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We launch new services in Leicestershire and Bristol

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Today we launch two new services which means we’re able to help make recovery a reality for even more individuals.

Our new Leicestershire Life Links community based service will provide drop-in, inreach and peer support services across the county.

And our new Bristol Mental Health Employment Service has also gone live as part of an innovative new integrated mental health system in the city.

A broad range of integrated services is being provided by nearly 20 organisations with specialist expertise and experience, coming under the umbrella of Bristol Mental Health. This includes community mental health (including assessment and recovery, crisis support, early intervention in psychosis and complex psychological interventions), community rehabilitation, dementia wellbeing and assertive engagement.

Our employment service is one of the first elements of the new system to go live. We’re working in partnership with Mental Health Matters, Windmill Hill City Farm and the Bristol Somali Resource Centre to provide specialist employment support to people with a mental health problem that is affecting their ability to retain, or seek, employment.

 

Volunteering with wildlife helps turn lives around

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Volunteers from Richmond Fellowship’s services in Dorset have taken part in conservation tasks with Dorset Wildlife Trust, to help aid their recovery from mental health problems.

A group of service users from our Dorset community-based scheme worked on an area of land recently acquired by The Erica Trust, as an extension to the ‘Happy Bottom’ nature reserve in Corfe Mullen.  The volunteering activity, which is part of the Great Heath Living Landscape project, helped to clear Himalayan Balsam – an invasive species which smothers native plants.

Eric Longworth, who has anxiety and depression, has been volunteering with Dorset Wildlife Trust through our scheme for six months.  He said: “Doing this work outside gives me peace of mind and clarity.  It helps lift my worries.  I would recommend it to anyone trying to overcome anxiety – it’s hard to make the first jump, but works well alongside my medication and it’s a distraction from the things that worry me.  Every time I come out, I learn something different – I saw a bee orchid the other day, which I had never seen before.”

In 2011 Richmond Fellowship volunteers were awarded Dorset Wildlife Trust’s ‘Helen Brotherton’ group volunteering award, in recognition of their commitment and enthusiasm towards wildlife.

Sally Wright, community conservation officer for The Great Heath Living Landscape Project, said: “It’s a real pleasure working with the volunteers from Richmond Fellowship. some are starting our Wildlife Champions award scheme, to recognise their hard work and give them confidence to share their new skills with others in the community.”

Neil Gibson, a Richmond Fellowship community link worker, said: “Volunteering outside is a way to make new friends, socialise and develop an interest in wildlife.  We don’t talk about mental health whilst on volunteering tasks, as spending time outdoors is a good distraction, which can help with recovery.  We like working as a team to help each other out, and are very grateful to the Dorset Wildlife Trust wardens, who are always very accommodating.”

Eclipse Barnet celebrates a successful first year

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Eclipse Barnet recently celebrated its one-year anniversary.

Providing support to approximately 155 transitioned service users and 176 new service users, the service has already achieved a great deal since its transition from RF Barnet and Mind in Barnet to become the new look Eclipse.

The scheme offers a wide range of courses, including confidence building and stress management, and around 15 weekly social groups such as creative writing and music groups.  There is also one-to-one support through key advising sessions, training and peer groups.

The team has developed excellent relationships with local services to ensure we can provide  the highest level of support possible  to service users.

Plans for the coming year include working closely with service users to get feedback and suggestions for how our courses and groups can be improved further. Other aims include developing more relationships with other local organisations, recruiting more peer volunteers and mentors to support others on their recovery journey, and to continue work raising awareness and reducing stigma surrounding mental health within the community.

Eclipse is aiming to expand its social media following as an online community support network, and you can follow the service on Twitter and Facebook.

For more information about Eclipse Barnet:
T: 020 8359 4999
E: info@eclipsebarnet.org.uk
www.eclipsebarnet.org,uk
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Richmond Fellowship wins new IAPT contract in Redbridge and Havering

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Richmond Fellowship (RF) is proud to announce a new partnership with North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT) and Big White Wall (BWW) to win a new IAPT contract in London.

We will be specialising in employment pathways in partnership with NELFT as clinical lead and BBW, who will be using innovative technology to offer therapy online.  This is our first partnership with new partners and advances the amazing work that locality manager Ros Hatt has undertaken over the last few years to grow our employment services in east London.  Our staff will co-locate with our partners and play a key part in ensuring high quality services that promote self resilience and sustainable pathways to recovery. It’s an exciting first step into the sphere of digital mental health services for RF.

In the coming months we are will also be looking at working on another project with BWW in Waltham Forest and envisage a strong working relationship as we progress in the future.

Solent Recovery College holds inaugural presentation ceremony

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​Friday 28th February was the inaugural certificate presentation ceremony of Solent Recovery College (SRC). SRC began offering 13 recovery-focused courses in September 2013 and 145 students have successfully completed courses.

The event took place at the Highbury College Campus in Portsmouth and was attended by Professor Geoff Shepherd, Senior Policy Adviser of the Recovery Programme at the Centre for Mental Health and programme leader of imRoc. Professor Shepherd took the opportunity to speak about the widespread benefits for organisations, peer trainers and students that recovery colleges can bring, as well as the positive changes in attitudes that they can help create within local communities.

Students were presented with certificates, with many of those receiving awards having completed more than one course since the recovery college opened in September. The ceremony marks the first successes of a project RF Portsmouth has been proud to be a strong partner in, working alongside Highbury College of Further Education and Solent NHS trust.

There are now 18 recovery colleges in the UK but Solent Recovery College is the only one thus far to operate from a full time FE college campus. The initiative has the full support of Portsmouth City Council, who provide funding for peer trainers. It’s also a contributing factor in Richmond Fellowship being the largest employer of peer support staff in the city, and we provide both paid and volunteer peer workers to co-design and co-deliver all the courses alongside mental health professionals from Solent NHS Trust, including a consultant and a local GP as well as staff from CMHTs.

The next year will see further development of SRC, with a programme of courses for the spring term already being delivered and further courses proposed for 2014-15. Courses are open to people who use mental health services in Portsmouth, their carers and supporters and staff from the three partner organisations. Portsmouth City Council have also recently agreed an extension to RF’s support and recovery contract, which will ensure the partnership can continue to thrive and Solent Recovery College can go from strength to strength.

Mental health and Mindful Employer headlines at Swindon CIPD gathering

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The Swindon branch of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development will host an awareness session at New College in March for its local membership on the issues of mental health in the workplace.

Organised in association with the Swindon Mindful Employer Network, which is co-ordinated by Richmond Fellowship, the event looks at managing stress at work, identifying stress in ourselves and colleagues and explores the benefits of being a Mindful Employer. Guest speakers include Melanie Richens, Chair of the Swindon Mindful Employer Network, Geoff Windle of Lift Psychology and Adrian Embling of  Mindset Wessex.

David Latham, who manages the Swindon Mindful Employer Network for Richmond Fellowship, said: “We’re grateful to the Swindon CIPD for inviting us back to speak to their membership on the important matters relating to mental health in the workplace.  I’m particularly pleased that we’re joined by some accomplished and highly knowledgeable guest speakers who can provide advice to HR professionals. We realise that mental health – particularly stress – is of growing concern to the business community.”

Jules Goddard, Swindon and North Wilts CIPD events co-ordinator, feels these types of awareness sessions are becoming more popular: “HR professionals are facing increasing issues and problems involving mental health and the possible sickness absence associated with them. The truth is that we can’t ignore or dismiss the problems caused by stress and the damage it is doing to individuals and businesses everywhere.  I’m delighted the Swindon Mindful Employer Network, Lift Psychology and Mindset Wessex are able to join us for this eagerly anticipated event.”

Sickness absence statistics over the last decade show an alarming increase in employees taking time away from the workplace for mental health reasons and in particular stress.  This session will explore the issues around managing stress at work and how we identify the signs of mental illness in our colleagues and ourselves. We shall also explore the benefits of businesses being positive on mental health matters and developing resilience – and transforming into a mindful employer.

This event takes place at New College, Swindon on Thursday March 20th. Booking is essential through the CIPD swindon-events@cipdbranch.co.uk.

Find out more about our Swindon employment services.

Time banking scheme gets quality mark

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Our Time, Richmond Fellowship’s time banking scheme in Liverpool, has been awarded a national quality mark by Timebanking UK.

The quality mark demonstrates our service is meeting Timebanking UK’s recommended best practices and has been awarded to us for the next three years.

Time banking is an exchange and sharing of skills and the only currency is time. The time bank is made up of members who receive one credit for every hour they give to the bank. The members earn their credits by providing services to members and spend their credits by buying services from other members.

Time banking promotes social inclusion and empowers individuals by making the members feel valued as they are able to share their skills with others and learn new skills themselves. Find out more about our service.

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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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