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World Suicide Prevention Day 2022: A person we’ve supported story

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At Richmond Fellowship, the people we support are at the heart of everything we do.

Our services up and down England provide support to people who are experiencing mental ill health . In recent years we have pioneered the provision of crisis services, designed with and in response to the needs of the people we support.

These early intervention services support to people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis.

For World Suicide Prevention Day 2022, a person we’ve supported at Willow House in Chorley explains how the coping skills they learnt at the service have helped them on their recovery journey.

“Every day I felt empty and numb. There was no emotion and I forgot how to smile. Too often I would find myself in a bottomless dark pit. Honestly, I hated my own existence.

I looked at myself and saw nothing but flaws and failure. I believed people when they told me I was fat, ugly weird. A freak. In my mind I was all of those things. Useless and a burden.

Coming here, although challenging, was the break I needed. As humans we often forget to look after ourselves. We believe that we can take on way more than we can handle but, everybody needs a break at some point.

During my time here I’ve taken social media breaks, fell back in love with old hobbies such as art, colouring and being outside. Depression took my joy and motivation to anything I ever enjoyed away from me. I’ve missed them.

I’ve learnt a lot about myself. I can meet new people, I can do the things I enjoy, I’ve thought up great distractions that I will practice probably for the rest of my life when things get dark again. For me nothing makes me feel better than sitting under a warm cosy blanket watching my favourite movie. Self-care is so important.

I now feel as though I will be capable of using these to my advantage. I don’t need to give in to the dark thoughts. I will feel OK again”.

Inspired by our work? Did you know Richmond Fellowship is a national mental health charity and your donations to services really help the people using our services by providing activities to support their recovery? To donate to Willow House or any of our services across England, click here.

Our Domestic Abuse division in the South, DVIP Turns 30!

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Looking back on our work over the past three decades.

The Domestic Violence Intervention Project (DVIP) is one of the longest running projects of its kind in the UK.  

Founded in 1992 DVIP was one of the first organisations to run programmes for the perpetrators of domestic violence and abuse.  

DVIP continued to innovate and respond to changing needs, whilst also sharing its knowledge and expertise far and wide.  In 2000 the AL-Aman project was established serving specifically London’s Arabic speaking communities. In 2005 we started working with children affected by domestic violence and abuse, through our Children’s Therapy Team. In 2010 DVIP started the YUVA project, working with young people using violence and abuse within the family. Alongside it all, our specialist domestic abuse assessments of risk and vulnerability have been supporting local authorities in child protection processes and care proceedings through the work of the Family Courts team. 

In 2018 DVIP became a division of Richmond Fellowship and with it, joined the Recovery Focus group. Stability and funding in our sector has always been tough, becoming part of a larger charity ensured our long-term sustainability. Just as importantly it meant that our services and staff could learn from each other and our partners in the Group, developing and improving the support we offer. 

Looking ahead  

The domestic abuse sector is facing a landmark moment, with the Domestic Abuse Act in 2021 really bringing this issue to the forefront of society. The need for specialist domestic abuse intervention continues to be as relevant now as it was 30 years ago. Our mission continues to be about increasing the safety of victims/survivors by providing innovative, holistic interventions and working towards the reduction and elimination of domestic abuse.  

We will continue to strive for a world in which our services will no longer be needed. A world in which inequalities are acknowledged and addressed and where misogyny is no longer tolerated in any streets, workplaces or homes. A world in which there is no domestic abuse to address.  

As DVIP turns 30 we invite everyone to celebrate 30 years of working for the safety of families in London victim to Domestic Abuse. We want the people that use our services, the volunteers that help us reach farther, the staff that daily commit to the work at hand, the partners fighting alongside us, the commissioners enabling us to do the work that we do and the sector we are proud members of, to join us in this anniversary.  

Over the next few months, we’ll be hearing from staff over on our social media about their work, sharing the stories of people we support, fundraising for our services and much more. Make sure you’re following our DVIP Twitter to stay up to date.

Want to support our vital work? To celebrate 30 years, DVIP are going the distance! DVIP staff are moving 3000km, to raise £3000, to mark 30 years. Check out our fundraising page and support our work here: Richmond Fellowship: Distance for DVIP- Celebrating 30 years (enthuse.com)

Young People’s Week – opening the doors to Castle Supported Housing

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At Richmond Fellowship we are proud to be part of the Recovery Focus Group of charities, supporting people impacted by mental ill health, domestic abuse, and the harms caused by alcohol, drugs and gambling.   

This week the Recovery Focus partners are focussing on our Young People’s Services we collectively deliver across the Group. At Richmond Fellowship we deliver the Castle Supported Housing service in Cambridge supporting young people aged 16 – 25 years old with their mental health. Our Castle Service recently became part of the Young Futures Partnership, working to support young people in Cambridge threatened with homelessness. This partnership will help the lives of many young people in Cambridge, with all organisations associated drawing on their collective experience, expertise, and resources to offer a consistent and quality service. 

The young people that enter the Castle service are often in a vulnerable state, unsure of where to turn next. Some young people have suffered a death in the family that trigged mental ill health. Others faced harsh experiences as a child that led to poor relationships with their parents or carers. Some young people were originally planning on pursuing education but a life altering experience made them change course. These young people have experienced a lot already at a young age in a very formative part of life when they are trying to figure out what their next steps are, what they want to do and who they want to be.  

With the support of the Castle service, young people have a safe place to live while they consider what those next steps might be. Our recovery workers work with the young people to develop their confidence and independence. The young people can learn how to budget, look after their own home, access training and education opportunities, learn coping mechanisms for their mental health and much more. 

There are many recovery stories to tell from our Castle Service. Below is some insight into the kind of impact our staff have seen in the young people that they have supported. 

“The service has offered Ryan a safe space to grow, express and action change of his own choices. The space he now has from his parents has had a positive impact on his mental health. He has decided he would still like to engage with the mental health support he has on offer and in place already, but this is now his choice, not his parents. The service has allowed Ryan to become more independent and self-confident to make choices of his own.” 

“Liam admits he is in a much better place and his relationship with his father is finally getting a chance to flourish. His job has given him a sense of belonging and being offered a promotion has proven to him that people have faith in him. He has seen the importance of engaging with support and has learnt how to access these independently so that he has a safety net going forward. Liam watched other service users move on positively and at one time felt very negative that this would never happen for him. Securing his own place has been and will continue to be a life changer. Finally having the opportunity to grow and become fully independent.” 

“Julia is now set and determined to go to university and improve her future opportunities and although even six months ago she could not allow herself to feel excited, she says she is excited and not so fearful of change, she has acknowledged all the change she has already survived through no choice of her own. Going to university is her choice and her chosen change.” 

The names of these young people have been changed to protect their identity. 

Help us to continue offering this essential support to young people. Donate now to the Castle Service here. The Castle Service is one of the chosen charities for this year’s Northstowe Running Festival, find out more and donate now!

Volunteers Week 2022: What Being A Peer Support Volunteer Coordinator Means To Me

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Our Volunteer Coordinators play a vital role in supporting those who volunteer their time to help the people we support.

As part of Volunteers Week 2022 across the Recovery Focus group of charities, Judith, Peer Support Volunteer Coordinator at Richmond Fellowship’s Wakefield service explains what the role means to her.

“I feel truly privileged to work in this role, as our volunteers are such a core feature of the support we provide here at Richmond Fellowship’s Gaslight service in Wakefield.

We are a community-based service and run several groups and drop-ins which are well attended by our members. These could not function without our amazing team of volunteers, and it is my job to recruit, train up, supervise and support.

It is really rewarding and satisfying to see someone grow in confidence and develop their skills as they become part of the volunteer team, sometimes achieving things they never thought possible. It may have started with a tentative enquiry and then an informal chat about what is involved; or it may be someone who has progressed through our 12 week 1:1 support programme and this is the next step on their recovery journey.

I match up volunteers with activities / hobbies they are interested in and if we don’t have a group that fits then we can start a new one – nothing is off limits, you just need to be creative!

Our quarterly newsletter grew out of looking at options to keep busy and engaged through lockdown and now it is a regular feature. I love the variety and challenge of this role and no two days are ever the same.

Since becoming Peer Volunteer Co-ordinator, three volunteers have returned to employment and while we never like to say goodbye, seeing them find their feet and believe in themselves again is both an encouragement and an inspiration. I am very proud to tell you that one of our volunteers recently applied for the job of Community Link Worker and we are now looking forward to welcoming him on board as a fully fledged member of staff!”

Inspired? Check out our latest vacancies today by clicking here.

Volunteers Week 2022: What Volunteering Means To Me

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All this week we’re shining the spotlight on what it’s like volunteering for Richmond Fellowship as part of Volunteers Week 2022 across the Recovery Focus group of charities.

Steve, a Volunteer at one of our Northern services, has written this blog explaining how volunteering has helped him.

“I’ve been involved with Richmond Fellowship for a good few years, going back to when it was previously run by ‘Mental Health Matters’ so I’ve seen many changes.

I had been referred to their employment support scheme by the Job Centre and was then invited to attend a drop-in. I’ve got to know people over a long period of time which has helped me to build up trust and feel safe there.

Becoming a volunteer seemed a natural progression and was something I had often thought about. I found that I enjoyed helping out when I could and got a lot of satisfaction in seeing others grow in confidence and come out of their shell. This was something I could really identify with as it was difficult for me at first to talk to new people when they joined the groups and drop-ins. I found that it gave me a positive focus, something to think about other than my struggles with PTSD, anxiety and depression. It also gave me a reason to get out of bed in the morning.

A bit like riding a bike, I kept on getting back in the saddle, not that I talk about cycling much, honest(!) As the saying goes, practice makes perfect and I feel I am much more confident and at ease in this role now.

Some people may find the sense of responsibility in being a volunteer a bit daunting but for me it was a motivating factor. I didn’t let the negative thoughts take hold or convince me not to go out or do anything because others were relying on me and I didn’t want to let them down. I had a duty so could finally win that battle!

Being a volunteer has broadened my horizons and prevented me from getting stuck in my own world. I’ve made new friends, been well supported by the team and learnt a lot.

Listening to other people’s experiences has enabled me to see things from different perspectives. I don’t think this would have happened otherwise. My volunteering role began with joining the Castleford walk on a Friday morning and I’ve been doing it ever since. This progressed with attending the drop-in there and also supporting a Thursday walk.

It’s very rewarding when you feel you’ve made a difference and if I was to advise someone thinking about becoming a volunteer I’d say ‘put your toe in the water’ and  give it a try. You may already know some of the team and so it would only a small step forward in a safe and positive environment. I highly recommend it”.

Inspired? Found out more about volunteering at Richmond Fellowship here.

Radio Sparky: May 2022 Mental Health Awareness Week podcast

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Listen to our latest edition of Radio Sparky, the podcast which shines the spotlight on the excellent work happening at Richmond Fellowship services across the country.

In this special edition to mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2022, Matt Webb Communications and Marketing Officer speaks to Nicholas Barnes, Peer Support Coordinator at our Crawley Staying Well service about his experience of year’s theme ‘loneliness’ and how he uses his lived experience to support others along their recovery journeys.

“I felt lonely even though she was still around at that time. She was sleeping a lot and not really talkative when she was awake. She just wanted to be by herself a lot. I was quite lonely because I couldn’t express myself. I had no one I could talk to in front of, because of her illness it would upset her.” – Nicholas, Peer Support Coordinator.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 – #WeAreHere

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This year Mental Health Awareness Week is tackling loneliness. As a provider of mental health support across England, we see day in and day out the impact that social isolation and loneliness can have on people’s mental health. The pandemic has only made this worse. 

All our services across Richmond Fellowship work to combat loneliness. Whether you’re having an at-home visit from someone in our community service team or gathering for lunch living in one of our supported housing services, our staff are there building safe spaces for the people we support. Throughout the pandemic all our services made sure they continued delivering this support at a time it was needed most. Our services helped people feel less alone. 

So, what can you expect from us this week?  

This year we wanted to keep things simple and recognise the important work of our amazing staff and services – not just for delivering high quality support throughout the pandemic, but also for all they do to help people feel less alone.  

So, on our social media we’ll be showing how our services, staff and people we support combat loneliness. Some of our staff will be sharing their experiences with loneliness to help break the stigma and encourage people to seek support for their mental health. 

We’ll also be sharing a RadioSparky Podcast featuring Nicholas, Peer Support Coordinator at Crawley Staying Well, one of our Crisis Havens in Surrey about his experience with loneliness and how the service supports people in their local area. 

How do our models to support recovery tackle loneliness? 

At Richmond Fellowship we have various models to support recovery including Employment Services, Residential Recovery (including Supported Housing and CQC Registered Care Homes), Community Based Services, Crisis Services and Domestic Abuse Services. Each working in their own specialised way to make recovery reality for the people we support.  

  • Models like our Crisis Services are a lifeline for people experiencing a mental health crisis, acting as a sanctuary when people feel most alone. People can find respite either within our Crisis Houses, or peer and professional support in our Crisis Havens. 
  • Our Community-based Services bring people together to connect. They give people the confidence to get back into society through community groups and at-home support with shopping, finances and independent living. These services are essential in reaching people who are isolated and feeling lonely. 
  • As for our housing services, living around likeminded people and having a safe space to grow and recover is hugely beneficial in tackling loneliness and isolation. Our housing services deliver either 24-hour or 12-hour support. Our staff, as well as the other residents, are there to support people on their recovery journeys and to ensure they never feel alone. 
  • Our Employment Services keep in regular contact with the people we support, checking in on their job applications and CV writing, but also their mental health and any other difficulties they might be having. Our employment services work hard to get the people we support into employment that is right for and interests them.  
  • Our Domestic Abuse Services are there for people affected by domestic abuse who are in situations that can leave them feeling entirely alone and isolated. 

Make sure you are following us on our Facebook and Twitter. Don’t forget, we are here, a safe space is available for you to also feel less alone. Find out about your local Richmond Fellowship services here.  

World Autism Acceptance Week blog

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To mark World Autism Acceptance Week, Laura Whitehouse, Autism and Asperger’s Employment Advisor at our Cambridgeshire Employment service has written this blog to share her experiences of working with people on the autism spectrum.

Who am I?

In 2015-2016, I trained with Teach East to become a Primary School Teacher. I completed my training and got a job as a Classroom Teacher, teaching in Year 4 at the school I trained in. I left teaching in 2018 as I found that it was not the role for me. Having left the profession, I secured my current role working with autistic adults to find and stay in work. But my experience of working with children on the autism spectrum as a Teaching Assistant, Trainee Teacher and Class Teacher continues to help me in my current work.

What is Autism?

Autism is a lifelong, developmental condition that affects about 1 in 100 people. It is a condition that affects the way in which people communicate and interact with the world around them. It is also a spectrum condition, which means that every individual is affected in a different way and have their own strengths and challenges. This definition has come from the National Autistic Society website, and this is a good place to start if you want to find out more at www.autism.org.uk. Also, local libraries have a good range of material on the subject including those written by people with autism.

My Experience and Top Tips

Working with and talking to people on the autism spectrum on daily basis allows me to learn something new every day. It has also highlighted the fact that each person is unique with their own strengths and challenges and so the best way of supporting them is by working in a person-centred way.

Now, I would like to share some of my top tips to supporting adults and children on the autism spectrum:

  • Increase your own knowledge of the condition and how it might affect an individual, this way you will have a better understanding of why they might be acting in a certain way.

  • Take time to get to know them, what are their interests, strengths and challenges, that way you can tailor support to suit their needs. The importance is that they are listened to and heard.

  • Routine is important to those on the spectrum as they know what is happening and it reduces anxiety. So, use of timetables written or visual can be beneficial.

  • Sudden changes can be difficult for some people on the autism spectrum. So, spending time preparing for it, explaining what the changes is and why it is happening can help manage the stress around it.

  • Avoid figurative and ambiguous language instead be clear in what you say and mean and check for understanding.

  • Be specific with expectations of work and behaviour.

  • If they have a sensory need or challenge, try to find ways to manage this. For example, if they are sensitive to noise then use noise cancelling headphones.

To find out more information about our Cambridgeshire Employment service, click here.

Spotlighting our Employment Services

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Every month on our social media accounts, we take the time to really explore one of our models to support recovery. You may already have seen our Crisis Services Week and Supported Housing Week. But we aren’t just a housing charity! We also deliver 38 specialist employment services to individuals experiencing mental ill health to help regain or retain meaningful employment, training, education or volunteering opportunities. Ones that are right for and tailored to them. Last year we delivered employment support to 3,126 people! 

So this week we’re going to be opening the door to our Employment Services. Our employment teams across England help to communicate with employers to make reasonable adjustments and provide the support needed to better manage mental health at work. They help people experiencing mental ill health to feel safe and comfortable in their working environment. 

“I was given so much support and encouragement that I considered a career in mental health support to try and help people as much as I was helped. I’m now a support worker feeling very satisfied in a job I might not even have considered if not for my advisor” – A person we support, Kirklees Employment Service.

Our employment advisors meet regularly with the people we support to help develop a detailed work preference profile to ensure the work is suited to the individual. Individuals receive support and guidance on how and where to look for jobs, help writing effective CVs, cover letters and applications and help to get through interviews.  

“Our services give people a massive boost of confidence and assistance in developing key skills that they wouldn’t necessarily receive support with elsewhere. We are able to help them get back into society and give routine and structure back to their lives.” – Employment Advisor, BANeS Employment Service.

So, what can you expect as we open the doors to our employment services this week? 

  • We’ll be hearing directly from staff working in our employment services. 
  • We’ll be sharing the recovery stories of people we support and letting you know about the exciting job opportunities they now have thanks to our employment teams. 
  • Maybe you’ve thought about wanting to work within a mental health charity? We’ll be sharing what it’s like to work within our employment services, hearing from staff about what their day-to-days look like. 
  • Becky, one of our Employment Specialists at our BANeS Employment Service will be giving us some insight into her role in our RadioSparky Podcast. 
  • Kirklees Employment Service open their doors to us and let us know what’s coming up as they celebrate their newly renewed contract to continue delivering employment services to the people we support. 

“We work with such a variety of people who all have different strengths, support needs, and life experiences that we learn so much as we help them achieve their goals.” – Employment Advisor, Kirklees Employment Service. 

You’re not going to what to miss out so make sure you follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page to stay up to date on all things Employment Services. Looking for employment support in your area? Use our find a service tool to see support near you. 

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Richmond Fellowship is part of Recovery Focus, a group of charities with the shared aim to Inspire Recovery Together www.recoveryfocus.org.uk

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