We are all in it together

This week's guest post is from Philip Moody, who is an Adult Carer Outreach Worker and Carers' Advocate in North Powys for Powys Carers Service.

I was visiting the PAVO offices at Plas Dolerw just to get my post and Jackie Newey, Project Officer PAVO's Powys Mental Health Information Service, waylaid me and asked me if I would write this blog post. Seriously Jackie, thanks for asking me. So here is some information about Powys Carers Services and a few rambled thoughts.

I have worked with Powys Carers Service for 13 years as an Outreach Worker/Advocate in the Montgomeryshire area and support adult carers. I work from home (just outside Newtown) and we have an office in Llandrindod Wells. As a service we endeavour to support unpaid carers, adults, young adults and children alike.

We try to empower these carers and give them support, information, one to one support, advocacy and a lot more. We do believe it is important that everyone’s voice is heard and “carers” voices should be heard as well. Their views should not be lost because we live in a noisy world.

So why did I chose the title for this blog “We are all in it together”? It sounds a bit like a socialist catch phrase. I have had lots of different jobs including Baptist Minister and Trade Union rep! However the reason for the phrase - “We are all in it together” is because of what I experience day in, day out.

I support people who care for folks who may have poor mental health. I also support carers who have mental health issues themselves and care for someone who is physically ill. I work alongside other professionals who struggle sometimes with their own poor mental health and at stressful times in my life have battled with a few “dark days” myself. (Life can be complicated and not fit neatly into a box!) So whether its physical or mental health issues “We are all into together”.

Poor mental health can knock on anyone’s door and often does. When I visit a carer for the first time, they tell me their “story”. I still find it a privilege to be let into their lives. Some carers I visited told me their experiences - they were a couple whose child had gone to university, had returned home and was seriously ill with depression. As I listened they told me about their hopes, fears and challenges both now and in future.

That’s a story I have listened to on more than one occasion with slightly different twists and turns. Stories differ but we try to be there for carers. Powys Carer Service never closes a case until folks are no longer caring or someone asks us to. We will also continue to support people for a few months after they have stopped being carers.

While I do not have a magic wand, Powys Carers Service does seek to make a difference, whether it’s filling in Personal Independent Payments (PIPs) applications, supporting someone in a medical assessment, assisting you to make a complaint/compliment or “just” listening to your story.

We will visit you in your own home or meet you in a café near your home, the choice is yours. Powys Carers Service also works alongside other organisations and values the services they provide - because “We are all in it together”. Together we can provide a better service to carers. We seek to listen to the goals and needs of carers and support them in any way we can.

In addition, the carers I know give so much back to me - it’s a real privilege to know them.

Powys Carers Service has support workers throughout Powys and office staff who have lots of information. If you are a carer, or just want to know a bit more about the work we do - give us a call on 01597 823800 or check out our website.

Good mental health is important for everyone and like it or not “We are all in it together”. 

Many thanks to Philip for telling us about his role at Powys Carers Service. If you have experience as a carer in relation to mental health which you would like to share, we would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us by email - pamhinfo@pavo.org.uk, tel - 01686 628300 or twitter - @PAVOMH.

Introducing Tim Skelcher of Hafal

Tim Skelcher is a name familiar to us as he was previously a DIY Futures co-ordinator working here at PAVO. Since May this year Tim has worked for the Powys Seibiant Family Support Service for Hafal in Powys, and we talked to him just as he was about to launch a new carers' group for Newtown.

Tell us about your new role

My new role with Hafal is mostly about supporting carers of people with a mental illness in Powys, through both one to one support and through mutual support through carer groups. The service provides carers with news, information and advice; as well as providing short breaks for carers through providing activity based support for those they care for, along with the opportunity to focus on recovery using goals set with either their Care and Treatment Plan or Hafal’s Recovery Programme. The other aspect of my role is representing Hafal across Powys at events and meetings.

How is it going so far?

I think it’s going well. I’ve been busy introducing myself to people who use the service, as well as to lots of agencies around Powys. I’m also enjoying becoming part of the Hafal team, and learning about what makes them so effective in Wales.

What are your aims for Hafal in Powys?

Broadly my aims are to provide support to people in Powys with mental health issues and their carers, and to help them to have their voices heard. I’d like there to be more carer groups focusing on mental health throughout Powys, as there is only currently one Hafal group which is in Brecon. I will be working towards getting one set up again in Newtown as a priority, and will follow that with other groups. I’m also working towards making the Family Support Service cover Powys more evenly, as historically it was based in south Powys, with more support being given in the south.

What do you bring to your new role from your DIY Futures experience?

DIY Futures was where I learned about Recovery. I gained a strong belief in people who feel stuck being able to take control of their lives, make changes and get the lives they want. I’ve taken this with me to Hafal, where these beliefs are shared.

Tell us about some of the highs and lows working in the field of mental health

For me the highs are mostly about seeing people make changes, that before they only hoped and dreamed were possible. Almost without exception these have been achieved by a series of small steps. Also I think it’s inspiring when people develop services to help themselves and others facing similar issues, or when they influence change in services. The lows are simply when people aren’t listened to, or aren’t valued.

Have you been inside that famous Hafal VW campervan yet and what did you think?

Yes, I was at the Royal Welsh Show with Hafal recently, and the campervan was there. It really worked to draw people to Hafal’s stall, and gave us the chance to talk to people about mental health issues who, without the campervan, we may not have reached.

Thank you Tim! The first Newtown carers' group meeting which Tim referred to takes place on Wednesday 25 September 2013, 2 - 4pm, at Ponthafren, Longbridge Street, Newtown, SY16 2DY.

You can contact Tim for further information about the new group in Newtown, or with any other queries about his new role and the work of Hafal, by ringing 07875 373525 or emailing: powys@hafal.org