Clients and staff in Action Mental Health New Horizons were busy this week, showcasing the Working it Out project to visiting funders to the Antrim facility. The Working it Out project works with individuals who are recovering from mental ill health and progressing towards further education, training or employment.
Part-funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020, the project provides training in personal development, vocational skills and employability. Welcoming Fiona White, Managing Authority for the European Social Fund to their facilities in Antrim, Service Manager John Davis led visitors through an IT session, an employability workshop and observed younger people taking part in the Evolve programme which aims to develop their confidence and self-esteem.
Specialist staff deliver accredited training and work with individuals to develop goals, action plans and support work based training placements to assist in their progression and enhance social inclusion.
“AMH has put my life back on track, when I’d given up hope”.
Despite having a huge amount of experience, I’d been unable to find a job for several years and had lost all confidence. I was very successful in my early career, and had rebuilt a freelance business after my breakdown, but this didn’t seem to count for anything in the Northern Ireland job market. I became a bit of a recluse, rarely left the house and generally felt useless.
Sonia (Employment Officer at AMH New Horizons Belfast) tapped into my love of crafts and got me volunteering at art groups, where I found myself not just useful, but valued. I found out what I was good at and learned new skills as well. From there I moved to a charity to support them with social media and their website, and after a few months they wanted to pay me for the work I was doing. They increased my hours and gave me a new role, but I wanted to get back to a job where I could do what I was really good at – public relations. I started applying for jobs again, and when my dream job came up at Alzheimer’s Society, I knew it matched my skills. It was a job share two days a week, which was exactly what I was looking for. Sonia and Chris coached me in interview skills and ran through a practice interview with me, which boosted my confidence immensely. When the real interview came round I was well prepared, felt confident and actually enjoyed it. I got the job and love it. I know if I need extra support the Workable programme is available to me. So far I haven’t needed it, but it’s great to know it is there if I do, and that I’ll have support from an organisation I already know and trust if I do need it.”
Kevin Kingston, Chief Executive, Danske Bank and David Babington, Chief Executive, Action Mental Health announce new charity partnership.
Danske Bank has today announced that Action Mental Health will be its new charity partner for 2017.
Money raised through the partnership will help fund AMH’s work with young people through their Mensanna project including delivery of ‘Healthy Me’; a health promotion programme for 8-11 year olds that aims to positively promote mental health and social and emotional wellbeing in children.
Announcing the new partnership, Danske Bank’s Chief Executive Kevin Kingston:
“As a local bank, we are aware that mental ill-health is a growing issue in Northern Ireland and we feel privileged to work with Action Mental Health in 2017.“Danske Bank staff and customers have a long history of supporting local charities and have raised over £1.3m over the past 10 years alone. This year through our Danske Time to Give volunteering programme, we will have an even greater focus on our staff contributing their time, skills and professional expertise to support Action Mental Health and its clients. And like any good partnership, we will also be able to benefit from Action Mental Health’s expertise to better support our staff and customers throughout 2017.”
Action Mental Health’s Chief Executive, David Babington, said:
“We are extremely pleased that Danske Bank has chosen to focus on and support mental health and well-being in the coming year and we are delighted to have the support of such a recognisable brand like Danske Bank. Our team in AMH will work closely with Danske Bank to host a number of fundraising activities and events to raise much needed funds and awareness, tackle stigma and promote positive mental health”.
To help kick-start fundraising, Danske Bank and Action Mental Health will be hosting a Dragon Boat Race on the River Lagan on Saturday 11th March 2017.
Every New Year we make resolutions with the best intentions, there’s something about the promise of a fresh start and a clean slate that makes us set them every year.
New Year Resolutions often revolve around our health – getting fit, losing weight, stopping smoking – but how about this year you follow the “5 ways to Wellbeing”?
2017 could be your time to take responsibility for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing.
By adopting these 5 Simple Steps you can increase your life expectancy by up to 7.5 years.
connect
be active
take notice
keep learning
give
Connect – connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
Be active – you don’t have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
Keep learning – learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike?
Give to others – even the smallest act can count, whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.
Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
The Five Ways to wellbeing were developed by the New Economics Foundation. You can download the Take 5 poster here.
L-R Alan Young Translink, Mickie Harkin Action Mental Health, and Jenni Doherty Little Acorns Book Store/Guild Hall Press. Photo by Aaron McCracken/Harrisons
Book ‘Pick-Me-Up’
Blue Monday book sale to promote wellbeing benefits of reading on public transport
On Monday 16th January 2017 – notoriously labelled “Blue Monday” – based on post-Christmas debt levels, failure to keep New Year’s resolutions and bad weather, the date is branded as the most depressing day of the year. Translink has teamed-up with its charity partner Action Mental Health to hold a Second Hand Book Sale in Derry~Londonderry’s Foyle Street Bus Station.
Taking place between 10am – 4pm, generous book donations from various organisations including Little Acorns Bookstore and Guildhall Press aim to lift the spirits of the general public and provide a real ‘pick-me-up’ on these shorter and darker winter days.
The Book Sale will raise funds for Action Mental Health and promote the health and wellbeing benefits of travelling by public transport; less stress and more “me” time including the opportunity to catch up with a good book.
An NHS Study has raised the profile of the mental health benefits of reading. It found that relaxing with a good book increased self confidence and self-esteem, widening horizons and provided a holistic approach to wellbeing. Translink is reminding its customers that travelling by public transport is a great opportunity to read & relax.
Alan Young, Translink Service Delivery Manager – Derry~Londonderry, said:
“We are delighted to host Action Mental Health’s book sale at Foyle Street Bus Station on ‘Blue Monday’ to highlight the strong link between using public transport and looking after your mental health and wellbeing. Many of our 212 Goldline coach customers read on board the service, finding it’s a great way to unwind and arrive at your destination de-stressed also knowing you’ve made an environmentally-friendly journey.“We’d like to invite everyone to attend our book sale and be a SmartMover this January by making Translink your first choice for travel in Northern Ireland whether you’re commuting, shopping, socialising, studying or attending health appointments.”
David Babington, Action Mental Health’s Chief Executive light heartedly stated that although he’s unsure of the scientific basis of Blue Monday, he is totally convinced of the mental health benefits of reading.
“It’s a great initiative by Translink to encourage their passengers to read whilst travelling. Using public transport is already proven to be less stressful than commuting by car. In addition, losing yourself in a good book is a great way to relax. Researchers have shown that even six minutes of reading can be a quick fix for reducing stress levels. It can focus concentration away from worrying or negative thoughts whilst relieving muscle tension. Mindfulness may be a newly recognised intervention, but reading is the original meditation”
For more information about this event please visit www.translink.co.uk/amh/ or call 028 90 66 66 30.
Angela Connan, Lidl Corporate Social Responsibiliy NI presents Jennifer Teeney, Client Development Co-ordinator at AMH New Horizons Derriaghy and Callum Clark AMH’s Fundraising & Events Officer with a cheque for £2500!
Lidl Northern Ireland offered their team the chance to spread a little Christmas cheer and to make donation of £2,500 to a charity of their choice. After launching the vote on their employee app, Action Mental Health was the charity chosen to benefit from the unclaimed competition prize.
Conor Boyle, Regional Director for Northern Ireland, said, ‘At Lidl supporting local causes and being part of the community is something that is extremely important to us and sits at the hea…rt of our vision and mission. We wanted to ensure the unclaimed prize from an internal competition went to a good cause and what better way to ensure it does than get our team to pick a charity. We hope this donation helps to enhance the brilliant services that Action Mental Health provide in Northern Ireland.’
Many thanks to Lidl Northern Ireland, this very generation donation will be going towards enhancing client services at AMH New Horizons Derriaghy
AMH New Horizons in Downpatrick were delighted to welcome Colin McGrath, MLA to the service for their Christmas Coffee Morning and to present Certificates gained by clients over the past year.
Colin said,
” Having wonderful organisations such as Action Mental Health in our midst, working with and helping local people is a major credit for our area”,
he added,
” during my visit to Action Mental Health in Downpatrick, I had the opportunitiy to meet with the organisation’s chairman and board members to hear of their regional delivery and how I can help raise the profile of their work and impress upon government ministers the need to figure in Action Mental Health to strategies going forward”.
Well done to all and thanks to our funders, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and European Social Fund.
The SES members and Head of the Disability Employment Service (DES) from the Department for Communities, Terry Park.
Yesterday Communities Minister, Paul Givan announced new contracts with the lead providers of Workable (NI), the Executive’s disability employment programme.
Workable (NI) supports people with a range of disabilities to secure and retain paid jobs across every employment sector throughout Northern Ireland. The programme is currently supporting almost 700 employees.
While the Workable (NI) programme has been running for the past 10 years, new contracts have been awarded to three lead providers to deliver the programme over the next five years.The three lead providers are: Disability Action; Ulster Supported Employment and Learning (Usel); and Supported Employment Solutions (SES), a consortium of seven local disability organisations, of which Action Mental Health is the joint lead.
The Minister said
“This new phase of the Workable NI Programme has increased flexibilities regarding hours of employment and levels of support on offer. Ensuring disabled people are afforded their right to work is a priority. I wish Disability Action, Supported Employment Solutions and Ulster Supported Employment and Learning, continued success with the programme and reaffirm our commitment to working in partnership to ensure the programme grows from strength to strength.”
Terry Park , Department for Communities and Peter Shields, Action Mental Health
The lead providers will provide teams of dedicated and specialist employment officers, who will work with individuals who are seeking employment or those who are in work, but experiencing real difficulties due to their disability. They also offer tailored support to the host employer, including disability training for staff, mentoring support and input into the employee’s performance review process.
One of the participants of Workable NI, Gillian Fowler said:
“I have benefited greatly from a range of support mechanisms including intervention around reasonable adjustments, encouragement and workplace training for colleagues and ensuring job security through a change in employer. I do not feel I would have secured this or been so successful in my current employment without Workable and Disability Action’s support.”
Gillian is working as a Customer Assistant for Marks and Spencer.
SES Supported Employment Solutions partnership is made up of seven disability organisations from across N Ireland who have come together to deliver Workable (NI) Programmes across the Region.
The seven partners are Action Mental Health, Cedar, Action on Hearing Loss, Mencap, NOW, The Orchardville Society, RNIB, for more information http://www.sesni.org.uk.
