The voice of the people we support informs what we do

Alex is opening up conversations

Alex, who lives at Larchfield Community, wanted to do something positive for her friends during lockdown. With the help of support worker, Debbie, she researched, planned and delivered a four-week online course on mental health and wellbeing.

People from across the charity took part in the sessions, using the mental health toolkit Alex and Debbie had prepared. One popular activity was capturing feelings in ‘worry jars’ and ‘hope and wish’ jars.

Asking the right questions - and responding to feedback

After the four-week course had ended, participants were keen to carry on. So, we set up a regular weekly drop-in session, providing a safe space online for people to chat about their feelings and support each other. People attending the drop-in, co-produced a survey for community members across the Trust. The survey was completed by 182 people, giving valuable feedback on how lockdown was affecting our mood and wellbeing and aiding the Trust to develop ways to support people through this difficult time and beyond.

Sharing ideas and resources

Alex and Debbie have since been asked to speak at the Learning Disability England Forum, on the theme ‘Covid - what we have learned so far’. Joined by people from across the county, they were able to share their work and help others to access valuable resources.

‘I feel happy at the end of every Zoom class. The best part is that we can chat about different things, and it makes you feel better afterwards,’ says Alex