The Open College Network (OCN), a professional and technical awarding body, announced the shortlist for its fifth Learning Endeavour Awards, at Titanic Belfast on Monday 26 June 2023. Shortlisting for these prestigious awards was drawn from eight categories with nominees from organisations throughout Northern Ireland.

Delighted to pick up the highest accolade as Learner of the Year at the annual Endeavour Awards event, Shauna Christie a client with AMH New Horizons, Lisburn, is a shining example of how the charity transforms lives through education. Shauna also received a second award for her nominated category, Health & Well-being Learner of the Year.

Celebrating her double success, Shauna chose the part-time mixed media qualification, which led to learning new skills such as lino printing, embracing her artistic side and making many new acquaintances. Shauna explains,

“Donna and Carol Anne from AMH New Horizons encouraged me to become involved with the 12-week OCN course at AMH New Horizons, Lisburn. They both gave me real support and guidance throughout. I’m so glad I decided to take part in the course as I feel it has not only given me additional skills, such as time-management and improved my written communication abilities but has opened the door to future learning. I would recommend it to anyone.”

Aisling Doherty, Peripatetic Service Manager with New Horizons, Lisburn said,

“We are so incredibly proud of Shauna‘s great achievement. She is delighted and her family are delighted for her too. Shauna will return to the awards next year to deliver a speech and congratulate the new winner. Adding, AMH New Horizons supports the recovery of adults living with mental ill health and provides a comprehensive personal development-training programme, vocational skills and employability. Shauna’s award is great news for New Horizons and the work we do.”

Martin Flynn, Chief Executive of OCN NI said,

 “The shortlisted learners and organisations reflect the best of Northern Ireland and are shining examples of what hard work and determination can achieve. We were delighted to reward the winners at our in person event.”

The awards ceremony featured special guest, Belfast Giants Head Coach, Adam Keefe, alongside members of Belfast Giants coaching and management team. The guests fielded an on-stage question and answer session, providing insight and highlighting similarities or lessons on how the on-ice high-performing hockey team’s Challenge Cup treble win, may also translate into life and learning for those pursuing their own personal goals.

Adam Keefe, Belfast Giants Head Coach, said: “It was a great honour to be asked to attend the OCN Learning Endeavour Awards and hearing first hand from some pretty inspiring people who succeeded in their categories. There is no substitution for working hard so I clapped loudly for everyone who was honoured at the OCN NI Learning Endeavour Awards.”

Further information on your nearest New Horizons centre https://www.amh.org.uk/services/amh-new-horizons/

For more information on the OCN Learner Endeavour Awardshttps://ocnni.org.uk/learner-awards/learner-awards-2023

Caption – The highly commended winners and guests at the Open College Network (OCN) Learning Endeavour Awards 2023.

Action Mental Health is absolutely thrilled to be selected as the new charity partner for Edwards & Co. Solicitors.

We are looking forward to working with the team at Edwards & Co as we help raise funds and awareness to support better mental health in Northern Ireland.

This exciting new three year partnership will see staff at the leading Belfast solicitors firm taking part in volunteering and fundraising, as well as staff training for better mental health awareness and to support mental health in the workplace.

Massive thanks to everyone at the company for selecting Action Mental Health as your new partner.

Action Mental Health on the 10th of September joins the annual World Suicide Prevention Day campaign.

This year focuses on the message of ‘Creating Hope Through Action’. In Northern Ireland, too many lives are lost to suicide each year. The aim of World Suicide Prevention Day is to raise awareness that suicide is preventable, improve education, and spread information about suicide awareness.

How we’re Creating Hope Through Action

Our AMH MensSana team, alongside our partners at PIPS Newry & Mourne, delivers the Your Protect Life Resource Service in the Southern Area and is here to help you regarding suicide and self-harm prevention and mental health promotion. We provide an outreach community development service with a particular focus on promoting positive mental health and the prevention of suicide and self-harm through community development approaches.

Action Mental Health New Life Counselling provides high-quality counselling services and is part of Action Mental Health. AMH New Life Counselling is committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing needs of its clients through the provision of counselling, providing friendly and professional counselling services for children, young people, adults, and families.

Our AMH Works service also provides specialised mental wellbeing training and consultancy to tackle workplace mental ill-health through a range of programmes, including safeTALK Suicide Prevention Training and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).

Help us provide a message of hope by lighting a candle at 8pm

We would like to invite you to join with us this year in lighting a candle at 8pm on World Suicide Prevention Day.

Light is a symbol of hope and in this simple act we are reminded that there is hope. Hope for those bereaved, hope for those who are struggling with thoughts of suicide and hope for those are caring for others with suicidal thoughts. 

This could be an as act of remembrance for your loved one, an acknowledgement of your grief and loss or a message of support for others. 

If you are joining us please tag our social media in any photo or alternatively send us a picture of your candle as a sign that you are standing with us in taking action against suicide. 

Bereavement Guide

We have also created this short guide for coping with the loss of a loved one has died by suicide. Help is available. Download our bereavement guide here.

Other Sources of Support

Today marks the end of an era for AMH New Horizons Newry as Service Manager, Brian Hughes retires from the organisation after over 36 years of dedicated service.

Brian has truly made his mark, making a massive contribution to improving mental health services in the wider Newry area and helping to support the recovery of many local people during that time.

He started when the organisation was known as the  Industrial Therapy Organisation (ITO) and has held several roles during his time with AMH including:

• Woodwork Instructor
• Senior Supervisor
• Assistant Manager
• Deputy Manager
• Service Manager

Everyone at Action Mental Heath wishes Brian a very happy retirement as he takes up this chance to spend a lot more time with his family.

Thank you, Brian!

1 in 4 UK adults suffer with a diagnosed mental health problem. Despite this, a study by CIPD revealed that 85% of employees still believe that there is a stigma attached to discussing mental health at work, whilst 58% wouldn’t feel comfortable discussing mental ill-health with their manager. Talking about mental health at work isn’t always easy. It’s common to worry about how this conversation may impact your working relationships or career growth. Yet creating an open dialogue about your mental health with your manager can be vital in ensuring that you have the support needed to thrive inside and outside of the workplace. We’ve compiled three tips to make tackling the taboo around workplace mental health a little easier:

1. Decide who you want to tell and how much information you want to give. It’s entirely up to you how much information you want to disclose and to whom. For instance, you may not wish to share the personal circumstances which have exacerbated your mental health concerns, but do need your workplace to know how your mental health is impacting your working life. Similarly, you may wish to tell the human resources department about your health, but do not wish for this to be discussed with your supervisor or colleagues.
2. Think about support you may need. In order to ensure your employer can best support you with your mental health, it can be useful to think about measures that may be helpful to you at this time. Maybe you need to adjust your working hours or reduce your workload? Perhaps remote working may be beneficial or you’re wondering how to access professional support? Many companies implement employee assistance programs (EAPs) which outline available resources to support employee wellbeing. It’s also okay if you don’t know what help you need right now. Try to be as honest as possible with your employer about the areas you’re struggling with so that they can help you strategize suitable support.
3. Know your rights. The Equality Act (2010) protects disabled people, including those with a mental illness, from unfair treatment. A mental illness is considered a disability when it has had a long-term impact on your normal day-to-day activity. In this instance, your employer has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for you to avoid disadvantage. These adjustments may include changes to your work environment, time off for treatment or changes to working hours. To find out more about the Equality Act (2010) visit: https://www.gov.uk/when-mental-health-condition-becomes-disability

While it can seem easier said than done, talking about your mental health to your employer is a courageous step towards a happier and healthier future. For further details regarding how AMH Works can support your workplace, visit: https://www.amh.org.uk/services/amh-works/

Lauren currently works as a trainer within Action Mental Health Works which centres on reducing stigma and improving mental wellbeing in Northern Irish workplaces.
Having gained the National Academic Performance Award and a first class honours degree in Psychology, Lauren’s professional pursuits have largely centred on reducing stigma and promoting early intervention for those suffering from mental ill health. Lauren has gained a breadth professional of experience within the mental health sector including complex mental health, homelessness, addiction, eating disorders and therapeutic intervention. Lauren has also taken an active role within the charitable sector. She is currently a committee trustee for both the Lawrence Trust and the Eating Disorders Association NI.

Libraries NI has announced a new three year charity partnership agreement with Action Mental Health.

The official launch took place in Lisburn City Library on Thursday 29 June with Jim O’Hagan, Chief Executive of Libraries NI and David Babington Chief Executive from Action Mental Health signing a memorandum of understanding.

Staff from across Libraries NI took part in the process to select a new charity and Action Mental Health was chosen, emphasising the importance of mental health and wellbeing for the library service.  Members of staff across the network of libraries will now be involved in fundraising activities over coming months.

Jim O’Hagan, Chief Executive of Libraries NI, said:

“I am delighted to announce this partnership and I look forward to working with Action Mental Health to provide helpful support and advice for library customers whilst also raising awareness of the important services and help provided by the charity. Libraries provide an essential welcoming space and this agreement will help to support customers in communities across Northern Ireland.”

 David Babington, Chief Executive of Action Mental Health said:

“It gives me great pleasure to be able to help launch this exciting new fundraising partnership with Libraries NI. It is especially encouraging that Libraries NI staff have been central to choosing Action Mental Health as their partner, and wishing to focus on supporting mental health. As an organisation we work across Northern Ireland, helping to improve mental health for thousands of people every year and we simply couldn’t do that without the support of the local community and partners such as Libraries NI.”

Across Northern Ireland, thousands of young people will be anxiously awaiting the outcomes of their A-Levels and GCSE exams. The culmination of months of hard work and preparation; exam results day can evoke a mix of emotions in young people, from anticipation and excitement to stress and worry. In this article, we explore ways to recognize, manage, and help support young people to deal with stress, and aid both students and families in this challenging period. We have also prepared a handy guide with tips and links which you can download below.

Understanding Exam Results Stress

Feeling worried or anxious about exam results is completely normal. It’s essential to recognize the impact that this stress can have on mental and physical wellbeing. Individuals may experience disrupted sleep patterns, changes in appetite, persistent headaches, and difficulty in concentrating. To support young people during this period, both awareness and proactive strategies are key.

Support Strategies for Young People

• Open Up and Talk: Don’t bottle up your emotions – remember, you are not alone, there are thousands of young people who will be feeling exactly the same way. Reach out to friends, family, or teachers as they can provide valuable insights and comfort.
• Prepare for Different Outcomes: Plan for the best and worst outcomes, and what to do if you don’t get the results you need. Researching your options for the next steps is positive and proactive. Regardless of the outcome, plan something nice to do on results day as a treat, this can provide a sense of relief, and reward for your efforts.
• Maintain Routine and Hobbies: Keeping busy and engaged can be a powerful distraction. Continue pursuing your hobbies and maintain your daily routines. This can prevent overthinking and provide a sense of normality.
• Seek Support on Results Day: Having someone with you when you get your results may help ease your anxiety. A friend, family member, or teacher can offer reassurance and guidance. A good support network can help you as you discuss your options and make informed decisions moving forward.
• Avoid Unhealthy Comparisons: In the age of social media, the urge to compare yourself to others can be strong. Remember, everyone has different strengths and areas of growth. Success should be measured against personal achievements and goals.

Advice for Parents/Guardians

1. Provide Encouragement: Show interest in your child’s academic journey, but avoid placing excessive pressure on them. Your encouragement can motivate them without increasing their stress levels.
2. Recognize their hard work and effort, regardless of the outcome. Praising their determination can boost their self-esteem and resilience.
3. Remind young people that exam results are just one aspect of their abilities. Encourage them to see their strengths and potential beyond the results.
4. Be available to listen without judgment. Your support can make a significant difference in how they perceive and handle stress.

Exam result stress is a natural response to a significant life event, but it doesn’t have to define a young person’s self-worth or future direction. By fostering open communication, preparing for various outcomes, and offering consistent encouragement, we can empower young people to navigate this chapter of their lives with resilience and confidence. Remember, exam results are just one part of a larger journey toward personal growth and achievement.

Download our guide for young people:

Dealing with Exam Results Stress & Anxiety: A guide for Young People

Over the last few months, Action Mental Health New Horizon clients have been working with The MAC to create artwork for their ‘At The Table’ exhibition. This was part of a series of events which Action Mental Health clients had been involved in under the theme of ‘Uninvited Guest’. The thinking behind the theme is that people living with depression, stress, anxiety, PTSD or other mental health issues do not invite them into their lives but inevitably have to deal with these circumstances. Clients have worked with artists from The MAC and AMH staff to create upcycled chairs, fused glasswork, pyrography, photographs, poems, prose and drama based on this theme.

On 19^th May, The MAC hosted a Community Dialogue conversation on behalf of Action Mental Health. Hosted by Jim O’Neill from Community Dialogue (https://www.communitydialogue.org/) this event successfully brought together clients of Action Mental Health and invited guests, including health professionals and The Mental Health Champion to discuss mental health in Northern Ireland, while weaving in people’s lived experiences. This discussion was incredibly useful and enabled a 360 degree view of people experiencing mental ill health in Northern Ireland, whether through lived experience or in their chosen career. 

You can see pictures of some of the wonderful client produced artwork below as well as pictures from the conversation.

On the success of the event, Action Mental Health New Horizons Manager Aisling Doherty said, “I’m so grateful to all who participated in today’s event. It was a productive conversation and hearing so many different perspectives has had a positive effect on all. We had representatives from the Health Trusts, the PSNI, and those who are using creative and alternative approaches to mental health recovery. Thanks also to the Mental Health Champion, Siobhan O’Neill, who gave updates on the Mental Health Strategy and answered questions from our clients. A special thanks to our clients who spoke so poignantly about their lived experiences of mental health in Northern Ireland.”