Area 43 – Powys schools & community-based counselling services

Lisa Head is the Communications & Engagement Manager, she has been at the charity Area 43 since 2017. She joined the organisation as a Senior Youth Support Worker, then moved to Centre Manager, Services Manager and Operations Manager, before commencing her current role. Area 43 provides safe spaces, information, support, counselling and training to young people aged 11 – 25 at their flagship Youth Café, Depot in Cardigan in West Wales. Their counselling services span the whole of the mid and west Wales area supporting children and young people aged 3 – 30.

In October 2023 Area 43 became the new provider of Independent School and Community Based Counselling Services for Powys.

I recently met up with Lisa to find out more about the work of Area 43.

What drew you to your role at Area 43?

It’s a long story. I am a single parent of 2 girls, one of which was particularly challenging when she was younger. They are both in their 20s now, but when they were little, I was so disillusioned by the lack of support available to children, young people and their families that I embarked on an Open University degree to learn how to support my children better. It began as something I was doing for my own personal interest, but the more I learned, the more I realised I could do to help others in my community.

In 2011, I set up a youth club in the village where I lived, the young people wanted to launch the club with a mini music festival, so they worked with me to plan, coordinate and manage the event. I had a background in Arts Marketing, so I had the marketing and events management knowledge and plenty of contacts who were happy to perform. We attracted over 1000 visitors and the youth club went from strength to strength. I ran the club for about 8 years and over that time we expanded on the music festival idea to re-establish a village carnival, with young people in the lead. We ran that event 3 times.

I had known about the work of Area 43 for a long time, but at that time they only worked with 16 – 25 year olds and my children were much younger. However, when I saw the Senior Youth Support Worker role advertised early in 2017, I jumped at the opportunity to join the team and put all my learning and experience into practice.

During the lockdowns of the Covid pandemic, Area 43 took the opportunity to conduct a large-scale consultation with young people in the Ceredigion area to ask them what they felt they needed in Cardigan. They overwhelmingly told us that they needed safe spaces and an affordable café, where they could hang out and socialise without the pressure of having to spend money or feeling that they are not welcome… And so, Depot was the result.

Tell us briefly how Area 43 came about

Area 43 was born out of a community needs-led project in 1996. Back then there were 30 odd pubs in Cardigan and all the young people were hanging around playing pool and there were issues with them not going to school or college. It was identified that they really needed a place to go to that was not alcohol-fuelled or potentially putting them at risk. A group came together to put in a lottery bid to establish Cardigan Youth Project. They were successful in receiving lottery money and it snowballed from there.

From the early days, we had volunteers and eventually staff – including counsellors and support workers. We were quite early in offering counselling to young disadvantaged people in this area. When it became statutory law in Wales to offer counselling in schools in 2008 we were successful in tendering for a couple of those contracts because of this experience, and have held on to most of those ever since.

We now deliver services throughout Powys, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion and will see in the region of 5000+ individuals this year.

There are a total of 30 counsellors and therapists in Powys and another 28 covering West Wales. When Area 43 recently took over the contract from Kooth, most of the staff transferred over, so they all have plenty of experience with young people in the Powys area.

How can counselling help children and young people who may be struggling with their mental health?

Area 43’s counselling service is delivered by highly trained professionals and managed by people who fully understand the values, aims and limitations of counselling.

Counselling can allow a space for children and young people where they feel they are not judged and offers the opportunity to increase self-awareness, develop personal resources and understand their problems. It is a skilled way of helping those with personal, emotional and developmental issues or difficulties that takes place in a safe and confidential environment. This allows them to explore, discover and embed strategies to cope with change and live in a more satisfying, resourceful way.

By helping children and young people to share their worries and concerns with a counsellor or therapist, the young person can gain a better understanding of themselves, making sense of what they are experiencing, which helps them gain clarity and build resilience within themselves.

How is the school counselling going in Powys and what do you offer?

Thanks to the great team that Area 43 inherited from the previous provider, our service is running seamlessly. Area 43 will continue to provide counselling services for all eligible young people to the age of 25. The Powys model works slightly differently from the west Wales model, but essentially there are counsellors and therapists in all the secondary school settings and selected primaries.

Counselling is predominantly delivered face to face with the flexibility for online provision for those aged 10 – 19 (year 6 to Year 13) in education settings, but there is also an option for up to 25 year-olds to access counselling support either online or in the community.

All young people in Powys up to age 25 are eligible to access the counselling service.

We have 20 counsellors and therapists available for 37 days per week in secondary schools, 11 counsellors and therapists based in 15 of the primary school settings and we provide at least 3 days per week of online or community counselling sessions.

How are children and young people in Powys referred for counselling support?

Whilst parents and professionals can use our referral forms, any young person can register in exactly the same way and we encourage self-referral. It helps young people to feel ownership of the counselling support and let’s be honest, counselling or therapy isn’t something that can be done to somebody, it’s a meaningful, emotional process that takes a lot of commitment and vulnerability.

Referral forms, support resources and counselling information to help children, young people, parents and education staff to have discussions about counselling and decide whether it is suitable for them can be accessed through the Area 43 website page Powys Counselling.

Tell us more about the Youth Café you run in Cardigan

It’s about driving young people’s dreams forward, allowing their voice, hearing them and acting upon their needs. We utilised the lockdown scenario to do some online consultation and canvassed young people in the whole of our area as well as external services, to see what they would like from Area 43. Young people told us overwhelmingly that they needed safe spaces to hang out and socialise with friends where caring professionals could offer alternative views and provide additional support.

They also explained that they didn’t feel welcome in the town centre cafés - they felt stigmatised walking in as a group. The result of the consultation is Depot, which is led by young people for young people - it is their space, we just facilitate it and keep it safe.

In the youth café, young people don’t need to buy anything, they can just come in to keep warm and see other people. We heavily subsidise the cost of food and drink. We have managed to access some food poverty grants to keep costs as low as we can, and we work with Neighbourly and Fareshare for surplus foods, so we are often able to offer free meals.

Our Cardigan building is open 6 days a week up to 7pm for 14 – 25 year olds, we also hold transition sessions on Saturday mornings for 11 – 13 year olds. There are young people out there essentially living independently at the age of 14 – 16 including homeless young people, sofa surfing or sleeping rough. They come to Area 43 to stay warm, have human contact, receive support from our team, and link up with existing specialist services - drugs and alcohol, or housing options, and we facilitate this.

We also offer supported paid work placements for young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) to help them develop the skills to progress into the workplace from a safe, supportive environment where they can make mistakes and learn from them without dire consequences.

Do you have plans to develop and expand your offer in Powys?

We are working closely with Powys County Council, watch this space…

What are the main challenges working in this field?

I guess the main issue is securing consistent funding to provide these essential services. There is no doubt that the need for mental health support is very real. Whilst talking about mental health difficulties more openly has decreased the stigma, it has also opened the floodgates, and the need for support and counselling services means the demand is great and waiting lists across the sector are growing.

Contracts for counselling services go through a competitive tendering process and although we support the campaign by Young Minds and Dr Alex George (UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador) to obtain statutory funding for early intervention mental health hubs, we are still heavily reliant upon grant funders like the National Lottery.

Tell us about some of the most rewarding work you have done at Area 43

Seeing the Youth Café come to fruition is a proud achievement, we see over 200 young people every week, and last year had over 1600 visitors, it’s amazing and proves how much the safe space is needed by young people.

The most rewarding work is the direct work with young people, slowly building trust, and learning about them, their needs, background and challenges. Then having the honour of being permitted to walk with them on their journey and see them grow as they navigate the obstacles, dramas and emotions that fall in their way. I have seen some young people come from the most distressing situations where they have a lack of supportive adults at home, a tough time in education (if they attend), and substance misuse, bullying or other abuse in their lives, manage to find themselves and their strength because they learned that they had someone they could trust, who believed them and wanted the best for them. It’s amazing what young people can achieve with the right support if they want to.

How do you like spending your time when you’re not working?

I like peace and quiet and the opportunity to rejuvenate when I’m not working. I love a spa day! I also like to curl up in a cosy armchair with a book or to get out in nature, walk with my dogs on the beach or through the woods.

Feedback from children & young people who have been supported by Area 43 

About counselling and therapy

"Helped me release all me feeling and emotions."

"It has been helpful to be able to talk to someone. It has helped all the negative energy and thoughts to disappear."

"It helped me by boosting my self-esteem and giving me more confidence in making the right choices for myself, it also really helped with my family and friends relationships which i am thankful for."

"It was good to have someone to talk when my anxiety was a problem. I was able to work out how to control my anxiety and now have way to stop it."

About the Youth Café

“The first time I went to the Youth Café I was an upset teenager determined not to speak to anyone. But after a Youth Support Worker coming up to chat with me I opened up more than I had in a while. I felt a lot lighter when I left.”

“Coming here (Depot) for the past 3 years has done more for my confidence than almost a decade of support groups.”

“I feel that Depot youth café is a treasure to the community for young people, as a mental health sufferer this place has helped me get out of a dark place, the support I have received from the youth workers has changed me massively in ways I didn't think was possible. I've made new friends, I've learned to accept myself for my self with my mental illness and I don't feel like I'm figuring it out anymore. I have started to come out the house more as I'm less anxious of the outside world."

Many thanks to Lisa for telling us about the work of Area 43. 

If you want to find out more you can contact Lisa by emailing lisa@area43.co.uk

There is also further information on the Area 43 website including an online referral form.

The value of play to children's emotional wellbeing

by Rachel Maflin, Manager, Play Radnor

“Children need the freedom and the time to play;

play is not a luxury, play is a necessity.”

Kay Redfield Jamison

We know that allowing children time to play brings enormous benefits to children’s development. Play helps children to make sense of the world, through exploration, imagination and experience. It helps children to express themselves, regulate their emotions and cope with their feelings. Playing with others enables them to learn how their behaviour affects others and develop empathy.

Play is vital for a child’s emotional development in so many ways….

• Emotional resilience.
• Self-esteem.
• Self-confidence.
• Reduced anxiety.
• Self-worth.
• Understanding winning and losing.
• Exploring feelings.
• Self-expression.
• Empathy.
• Understanding the world they live in.
• Dealing with fear in a safe environment.
• Problem solving.

The benefits of play can be found in a wide range of play opportunities, such as:

• Playing outside e.g. swinging, climbing trees, running, jumping.
• Pretend play e.g. dressing up or den building.
• Adventurous play e.g. climbing, balancing, rope swinging.
• Group activities - playing with other people helps children express and control their emotions with others e.g. creating their own play ideas.

Activities don’t need to be expensive, the simplest stuff is often the best. We have a low cost / no cost approach using wherever possible loose parts – a variety of objects both natural and man made which can be used in a variety of ways. Loose parts play uses a range of resources that can be found both in nature and around the house, such as ….

• Cardboard boxes, paper, shredded paper.
• Materials – old sheets, duvet covers, shower curtain, wool, ribbons, old clothes for dressing up, bandages for role play.
• Buckets, tubs, tubes, pipes, containers of all shapes and sizes, funnels, plastic bottles, guttering.
• Kitchen equipment – mashers, whisks, pots, pans, sieves – mud kitchens.
• Sand, water, mud.
• Old phones, computer keyboards for role play.
• Crates, tarps, rope / string.
• Great outdoors for sticks, leaves, seeds, moss, shells, stones, pine cones, conkers, flowers, herbs e.g. potion making.
• Chalk, pens, pencils, etc.

‘When children interact with loose parts, they enter a world of “what if” that promotes the type of thinking that leads to problem solving and theoretical reasoning. Loose parts enhance children’s ability to think imaginatively and see solutions, and they bring a sense of adventure and excitement to children’s play.’    (Daly and Beloglovsky, 2015)

Loose parts create richer environments for children to play. As they are flexible, they can be used in a variety of ways, providing limitless opportunities. These play experiences promote imagination and curiosity, problem solving and independence, with children being able to choose their own direction of play.

With Christmas just around the corner, make a little space for play. Like your grandma used to say, they’ll leave the present and play with the cardboard box. It’s often the cardboard box that has the greatest amount of play value.

Play Radnor/Chwarae Maesyfed is a rural children’s charity that provides play, leisure and recreational opportunities for children and young people in Powys. We run a number of projects for children, young people and families both at our dedicated centre in Llandrindod Wells and through our outreach work. These include:

Play Rangers project: Delivering open access outreach play sessions on green spaces within local communities during school holidays.

Thumbs UP! Club: A project for families who have a child with a disability or additional need and their siblings. We run weekly sessions for children aged 5-11 and 12+.

Mud and Sticks: A Children in Need funded outdoor parent and toddler group (0-5) that meets in the woods for regular play sessions. Our aim is to inspire greater confidence in getting outdoors more as a family and develop strong relationships.

Toy Library: a low cost service enabling families to borrow toys and resources that encourage children's educational and social development. These include a wide range of physical, imaginative and multisensory resources.

Wildcraft: A twice weekly group for children aged 5-7 and 8-11 that offers opportunities for a variety of outdoor play. This could include campfire cooking, nature crafts, simple wood working, den making etc. We also run a monthly weekend session for parents and children to attend which offers low cost / no cost ideas for outdoor play.

Cooking Club: Sessions delivered in our community kitchen for a range of ages. Learning important life skills, cooking healthy and tasty food.

Stay and Play / Fun Fridays: Two hour play sessions for children aged 0-5 yrs and their parent/carer to have fun, play and socialise with others. Facilitated by volunteers.

Messy Play – Occasional sessions for parents and children aged 0-5 during school holidays and term time.

Eco, or climate anxiety – what can we do to address it in Powys?

with Radnorshire Wildlife Trust 

Climate change, or eco anxiety, is by no means a new phenomenon, but it has been increasing over the last few years. Hotter drier weather, droughts, floods, food and water shortages, and the detrimental impact of these developments, not just on human activity but on our wildlife and biodiversity, can trigger anxiety in people of all ages but particularly younger generations.

A report in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) late last year stated:

“Many major economies, including the US, EU, and UK, have committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to limit climate change. Immediate action is needed to hit this target and to minimise cumulative emissions. Current commitments are, however, unmatched by action. The UK government, for example, though among the first to set a legally binding target of net zero by 2050, has so far fully implemented only 11 of 92 policy recommendations from its climate change committee and is not on track to meet net zero or the medium term carbon budgets.”

It is hardly surprising that people are becoming increasingly concerned about climate and environmental issues, and frustrated with their government's slow response to protect the planet’s future. Indeed, mental health charities across Wales are reporting growing numbers of people seeking support for their services because of eco anxiety. It was one of the topics for discussion at a recent meeting of the Mental Health Action Wales network – which pulls together agencies from across Wales which work locally and / or regionally to support individuals, specifically in relation to their mental health.

We caught up with Silvia Cojocaru, Stand for Nature Wales Community Officer 

for the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, to talk through some of the issues

What is eco or climate anxiety?

In simple terms eco or climate anxiety is being worried about the environmental or climate doom in a way that stops you from enjoying your daily life.

Although eco-anxiety isn’t recognised as a health condition, it has similar signs with anxiety. Some of them can include lack or difficulty to go to sleep, the worry that any of the things you do lead to global warming, not being able to concentrate on work or the task in hand, feeling helpless or powerless, or even having panic attacks.

Who can it affect and why?

Eco-anxiety can affect anyone. Acknowledging that climate change is real, and that it affects the planet, and our future can trigger it. Sometimes being in the middle of a bad storm or suffering from negative impacts of an extreme weather event (e.g. heatwave, drought, flooding etc.) can trigger or accentuate the feelings of worry about that event happening again.

photo by Phoebe Neville-Evans

If someone opens up about their eco-anxiety, especially a young person, what should we do?

• Listen to them. It is important to accept that those feelings are there, plus everyone needs to know that they can open up.
• Make sure you have the right information. If you don’t know, admit it, and look It up before you carry on with the conversation. (I would recommend you do any extra reading without the young person next to you, some of the search results could accentuate the worry).
• Remind them that they can’t do everything, once they have accepted the existence of eco-anxiety, they need to find a balance between climate action and being kind to themselves.
• Come up with goals focused on taking action. Make sure they are achievable.
• Help them connect with the natural world and get them exploring their surroundings.
• Encourage them to connect with other like-minded young people and give them the chance to share and celebrate their successes.

How can we empower people who feel powerless in the face of inadequate government responses to the threat of climate change?

• Remind them that they have the power, it’s just a matter of finding the right way to exercise it. We need the system to change, and we can only do that if we practice all our rights as citizens.
• Encourage them to vote, write to their Members of the Senedd, sign or start their own campaigns.

There are lots of resources available online to support you in taking that first step. If the young people you interact with aren’t at the voting age yet, help and support them to take action in their own ways.

Radnorshire Wildlife Trust Youth Action Group

What is the best way to increase optimism and hope in people experiencing eco-anxiety?

The best way to increase optimism and hope in people experiencing eco-anxiety is for them to take action - little changes that can make them feel empowered. Every person, young or old, will at some point have to accept that this is an issue that concerns us all, and we need to come together to succeed.

What behaviour change could we all make as individuals which would have a beneficial impact on climate change?

Start with reducing your consumption and waste. It can be the amount of car travel you do, the amount of clothes or stuff you buy, or the amount of food you throw away.

We need to see change from a top-down level, but as consumers we also have the power to lead that change.

Choose what you can afford, that is the best option for you and the planet. If you need some inspiration, you can start here. 

Are there projects running in Powys where people can get involved and do their bit for nature and the environment?

Radnorshire Wildlife Trust is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts working across the UK and one of 5 within Wales. We manage our nature reserves, with the help of our volunteers, as well as working with landowners and organisations to protect and connect wildlife sites across the county and inspire local communities and young people where they live. We are going through a very exciting period, with various projects taking place across the vice-county.

• Stand for Nature Wales – to deliver this project the 5 Wildlife Trusts in Wales have come together to take action for climate, with the help of the young people of Wales. Through this project we are working to empower and inspire young people (aged 9 to 24) to take action for nature and wildlife in their local area in a bid to tackle climate change. Young people can find out more about the project and how to be part of it here. 
• Green Connections - is a collaborative Wildlife Trusts project across Powys working with community groups, small businesses, landowners and local councils to take action to address climate change and biodiversity loss and create a nature recovery network across the county. More information can be found here. 
• Nextdoor Nature – aims to bring communities together to help nature flourish where they live and work. Nextdoor Nature will provide people with the advice and support they need to help nature on their doorstep and leave a lasting natural legacy in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. More information here.  
• Rhos Pasture Restoration – The project aims to restore rhôs pasture habitat across Radnorshire. Working with local farmers and landowners as well as coordinating events and exhibitions across the area to raise awareness and connect people with this habitat. More information here. 

Tell us more about the Stand for Nature Wales project

Stand for Nature Wales started in 2020 and is a Wales-wide project aimed at young people. The aim of the project is a Wales richer in wildlife, where habitats and landscapes capture more greenhouse gases and where young people influence their peers and communities to take positive action to tackle climate change. There has never been a more important time to take action for nature. We are currently facing a climate and nature emergency, with 17% of species in Wales at risk of extinction. But we can change this. By putting nature into recovery, we can and will tackle climate change. Thriving habitats can safely lock up vast amounts of carbon, while providing other vital benefits that help us adapt, such as flood prevention, clean water and improved health and wellbeing.

As part of Stand for Nature each project region in Wales has one or more youth groups established, with members ranging from 9 to 24 year-olds. Some of the young people joined the groups because they wanted to learn about nature, some because they wanted to take action for climate and wildlife and others because they wanted to meet like-minded people.

Since establishing, the Radnorshire Youth Action Group has been meeting regularly, fortnightly on a Wednesday evening. Activities have included community events, filming campaign messages about COP26, Save the Wye and the Spring Elections campaigns, litter picking, toad patrolling, and more! If you would like to take part you can find the autumn - winter activities programme here. 

Photo by Phoebe Neville-Evans

What is your role with the project?

I am the Stand for Nature Wales Community Officer for Radnorshire, and I work with Chloe, the Stand for Nature Wales Assistant Project Officer. Together we deliver activities for the local schools, organise events and teach our youth group about wildlife and climate.

I strongly believe that to tackle climate change we need to inspire and empower our young people to take action, celebrate their wins and help them go forward. I also believe that putting the task of saving the planet on their shoulders is a big ask. Every individual is responsible for what is happening next. The climate change issue surpasses generational borders, it affects us all, and as parents and grandparents we are responsible for doing something as much as our young people are.

Silvia talking to the group
Photo by Chloe Jackson

What’s happening that we can celebrate in the environmental / conservation movement at the moment?

As part of the Stand for Nature Wales Project we are planning to launch a programme of fortnightly weekend activities for young people aged 16 to 24, starting from the end of September. The programme will consist of a range of practical tasks which can benefit the local community and environment as well as upskilling young people. The events will be taking place across Radnorshire, so watch this space for details.

Something with a more climate focus is the Great Big Green Week – which is the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. Between 24 September and 2 October this year, Great Big Green Week will unleash a wave of support for action to protect the planet. You can find out more about this here. 

How important is it that organisations do their own bit to help reduce their carbon footprint?

It is very important that all organisations and businesses, no matter what the services they provide, do their own bit to reduce their carbon footprint. Every organisation is made of people and if we encourage our staff and volunteers to change their behaviours at work, it will soon be easier for them to make those changes at home too.

As a way of inspiring other organisations tell us more about what Radnorshire Wildlife Trust is doing to reduce its carbon footprint?

As part of The Wildlife Trusts movement, Radnorshire Wildlife Trust has been working towards calculating our own carbon footprint and identifying the areas where it can be reduced. We have started with some of our suppliers - we are aiming to create a procurement strategy that will accentuate how important is for the Trust to only buy sustainably and as locally as possible sourced materials.

We have moved towards hybrid contracts for the staff, and we encourage car shares as much as possible. Also, we are looking into leasing an electrical vehicle that our staff can use to travel to events and visits.

There are still things that as an organisation we need to do, and we are aiming to do our bit to reduce our own carbon footprint. You can read more about the Wildlife Trusts' position here. 

Campaigning for net zero appeals to many as a way of making a difference – which approaches work best in your view?

Reduce as much as you can and at the same time be kind to yourself. We can reduce our personal carbon footprint as individuals but is important to remember that we need the system to change and support us to be able to solve the climate and ecological emergencies. 

The best approach is to support nature because it is the solution to tackling climate change. Wildlife and healthy habitats store the carbon dioxide that we need to keep the temperature under control, but we need vast areas, and we need people to respect those areas. We must work with nature not against it. Also, stay informed, before you take any action check it, use sources that are trustworthy and make sure that you make the right decision.

Many thanks to Silvia for telling us more about some of the many actions we can take, whatever our age,

 to help protect nature and also enhance our wellbeing.

If you want to find out more about Radnorshire Wildlife Trust’s Stand for Nature project, you can contact Silvia by emailing: silvia@rwtwales.org

Project made possible by The National Lottery players through the Community Fund - Climate Action Fund. This project runs from October 2020 until September 2024.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 - Loneliness

Menter Maldwyn - Cerdded wrth yr Afon Tanat / Walking by the River Tanat

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week

 9 - 15 May 2022 is Loneliness

The Mental Health Foundation, the charity which has hosted the annual Mental Health Awareness Week since 2000, explains why Loneliness is the chosen theme:

“Loneliness affects millions of people in the UK every year and is a key driver of poor mental health. The Foundation’s Mental Health in the Pandemic research has found that loneliness has been exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. The Foundation has been tracking loneliness levels in the UK during the pandemic and found the experience has been much higher with devastating impact. Loneliness has been an important factor contributing to higher levels of distress, resulting from people’s sense of isolation and reduced ability to connect with others. Further polling also found that loneliness was one of the leading issues that the public felt needed to be addressed.”

“Our connection to other people and our community is fundamental to protecting our mental health so we must find better ways of tackling the epidemic of loneliness.”

Mark Rowland, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation

Powys Connected Communities: Loneliness & Isolation Fund 2021 - 24

Here in Powys colleagues at Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations identified similar issues earlier this year and in response launched the Connected Communities: Loneliness & Isolation Fund 2021 - 24. This grant scheme focuses on funding organisations “providing locally tailored responses and small scale community-based support.” The emphasis is on “building the capability and sustainability of grassroots voluntary and community organisations that bring people of all ages together”.

Menter Maldwyn yoga

In this blog post we look at some of the projects that have been funded in Powys by this scheme. It’s still early days but it gives a feel for how grassroots organisations are stepping in to address “the epidemic of loneliness” which has been identified by the Mental Health Foundation.

CARAD (Community Arts Rhayader & District)

CARAD is an organisation run by enthusiastic volunteers who love working with others and love Mid Wales. If you would like to share or learn practical skills, or have an interest in local stories, we have a new project which you would be welcome to join us in creating. Rhayader Museum is changing into TimeScape Rhayader and will have two new floors of activities and exhibits to experience. 

We would welcome help in all sorts of ways, from carpentry to painting, gardening to crafting and more. We are also looking for people who would like to be ‘expert guides and gallery supervisors’ who can talk to our visitors about the area. We are developing a programme of training to complement what you already know, or support you to learn new things about the area, to help visitors get the most from their visit.

Would you like to feel more confident in meeting people again? If you’d like to enjoy a cuppa and find out about the many ways we welcome people to take part in creating Mid Wales's exciting new visitor attraction, then do get in touch - all@carad.org.uk or leave a message at 07788 663 172 or call in to meet us, Tuesday – Friday, 11 – 4.00, East St, Rhayader, opposite the fire station.

Ennyn Cymru - Circles of Connection / Cylchoedd Cyswllt

We are looking forward to delivering in-person wellbeing sessions for young females across the age span of 9 - 16, with the aim of supporting them in their transition into and through adolescence.

Sessions will involve learning about the bodily changes that occur during puberty, and provide a space for discussion, as well as activities such as yoga, arts & crafts, games and relaxation. The purpose of these session is to create a safe space for young females to gather together to socialise, connect and build relationships with each other, as well as to address the isolation that can be felt when journeying through puberty and trying to navigate topics such as menstruation, that are still taboo. We hope these sessions will empower and support our future generation.

The project will be provided by Ennyn CIC and delivered by Sian Davies.

Ennyn CIC is a community Interest company run by the artists Nicky Arscott and Elin Crowley, that offers creative and educational workshops, activities and opportunities for children, young people and adults in the Machynlleth area.

The wellbeing sessions will be run by Sian Davies, who offers creative menstrual awareness and educational workshops for menstruators and menstruators-to-be to learn about the menstrual cycle and menstrual wellbeing. Sian is passionate about tackling the shame and taboo that exists around the topics of puberty and menstruation, and the feelings of loneliness and isolation that can often arise from it. She hopes for a future where young people are supported in building a positive relationship with their bodies, and feel empowered in their transition in to and through adolescence.

Rydym yn edrych ymlaen i gynnig sesiynau wyneb yn wyneb i ferchaid ifanc oedran 9-16, gyda’r bwriad o’u cefnogi nhw yn eu trawsnewidiad i mewn i a thrwy’r glasoed.

Bydd y sesiynau yn cynnwys dysgu am newidiadau yn y corff yn ystod y glasoed, ac yn cynnig gofod i drafodaeth a gweithgareddau megis ioga, celf a chrefft, gemau ac ymlacio. Pwrpas y seisynau yw i greu gofod diogel i ferchaid ifanc i ymgynyll i gymdeithasu, cysylltu ac adeiladu perthnasau gyda’u gilydd, yn ogystal a chyfeirio at yr ynysu sy’n gallu digwydd tra’n symud trwy’r glasoed. Bydd y sesiynau yn cyfeirio at bynciau megis y mislif sydd dal yn bwnc tabŵ.

Mae’r sesiynau yn cael ei darparu gan Ennyn CIC a’u harwain gan Sian Davies.

Mae Ennyn CIC yn gwmni er budd y gymuned sy’n cael ei reoli gan Nicky Arscott ac Elin Crowley, dwy artist o ardal Machynlleth. Mae’r cwmni yn cynnig gweithgareddau dwyieithog creadigol ac addysgiadol i blant, pobl ifanc ac oedolion yn ardal Machynlleth.

Mae’r sesiynau lles hyn yn cael eu harwain gan Sian Davies, sy’n cynnig gweithdai addysgiadol i godi ymwybyddiaeth am y mislif mewn dull creadigol. Mae Sian yn angerddol am leihau y teimlad o gywilydd a thabŵ sy’n bodoli oamgylch y pwnc, a’r teimlad o unigrwydd ac ynysiad sy’n gallu codi oherwydd hyny. Mae Sian yn gobeithio am ddyfodol lle bydd pobl ifanc yn cael eu cefnogi i adeiladu perthynas bositif gyda’u cyrff, a theimlo’n hyderus ar ei siwrne i mewn i ac yn ystod y glasoed.

Menter Maldwyn - The Climate Project / Y Prosiect Hinsawdd

The Climate Project pilot has been developed with high school aged young people in mind, who live in a bilingual, rural area of North Powys. Like other young people, they have missed out on opportunities to socialise and have fun during the Covid pandemic, and for many there are ongoing consequences from the isolation and anxiety caused by the whole situation. Many young people also suffer from anxiety about the climate emergency and the war in Ukraine adds to what seems like a catalogue of reasons to feel anxious and depressed.

Menter Maldwyn Grwp y Prosiect Hinsawdd / The Climate Project group

The Climate Project pilot has been designed with wellbeing at its core. Monthly sessions for 6 months provide an opportunity for young people to come together with friends, to have fun, to take part in creative and wellbeing-focused activities, both indoors and outdoors with the climate running as a theme throughout. The aim is to support the youngsters so that they can take small actions which help them to see that they can make a difference in the climate emergency - that it isn't a hopeless situation. And to be 'climate activists' or 'climate champions', they will need to look after their own health and wellbeing. 

The first session involved a walk, photography, arts activities, yoga, good food and developing ideas for future sessions. As the project develops, we hope that the young people will begin to lead activities and demonstrate to themselves and others what empowered and capable young people can do. The project is a partnership between Menter Iaith Maldwyn, Fun Palaces and the National Trust and is a Welsh/bilingual project.

Menter Maldwyn Pecynnau blodau gwyllt / Wildflower sets

Mae'r Prosiect Hinsawdd wedi cael ei ddatblygu ar gyfer bobl ifanc oedran uwchradd, sy'n byw mewn ardal ddwyieithog a gwledig o Ogledd Powys. Fel pobl ifanc eraill, maen nhw wedi methu allan ar gyfleoedd i gymdeithasu a chael hwyl yn ystod y pandemig Covid, ac i lawer mae'r canlyniadau o'r ynysu a'r pryder a gafodd ei achosi yn parhau. Mae llawer o bobl ifanc hefyd yn dioddef o bryder ynglŷn ag argyfwng yr Hinsawdd ac mae'r rhyfel yn Wcráin yn ychwanegu at be sy'n teimlo fel catalog o resymau i deimlo'n bryderus ac isel.

Mae'r Prosiect Hinsawdd wedi cael ei gynllunio hefo lles yn ei graidd. Bydd y sesiynau misol am 6 mis yn rhoi cyfle i bobl ifanc ddod at ei gilydd hefo'i ffrindiau i gael hwyl, i gymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau creadigol a rhai sydd â ffocws ar les, tu mewn a thu allan gyda'r hinsawdd yn rhedeg fel thema drwyddynt. Y bwriad yw i gefnogi'r bobl ifanc fel eu bod yn gallu cymryd camau bychain fel eu bod yn gallu gweld eu bod nhw'n gallu cymryd camau fydd yn gwneud gwahaniaeth yn argyfwng yr hinsawdd - fod y sefyllfa ddim yn anobeithiol. Ac i fod yn 'weithredwyr hinsawdd' neu 'hyrwyddwyr hinsawdd' bydd angen iddyn nhw fod yn iach ac edrych ar ôl eu lles. 

 Yn y sesiwn cyntaf, buon ni'n cerdded, gwneud ffotograffiaeth, gweithgareddau celf, yoga, bwyta bwyd da a datblygu syniadau ar gyfer y sesiynau nesaf. Wrth i'r prosiect fynd yn ei flaen, ryden ni'n gobeithio y bydd y bobl ifanc yn dechrau arwain y gweithgareddau gan ddangos i'w hunain ac i eraill yr hyn y mae pobl ifanc grymus a galluog yn gallu ei wneud. Mae'r prosiect yn bartneriaeth rhwng Menter Iaith Maldwyn, Palasau Hwyl/Fun Palaces a'r Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol ac yn brosiect Cymraeg/dwyieithog.

The Wilderness Trust

Here at the Hanging Gardens in Llanidloes we have set up new creative sessions for new parents living locally.

This is a creative peer group for new parents where we try out different arts based activities (painting, crafts, and writing for example) and share coffee, conversation and concerns. It's a moment for parents to take some time for themselves and to meet others in the area. We have a safe place for you to bring your pre-toddler children who can relax and explore right next to us while the parents get stuck in!

You can find out more about the Hanging Gardens community project on our website.

Other funded organisations

Other organisations receiving funding from the Connected Communities: Loneliness & Isolation Fund 2021 - 24 grant scheme include: Gerddi Bro Ddyfi Gardens, the Macular Society, Brecknock Play Network, Mid & North Powys Mind, Llanfyllin Mens' Shed and Credu. Look out for more information about their new projects soon!

Impacts on the Covid Kids

by guest blogger Evan Griffiths

Evan Griffiths is a Powys based singer songwriter. He is 16, is afraid of crabs, and finds talking about himself in the third person very weird. The lovely folks at PAVO asked him to do a blog post on the impacts of COVID-19 on him and the people he knows.

So what have the kids of the Powys area been up to since lockdown?

Well, obviously I can't speak for everyone but from what I've seen, it's a lot of video games. I spoke to some of my mates and we all agreed that without online games you can play together with other humans we'd all have gone mad months back. Personally I also find that on top of this finding a solid creative outlet is also vital for the whole “not going bananas” thing.

As you might expect I’ve made a lot of music since the world went on standby and I must say I've not had the worst time doing it! Since day 1 I tried my best to encourage my friends and strangers on the internet to take up something creative now that none of us can go outside. I even did a short YouTube sketch reviewing people's projects. It wasn't very good.

Also (shameless plug) I’ve been working towards opening the Radnor Fringe Festival on Friday the 19th of June at 7pm GMT so like go watch that, I put a lot of work into it.

Other fun projects I’ve encountered where: learning a new language, making art from loads of old rubbish (this one wasn't from a teenager but is still very cool), learning bass guitar, making animations, it's been really cool to see what people can do now that they have virtually unlimited time to do it. If ever there was a time to finally learn that skill you've been putting off learning, it's now!

What effects have these activities had?

I have become dependent on coffee and have not left the house in three days.

And everyone else?

Oh right yeah, it's been really interesting to see at what rates people start to lose their marbles from social isolation but certainly those of us who are used to not talking to people for a while did a fair bit better in the short term. By this point everyone has more or less acclimatised to our new and weird reality and are back to feeling how we normally do.

Since this blog is about mental health I’d like to do a short piece on that. A lot of kids get bullied in school. Personally, I had a really terrible time of it towards the end of high school with gossiping teenagers and all that awful stuff and so for some of us the release from our nine to three coke light prison in favour of staying inside most of the time actually resulted in a marked improvement in our self worth and ability to cope with problems and situations. It’s almost as if it's easier to do your thing without people constantly telling you how awful you are.

However, this wasn't the case for everyone. For a lot of people the school environment provides a set structure and support group and to lose that means it becomes a lot harder for that person to cope with everything that goes on in their lives. And as a person who values structure myself I can seriously empathise with this. So the impacts of specifically the lockdown can change massively from person to person to person.

This got really heavy really fast.

It did, didn't it? Still I think it's important for people to talk openly about mental health, even now when it feels like the world's caving in. When did this become a lecture? 

Anyway to go back to a previous point I genuinely believe the escapism offered by video games has saved me and many others at least a portion of our sanity. For a long time when i couldn't go out and see my friends we'd boot up a Minecraft world and play virtual Lego for 5 straight hours and that all might seem silly or trivial to a lot of you reading this after the serious topics discussed and frankly I don't blame you but even from a mental health point of view spending time with your friends has always been shown to be good. Whether that be sharing a bag of crisps or blowing them up in Team Fortress 2. 

You talked before about the more creative activities you and your friends have been up to since lockdown, care to elaborate on how COVID affects the creative process?

The big C hasn't so much changed the creative process as it has simply forced it to adapt. For example I used to go and sit in my mate's house writing songs for hours on end, now I play a lot of Minecraft.

Please stop talking about Minecraft.

Okay fine, one of the few things I’ve found that's actually pretty cool about this whole lockdown thing is that it's given me loads of time to pour my everything into what I enjoy doing, making music. However, I am so criminally bored. I cannot articulate to you just how bored I am. 

Last week I cleaned my room, by choice, out of boredom. THAT’S HOW POWERFUL THIS ISOLATION IS! I’m up to date on school work for the first time in 5 years. So whilst me and many others have enjoyed the extra time to work on projects, if I go much longer I might make a TikTok and then it's really over. And if you don't know what TikTok is, thank your lucky stars and know that I envy you greatly.

Any closing thoughts about the impacts of COVID on the youth?

Firstly, I hate the term “the youth” makes me sound like an old man. Secondly, is it me or does February feel like it occurred sometime around 1996? And finally, I hope you enjoyed this article as much as I enjoyed writing it, and I bid you all an at least interesting rest of your day.

>>> l i n k s <<<

my instagram

my youtube

banana bread recipe

picture of a cactus

Youth group - Mid Powys Mind

Lorna Jones runs the youth group at Mid Powys Mind, ably assisted by volunteer Abby Simms. The group is aimed at 16 – 25 year olds, and gives them a safe and supportive place to meet and talk about what’s bothering them. I recently met up with three of the young people who attend regularly to find out more about the group.

We’ve been going to the group since June last year which is when the very first meeting took place. We just do little bits of activities every week and it’s nice to get out. It’s in the Wellbeing Centre in Llandrindod and 5 to 7 of us are attending at the moment.

We’ve done pottery, art, games, we get to go on walks (that’s my favourite), and do Zentangle-mindfulness doodling. We do loads of different stuff, whatever we fancy, if we want to do something we just say. We plan quite far ahead and we’re all involved in structuring what we do. Some of us live further away so it’s not possible to get up every week, so we write down the dates that will be best for us.

Lorna Jones, Youth Worker Mid Powys Mind

It’s just nice to come somewhere and have a bit of a chat. It’s a safe place to go so if there is something on your mind, even if you don’t talk, Abby and Lorna talk it out of you. They pull it like a string! They pick up on your mood and always know when something is wrong. They’re very good, they’ve worked out who each of us are and what makes us tick and what doesn’t.

As it’s quite a friendly group we’ve all got to know each other really well so we’ve learned what to say and what not to say - what triggers other people. It’s good to be able to go somewhere and know that, hang on a minute, I’m not the only one who actually has to deal with something like this. I’ve gone and then learned that three people have actually had to do a very similar thing to what I’ve had to do. We’re all pretty close. We’re all treated the same way. Nobody is treated differently. Everyone has the same respect for each other.

Everyone’s problem is just as important as everyone else’s.

We didn’t know any of the others. It was new to all of us. It was a bit scary at the start but Lorna and Abby were really good at introducing everyone to each other. I think people have come out of their shells. When I came I didn’t really want to talk, I was very quiet, but now I don’t stop and others were very quiet too, wouldn’t say boo to a goose. We were all private and Lorna and Abby have brought our thoughts out of us. They make a relaxing, calming atmosphere.

Abby Simms, Mid Powys Mind volunteer, at a pot painting session

I’m quite a moody person and Lorna and Abby help us out with emotional and practical things. 

It’s good to get out of the house and away from everything else. To have a break. New people can just show up to the group. It’s a place we don’t have to go to have counselling, but we can go somewhere and just say “I feel crap today”. Even if you say “I don’t want to be here right now”. Okay, yes, alarm bells go off in their heads but they actually sit and listen to you. They make time to listen to you. Whereas in normal life we have busy parents who don’t have the time to do it, it’s good to have a place just for you which is your safe place.

In the past if we needed extra help Lorna signposted us to a different service, or if we were nervous Lorna contacted them for us. When I first came to the group, I was a bit of a mess and really struggled and Lorna put me in touch with Claire who works for Mid Powys Mind as a Recovery and Support Worker. I would not be here today if I hadn’t come to this group and met Lorna and Abby. I’ve learned to trust again, it’s taken a long time to get to where we are today, the good thing is you can have a joke with them. Some people have down days but the atmosphere isn’t down, there’s always something going on. 

Say there’s a new member and they don’t want to walk in with all of us in the room, if you speak to Lorna beforehand she will meet you outside first. It’s little things like that, and she prewarns us as well, some of us are quite nervous about meeting new people, they say you have to be nice! Those little things make a big difference.

Confidentiality is a huge thing and we all respect that. Though we have broken some rules…. Only phones! But we are teenagers!

There are activities planned for the next few weeks. We have Monopoly, another walk, we’ve walked around the Lake before, we get a newsletter with a list of options. It’s 2 hours every week. It’s open to anyone in the Mid and North Powys area aged 16-25 to come along.

Many thanks to the young people for telling me all about the Youth group at Mid Powys Mind. If you want to find out more about the group then contact Lorna by emailing youth@midpowysmind.org.uk or ringing 01597 824411. There is also a Youth group Facebook page.