Mindfulness. They have been getting over 1000 views per broadcast, 18,000 unique viewers this month alone and some really positive feedback. So we're expanding these broadcasts to include an introduction to CBT & Silvercloud, creative writing and general wellbeing tips from our THRIVE course. We have also started a Facebook chat & support group for our service users.

Our counselling service has moved to remote methods as well – mainly phone and WhatsApp video call. We have been lucky enough to secure a small amount of additional funding to expand this service.

We are working with Adrian Jones at Supporting People, who has a small pot of funding to enable Information Technology (IT) access for service users. That's been really good to help some of our service users get online, plus donated laptops from the Media Resource Centre, for our members.

Within our Outreach Groups, there are lots of people who are very vulnerable to the effects of Covid-19, and some people who are shielding. I think it's particularly hard on them because they're really missing the groups and social contact. We've been doing phone and virtual support, but many don't have internet access or have the tech skills to use online methods of communication. Recently, as lockdown restrictions have been eased, we have been supporting them to meet their peers in their gardens, to help them to feel more connected.

You can get in touch with us by messaging our Facebook page, calling the main number: 01597 824411 or texting: 07539 870 010.

Ponthafren Association

Claire Cartwright, Ponthafren Association Director, makes a dragon mosaic

At Ponthafren we were able to adjust very quickly to a virtual way of working.

All of our core services have continued, albeit in different ways, as well as maintaining contacts with those who need our services.

Our counselling services are continuing and what's been interesting is that there is 97% attendance at the moment, which is remarkable. This is something we are monitoring as we consider how and when we re-open the Ponthafren sites. I’m sure that some services will continue to be virtual whilst having a coordinated approach. The feedback of the virtual services has been extremely positive.

We have upped our social media presence since we've been in lockdown. So for Mental Health Awareness Week we talked about the Five Ways to Wellbeing each day. We encouraged staff to share their experiences during lockdown whether it was learning new skills, keeping in contact with others, being kind and being active. James did a marvellous job in scheduling the posts on numerous social media platforms.

In partnership with Adult Learning Wales we are continuing our life skills courses. The courses cover topics such as Coping with Change, Stress & Anxiety and Resilience & Emotional Wellbeing training online via Zoom.

We are also facilitating volunteer training. So far, it’s working really well in small groups – it can be tiring for the tutor but we always have a staff member in the sessions to help in case anyone needs particular assistance.

A really positive outcome of the forced lockdown has been the informal partnership formed in a direct response to the Covid situation in Newtown. The team involves working with the PAVO Community Connectors, the Town Council, the Salvation Army and one of the local churches. We were meeting daily but now twice a week. We've got 17 Angels working under the network, and approximately 150 Cherubs, who have all responded to the call out for help to help others in the locality. Ponthafren looks after the telephone line and helps to coordinate any call for help. For example: shopping, advice, picking up prescriptions, access to FREE food and specific support. Newtown is providing over 5000 free meals per week via local businesses and community groups.

We're also working with businesses as well, finding out how they can support the community and how we can support them. It's just having a really good community feel which is going to be really beneficial going forward. We've never had this many volunteers come forward in recent times. We really want to capture that and move forward with it.

But now my attention is to how and when we can reopen the Ponthafren sites whilst providing a safe environment for all; it’s going to be a challenge but one that the Ponthafren trustees and staff are keen to do as quickly as we can. Services and the setting may look different but the object of Ponthafren is to provide a caring community offering support to those in need and to promote positive mental health and well-being for all.

Oh, and I nearly forgot we are in the process of purchasing the Armoury in Welshpool. This will enable us to provide an exciting schedule of activities and will provide us with the space to respond to need in the locality.

We’ve been busy!

You can get in touch with us by messaging our Facebook page, calling the main number: 01686 621586 or emailing: admin@ponthafren.org.uk

Brecon & District Mind

Green Minds project, Brecon & District Mind

All our support is provided remotely by phone or online video call. We had some good news recently as the National Lottery is to fund our counselling service to expand it further for a year. The Green Minds project is very busy. They have set up their own website so that they can have interactive sessions on gardening and growing. They are going to be one of the first groups to do some 1:1 work outside using Brecon Cathedral’s walled garden. 

The Mums Matter Programme is now online. The mums’ support group is still happening on Zoom and that has been quite popular. There were some Mindfulness videos which went out in the beginning. Our Blended Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and our Social Prescribing projects are continuing remotely. Referrals to Mums Matter can be emailed to: mumsmatter@breconmind.org.uk

Active Monitoring is returning as Mind Cymru were successful in sourcing funding from Wales Council for Voluntary Action. The model has been adapted so that it can be used by phone, Zoom and WhatsApp starting 15 June across Powys (including Mid & North Powys Mind and Ystradgynlais Mind). We have three practitioners in place in our area and we're taking referrals and they can come from anywhere including GPs and self-referrals. Please email referrals to: activemonitoring@breconmind.org.uk

We have a YouTube channel where we have Mindfulness videos. We have a Covid-19 closed group on Facebook where people can share their concerns. We are posting a regular photo challenge on our Facebook page as well as keeping Twitter and Instagram up to date.

Val Walker, CEO said “For the first 10 weeks it was worryingly quiet. I anticipated the quiet but not for that long. But now, all of a sudden, requests for support are coming in. A police officer requested that we actually go out and see one of our clients. We did a face-to-face session outside which made me think that it was absolutely necessary for us to start thinking about going back to this way of working because that one person was so different after that face-to-face meeting. As some people don't like talking on the phone, our 1:1s will start on a gradual basis outside.”

You can get in touch with us by messaging our Facebook page, calling the main number: 01874 611529 or emailing: info@breconmind.org.uk

Ystradgynlais Mind

Ystradgynlais Mind receive a donation from Cwmtwrch Rugby Football Club

We're really pleased with how we managed to roll out our services to people during lockdown. Our biggest concern really is the people who are the most vulnerable in our community who would not normally attend our services. They tend to be older and don’t have access to IT. We managed to get some funding for some extra staff hours so that they can have more telephone support and we’re also trying to link them up so that people can stay connected.

At the beginning we worked really closely with the local Community Connector to do shopping and pick up prescriptions for people. We had an initial avalanche of referrals but that has slowed down. Our staff were all set up with laptops and filing cabinets to work from home.

We've been working quite closely with the local rugby clubs. And we had some extra funding for our Mums Matter course. This continues every Tuesday afternoon, and those in the peer group are still supporting each other. One of our members is writing a blog post every week.

We provided some Suicide Prevention training with the rugby clubs. Then they got together and did a 4,000 mile virtual journey from Cardiff to Scotland and they raised £2,000! So this brought in a lot of attention including from some celebrities in the rugby world. It’s raised our profile massively in the community.

Plus we had a grant from Mind Cymru for laptops for those without access to IT. One of our trustees was able to distribute those to try and reduce the impact of digital exclusion.

One of our Social Prescribing clients talking about the support we have given him during the coronavirus outbreak:

"I want to tell you how much you both have helped me over this difficult time. It would be so much harder to deal with all of this if I couldn’t speak to you both on your work phones. I can’t imagine how my emotions would have been without you both helping me.

I want to tell you both how helpful and understanding you have been to me, it’s hard for me to put into words how much you’ve helped me. Without the both of you my stress levels would have gone up and up. The support you have given me has been brilliant."

You can get in touch with us by messaging our Facebook page, or using the contact methods on our Contact us page.