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.

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.

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

Music Therapy - A Young Man's Introduction

by guest blogger Evan Griffiths

Evan Griffiths is a Powys based 15 year old musician currently doing work experience at the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO).

His interests in music and mental health have led him to begin researching into the rising medical field of music therapy as a treatment for various mental illnesses such as depression and/or anxiety.

Evan has since decided to spend a morning of his work experience briefly outlining the benefits of music therapy as well as giving some information on it. He would also like to note he’s finding writing a third person introduction to himself a little bit weird.

So, what got you interested in this topic?

Well as anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a bit of a nerd for practical uses for music. I just enjoy seeing my passion being used to help people, so naturally I was drawn to the idea of using music as therapy like a moth to flame because I’d been using music as a kind of self therapy already for years. Because I already had an interest in this topic all I needed was a good excuse to do some research into it (as my spare time was already far too full with being a teenager) so then when we were told by the school to do a 2000 word project on something of our choice I decided then would be a good time to start digging my teeth into some research.

And so I started researching and I’m doing some more currently to fact check the rest of this blog post. The project is yet to be completed but I have so far looked into a fair few sources as well as asked a load of my peers for their thoughts so I will try and give data to fairly represent both the therapy itself as well as my generation’s opinion on it.

Can you briefly explain what music therapy is?

Yeah, sure. Music therapy is, to put it simply, people using music as a way of dealing with mental illness or other issues. It first began in the 1800s but has sat on the back burner of world of treatment for mental illness for many many years. However, recently it has begun to come into the limelight with very high success rates in the face of a mental health crisis. I believe that music therapy is the kind of innovation we need and Powys should have more facilities and support available for people who would enjoy and hopefully reap benefit from this treatment. It’s been shown to help everyone but especially young people and seniors who are exactly the people with highest demand for better mental health treatments.

Do you have any first hand experience with music therapy?

I do, however not from a formal organisation. I learnt music at a young age and have now learnt to write my own songs so I will often do that as a form of escapism when I’m in a bad patch. I have a few friends who have done/are doing the same and though it is helpful it’s nothing compared to the overwhelming success rates of formal music therapy. I’ve talked to my songwriter friends about this a lot and we’ve all agreed that encouraging young people to take up music and creating formal music therapy organisations, or supporting existing ones, would be excellent for the young people of Powys or anywhere really.

Why do you believe music therapy would be helpful, specifically to young people?

Well as much as I hate to admit it, it is true that young people spend far too much time on their phones and this has proven to have an incredibly negative effect on mental health. So encouraging teens to take up an instrument would provide them with something positive and productive to do instead. This would be as well as the positive effects music gives anyway as a distraction from a problem to help a person temporarily feel better. Or it could be used as a method of facing these emotions and communicating them through song, which for some people (including me) is far easier than talking about them to a therapist or counsellor.

So, not only would it be providing teens with a healthier outlet or distraction from their emotions it would also be keeping them off things that could (and probably will) damage their mental health.

What other benefits does music therapy offer?

Music therapy has also shown huge success rates with seniors due to its social benefits. Music has always had a sense of community about it and music therapy reflects that. It brings people together from all kinds of walks of life to share a love of music. And of course, loneliness is a huge problem amongst elderly people and a chance to come and hang out with some friends and sing some songs would likely be a great opportunity for elderly folks to get out of the house a bit, and jamming out to “Sweet Caroline” with the lads twice a month would give them something to look forward to. 

Music can also improve your memory and has been shown to reduce dementia risk which is excellent and only further shows why it’s important for people of all ages to get involved in music therapy if they want/need it. Also if you begin learning an instrument young you’re much more likely to continue with it into adult life so music therapy could turn a depressed teen into a lifelong musician. I think anything that can inspire that kind of change in a person needs to be at the forefront of mental health treatment.

Do the benefits of music therapy carry over to other forms of art? 

That hugely depends on what type of art you mean but generally yes, it seems they do. Many of the things I discussed in my last answer are music specific such as the memory and social aspects. However, many of the emotional therapies offered by music do carry over to traditional art, poetry, acting, or any other kind of art you can think of. It seems that just to create can be a therapy for people as a way of venting emotions.

However I think music therapy is the most widely beneficial of the types of art used in therapy (I know traditional art and poetry are also often used) as it also offers the social experience to the elderly and music can be more easily learnt than, say, drawing. However if you really cannot make music but happen to be an incredible poet then that can also have many of the same benefits for you.

Ponthafren Singing for Well-being - End of Term Showcase

Any charities that support this come to mind?

Off the top of my head I’d say if you want to support music therapy donate money to the Nordoff Robbins organisation. They’re the leading charity for music therapy in the UK and it would be excellent if they could open a branch somewhere in Powys.

But if you do want something more local Ponthafren are truly excellent. I was lucky enough to have the chance to see one of their showcases and talk to members of the charity as well as people the charity has helped. Everyone was really lovely and well informed as to the benefits of music therapy and how they benefited from it personally. There’s an excellent atmosphere at Ponthafren and I’d strongly recommend the organisation to anyone whether you want help with your mental health or if you want to listen to some music. Of course they also do other stuff to promote good mental health. 

Any closing notes or final thoughts you’d like to say? 

It seems like music therapy is a rising medium that just needs to be professionally recognised and implemented alongside traditional therapy methods. It has begun to grow exponentially in the past few years with small scale music events happening to raise money for mental health all over Mid Wales. I believe therefore that it will continue to grow further judging by the amount of advertisements I found for music therapist training courses whilst trying to find a Welsh music therapy charity (I could not find one but I imagine one will open in the near future). If Powys could have a place in this growing medium I believe that would be really cool and I’m certain more of these charities need to be created and supported.

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.

World Mental Health Day 2018 - students, young people & mental health

Earlier this month we celebrated World Mental Health Day on Wednesday 10 October. The World Federation for Mental Health is the driver behind this important awareness day.

The theme this year was “young people and mental health in a changing world.” So what better place to raise awareness about caring for the emotional health and wellbeing of young people than the two college bases in Powys – Newtown in the North, and Brecon in the South. We worked closely with colleagues at NPTC Group of Colleges, which is one of the largest Further Education providers in Wales, to run an information event at each campus.

Brecon High School pupils on a visit to the Brecon college campus

The day was a great success. Rather than write a long blog post, I am posting photographs and feedback from some of those who attended to capture a flavour of what happened on the day.

Julia Gorman (Ponthafren Association), Claire Powell (Community Connector),
Jen Hawkins (PAVO), Sarah Dale (Individual Rep), and a student from the Newtown college campus

Jen Hawkins, Health & Social Care Information Officer, PAVO

It’s good to talk, especially when it comes to mental health. Emojis and cake provided the perfect way to start conversations around mental health at Newtown College as part of PAVO’s World Mental Health Day event.

Cake was definitely an added advantage with lots of people initially attracted by free cake to start their day but it soon proved a perfect way to begin to talk about feelings.

An Emoji wall of fame provided a great backdrop for students and staff to identify how they were feeling in a supportive, open way. Before long the wall was soon covered with a colourful range of post it notes that covered a whole spectrum of emotions. It was great to read all the positive comments, where people were feeling great, happy and excited but poignant to have people share that they felt broken, numb and worried or anxious. This was a good opportunity to point people in the right direction of supportive services such as the college counsellor and third sector organisations like Ponthafren Association.

Comments were also received in Arabic and Spanish, which just goes to show that no matter what language we may speak it’s good to talk about mental health.

Claire Powell, Community Connector - Newtown, Llanfair Caereinion, Montgomery

I was surprised at how well some of the students were able to express how they felt using just one word and it gets you thinking - do they have enough opportunity to express their true feelings in a safe and supportive environment..?? I work with adults over the age of 18 but the event really opened my eyes to the daily challenges faced by younger students, and also how important it is for them to know where to go for support.

It was fantastic to hear that so many students are already volunteering and are looking for more opportunities to do this to give back to the community. 

Lisa Harding & Debbie Rees, Children & Adolescent Mental Health Services

Lisa Harding, Team Leader North Powys, and Debbie Rees, Support Worker - Children & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

We felt the day was fantastic in relation to networking with other agencies, putting faces to names! So that we can communicate on a regular basis.

It was great to make contact with the young people of north Powys from the age of 16+. What we felt went well was the connection with the lecturers asking questions about the young people they support day-to-day in relation to their mental health, offering advice and support.

One of our service users came to see us while there, to say ‘thank you’ for all the help and support from CAMHS.

The day was positive and productive in nature.

Hazel Osborne, College Counselling Service, Newtown campus

Hazel Osborne, College Counselling Service, NPTC Newtown

It was great to see a presence of many local mental health services at this event.

Our students very much enjoyed the cake and engaged with the mood board. It felt an important chance to continue developing a normalisation of accessing these sorts of services and an opportunity for us to further deepen the students’ awareness of the counselling and support services available on site.

Danielle Lewis & Neil Rees, Detached Youth Work team, Powys County Council

Rosemary Denham, Student Services Manager, NPTC Group of Colleges

The day was really positive for our students. PAVO had invited the professional organisations, and our own Health and Social Care students decided to be involved as well. Having these young people taking part meant that it was easier for other students to engage in the event and speak with the outside organisations without feeling embarrassed. It was a very good mix.

Spin-offs included:

• The Newtown Health & Social Care students gave an on-the-spot donation to Ponthafren – this was money that had been proffered for the lovely cakes which they had provided themselves and were giving away at no cost.
• Our Enterprise Officer is running a project near to Christmas and the funds raised there will be given to a mental health charity.
• Our college subject tutors had the opportunity to network with professionals working in the mental health field, and arrangements have been made for talks to be given by the organisations to specific student groups in the coming weeks. 
• Our college counsellors were also able to discuss their work and referral pathways to outside agencies. 
• Our student welfare staff re-established a working relationship with the Powys Teaching Health Board C-card organisers and ensured a renewed supply of condoms.
   

Sophie Jones, PCSO, Brecon Neighbourhood Policing team

Emojiis on a blank wall prompted students to comment on their feelings – 62% said they were happy, 8% were hungry – and 32% expressed negative emotions (including being stressed, anxious, tired, paranoid, depressed, worried) – this highlighted the need for the college to do all we can to help with mental health awareness.

PAVO offered the opportunity to work with our Health and Social Care students on volunteering, and also mentioned the possibility of a work placement in Llandrindod Wells.

I was invited to feed back on the day to Louisa Kerr from Powys Teaching Health Board, Vanessa Young from the NHS Confederation, PAVO and staff from mental health services in Mid Wales .It was a great opportunity to reinforce the need for improved mental health services for young people.

Thanks again to PAVO, I also attended the NHS Wales/Powys Teaching Health Board workshop in Builth Wells to contribute to the Powys Sexual Health Improvement Plan about services available / needed for our young people.

Louisa Kerr (PTHB), Vanessa Young (Welsh Confederation), Owen Griffkin (PAVO), Rosemary Denham (NPTC Group), Melanie Davies (PTHB), Lucy Taylor (PAVO), Jolene Duggan (PTHB)

Gateway/Foundation students at Brecon College

• Good information given.
• Excellent day.
• Seeking awareness for students with mental health issues.
• Excellent advice on the stalls.
• Good advice given.
• Fun.
• Interesting.
• Helpful advice.
• Fun activities.
• Informative.
  
  

Kemal Keeble from Rekindle chatting to some of the students in Newtown

Kemal Keeble, Recovery Practitioner, Small Steps Project, Rekindle

It was really great to be a part of the World Mental Health Day at NPTC. It opened the door to many conversations about "what positive mental health means to many of the students" and insight into the work we carry out at Rekindle's The Small Steps Project. It was lovely to see so many young people getting involved and gaining a greater understanding about what services are available to them within the community they study and live in.

Suzanne Fairclough (R) and colleague from Sexual Health Services, Powys Teaching Health Board

Suzy Fairclough, Development Officer for Sexual Health & Support to Perinatal Mental Health, Powys Teaching Health Board

It was a pleasure to attend World Mental Health Day on the 10th October with information boards on Sexual Health Services and to have the opportunity to speak and hand out information to the young people on this subject and explain how Sexual Health links in with mental health, health and wellbeing. 

Abby Sims & Lorna Jones, Mid Powys Mind

Lorna Jones, Youth Worker, Mid Powys Mind

It was a good day with great networking and a privilege to meet young people who wish to make a difference with the outlook and positive attitude toward mental health. 

Lucy Taylor, Senior Officer Children & Young People, PAVO

Thank you to all the students and organisations that joined PAVO in making our World Mental Health Day celebrations with NPTC Colleges in Brecon and Newtown a success. It was so good to see everyone chatting about wellbeing, mental health and just how they were feeling that day. Our Emoji walls captured an image of "How are you feeling today?" 

We would be really pleased to know how you felt the day went and whether you would like to partner with PAVO on future events/ collaborative working? Comment in the box below, or contact us by emailing mentalhealth@pavo.org.uk or ringing 01597 822191.