Mental Health Awareness Week is hosted by the Mental Health Foundation and is the UK’s national week to raise awareness of mental health and mental health problems and inspire action to promote the message of good mental health for all.

Action Mental Health has been supporting the campaign each year and this year, though slightly different, is no exception. 

The theme is the power and the potential of kindness.  Research shows that kindness is an antidote to isolation and creates a sense of belonging. It helps reduce stress, brings a fresh perspective and deepens friendships. Kindness to ourselves can prevent shame from corroding our sense of identity and help boost our self-esteem.  Kindness can even improve feelings of confidence and optimism.  (https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/doing-good-does-you-good/health-benefits-altruism)

This week we will be sharing with you stories and pictures of kindness and practicing acts of kindness to ourselves and others. We’ll also be sharing some advice and tips from AMH Project Workers.

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So What’s Happening This Week?? How to Get Involved…..

Host a Virtual Great Big Purple Picnic

The Great Big Purple Picnic is one of the many initiatives organised by Action Mental Health to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week each year.  The picnics are hosted by lots of our supporters, corporate partners, staff, clients and fundraisers to help raise awareness of positive mental health and raise vital funds to help support AMH’s work across Northern Ireland

Despite the lock-down, many have been in touch with us, hoping to host a virtual picnic by inviting friends and family via one of the many video chat apps, and therefore observing all social distancing guidelines! We’ve got bunting and selfie props to download and we’d love to see your photos, so don’t forget to tag us on social media!

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Supported Employment Webinar

19 May 2020, 10am

Patricia Kelly from AMH presents an overview of the Workable N.I. programme – interventions & support provisions we can implement to provide a healthier workplace, with benefits to employees and employers.  She’ll discuss the areas we cover in N.I., the referral process, and give you a taste of the employers and sectors we already provide support to. The webinar is for Employers from all sectors who wish to enhance support provided to their staff in terms of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

register on Eventbrite

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Healthy Me Bitesize Zoom sessions for Parents and Carers

18-22 May 2020

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness week, the AMH MensSana team have developed a bitesize session based on our ‘Healthy Me’ programme for parents and carers around this year’s theme of ‘Kindness’.

This session aims to:

• Identify the issues you are facing during lockdown
• Raise awareness about mental health
• Highlight self-care techniques for building resilience and confidence
• Show how and where to access support

3 sessions will be delivered online each day via Zoom and will last 30 minutes so you can choose a day and time that suits you best. 

Monday 18^th – Friday 22^nd May 2020

10:30am, 3:30pm & 8:00pm

 If you are interested in attending, please register via Eventbrite where further details are available:

register via eventbrite

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All Party Group on Suicide Prevention

19 May 2020 12noon-2pm

AMH is the secretariat for the APG, chaired by Orlaithi Flynn MLA. This meeting will include presentations from the Department of Health, Family Voices Forum, QUB and UU. For more information contact [email protected]

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The Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival

18-24 May 2020

This is a festival highlighting mental health by showcasing arts events.  This year’s festival will be jumping online and will coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week. One of talented photographers Neil Finlay from AMH New Horizons North Down and Ards will be exhibiting one of his photographs, entitled “One Thing” in the virtual gallery.  For more information https://www.nimhaf.org/

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OCN NI “Virtual” Learning Endeavour Awards 2020.

19 May 11am-11.30am

This is a highlight in the AMH calendar each year with many of our clients and staff walking away with the coveted awards, this year is no exception with no fewer than 11 nominated.  The event will be streamed live on the OCNNI Facebook and YouTube channels – more information available here.

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Public Speaking Event

23 May 2020 3.45pm – 5.30pm

The SPUDS Belfast – a public speaking group who meet fortnightly, are hosting a special event on Saturday 23^rd May to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week and fundraise for Action Mental Health.  For more information and how to join in click here.

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Take on our 5 Ways to Well-being challenge and tag 5 of your friends to do the same.

To take part, simply take inspiration from the ‘5 Ways to Well-being’ and tag 5 of your family or friends to do the same. A £5 donation from each person taking part would really make a difference to Action Mental Health, helping us to continue providing much needed services in the coming days and weeks.

Start by nominating your 5 friends, by using the hashtag #AMH5WaysChallenge, then post a picture that incorporates you completing one or more of the 5 Ways to Well-being!

Whatever your challenge please remember to stick to the guidelines on social distancing.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Connect: send a message of support for friends and family during lockdown, send a happy picture to uplift friends and families spirits.

Be Active: do a physical challenge at home and tag 5 friends to do the same challenge, post a video or pic of your being active.

Take notice: post a photo you have taken recently that means something to you or your family: nature/sunrise/sunset and tag 5 friends to do the same.

Keep Learning: post a pic of a book, instrument or new hobby you are learning

Give: Make a donation of £5 (or whatever you can afford) to Action Mental Health by visiting:

https://www.amh.org.uk/fundraisi…/donations/make-a-donation/

Thank you, by taking part you will be supporting your own well-being and also helping to make a tremendous difference to the lives of children and families right here in Northern Ireland.

*The Five Ways to Well-being was developed by the New Economics Foundation. It is a set of evidence-based actions designed to improve personal well-being.

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Join us online

During the week, we would like you to carry out or reflect on an act of kindness. Take a photo or video (with permission!) and use the hashtags:

#KindnessMatters 

#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

and tag @amhNI

Every year, clients from Action Mental Health get a chance to regain their footing on the employment ladder, with the help of the Northern Ireland Union of Supported Employment.

This year, however, as the world adapts to new ways of doing things due to the ongoing pandemic, the NIUSE Job Shadow Day has been cancelled, falling victim to social distancing regulations which have many of us working from home.

Job Shadow Day was to take place this week, and even though AMH clients won’t be able to go out into the world of work, it is a fitting time to reflect on the benefits the day has brought to clients in the past.

Our ESF “Working it Out” project provides a comprehensive programme of specialist training in Personal Development, Vocational Skills and Employability, with the aim of helping our clients access employment or further education.  The Job Shadow Day is co-ordinated by the Northern Ireland Union of Supported Employment and is supported by its members.  Job Shadow Day is perfect for our clients as it can provide the perfect opportunity to get firsthand experience of the world of work and to discover and learn about the skills required to compete and succeed in the workplace.

The “Working it Out” project is part-funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020, the Department for the Economy and the five NI Health & Social Care Trusts.

Matt Sterrett is one client who found last year’s Job Shadow Day a useful springboard to future employment.

Matt explained: “I took part in Job Shadow Day 2019, working with Richard Magowan in the Equality Unit at the Department of Education. This year, I completed a three month placement, also at the Department of Education, where I was working mostly with the Business Services team. I found both these experiences really helpful and I feel much more confident about working in this kind of environment and everyone I was working with was very kind and supportive.

“I am currently in the application process for an Administrative Officer role with NICS. Prior to the coronavirus crisis I was waiting to attend an interview and hopefully that can be rearranged once circumstances allow. Taking part in Job Shadow Day and my placement both really helped me learn that this is the kind of role I wish to work towards, and has helped me approach the application process positively.”   

Another client, who preferred not to be named, also found the annual employment focus as a useful first step to becoming a journalist.  

The former client undertook a job shadow day placement within the Northern Ireland Civil Service. The client spent the day with the Prison Service’s Press Office, gaining an insight into the press officers’ role in receiving and dealing with multiple queries from the media.

The former client has since progressed on to Belfast Met to do a journalism course and is really enjoying it, according to Action Mental Health’s key worker who supported his reintroduction to work.

Client Ryan McConville, who attends AMH Downpatrick, is now currently in a retail training placement with B&M following on from Job Shadow Day 2019, while Emma Moore, also from AMH Downpatrick, is now an active volunteer with National Trust Rowallane Gardens, Saintfield following on from 2018-2019 world shadow day. Read more here: https://www.amh.org.uk/news/9064/

The Great Big Purple Picnic is one of the many initiatives organised by Action Mental Health to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week each year.  The picnics are hosted by lots of their supporters, corporate partners, staff, clients and fundraisers to help raise awareness of positive mental health and raise vital funds to help support AMH’s work across Northern Ireland

Despite the lock-down, many have been in touch with the charity, hoping to host a virtual picnic by inviting friends and family via one of the many video chat apps, and therefore observing all social distancing guidelines! AMH have got bunting and selfie props to download from their website (www.amh.org.uk) and would love to see your photos, so don’t forget to tag them on social media!

You can also make a donation online to support their work, that continues across Northern Ireland: https://www.amh.org.uk/fundraising/donations/make-a-donation/

This year the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week is kindness. Between the 18^th-24^th May, Action Mental Health are encouraging you to showcase this most valuable of human traits in your own personal and fun way.  Invite someone who is perhaps self- isolating or living alone to your Virtual Great Big Purple Picnic – drop some of your home-made goodies on their doorstep for them to enjoy! But don’t forget to follow the guidelines and think purple: whether it’s purple bunting, purple picnic blankets, purple wigs or purple drinks, it’s up to you!

For more ideas on how you can get involved check out our dedicated events page : https://www.amh.org.uk/events/virtual-great-big-purple-picnic/

Before lockdown we had the pleasure of being invited to join Chef Jeffers and his team at Forestside Cookery School , who cooked up a storm providing us with lots of ideas for the perfect picnic.

Please note – All photo’s taken prior to social distancing guidelines.

Meditation and Art during lock-down

Hello my name is Jackie and I am 60 years old.  I first attended AMH New Horizons in Downpatrick several years ago with complex mental health issues.  I was aided from the onset by a wonderful group of people who took me from a very sad horrible place to somewhere where I could see that there was light at the end of the tunnel.  Through their tutoring and assistance I was able to go on and live a relatively normal life.

This year I called on their services again as I had fallen slightly by the wayside and needed their help.  They thankfully accepted me and I had started on a new road to recovery filled with optimism when coronavirus struck and I was forced into self-isolation alone and scared.

However this story is not sad but very hopeful.  In AMH I had been taught Mindfulness and a real appreciation of art so I began to meditate and paint.

This is my offering which I hope brings a smile to people’s faces and encourages them to do the same.

The work is entitled “And the earth breathes”.  We through our actions over the last months have given our planet a much-needed chance to revive itself and through its resurrection we will do the same.  There is a lot of symbolism in the painting such as the stones meaning the rocky road we are travelling, the wheat symbolises growth and the butterfly encourages you to keep faith. 

Have some fun finding trying to figure out what the other animals symbolise – knowing that all of them are encouraging you to grow!!

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Many thanks to Jackie for sharing her story and her incredible piece of art.

AMH New Horizons activities are operated through the “Working it Out” project, which is part-funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020, the Department for the Economy and the five NI Health & Social Care Trusts.