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Registered Charity 1003345. A Company Limited by Guarantee 2618170
The mental health impact of Covid-19 The end of summer and new beginnings are upon us with a new Jewish year and a new academic year, yet the optimism we normally have is slightly tempered. We can’t help but reflect on the past six months and how we have had to create a ‘new normal’, but what about the impact living through a pandemic has had on our mental health?
many people using our services had with the wider community. As the period of isolation continued, so did the impact on those people already dealing with mental health issues as well as for the whole community.
We are living in unprecedented times and anxiety is a normal reaction to self-isolation and lockdown for an extended period. Whilst the situation is difficult for anybody with good mental health, for people already living with mental illness the additional stress and isolation can become a matter of life and death.
At Jami we witnessed an increase in demand for our support and services. Our aim during this period was to ensure that people living with mental illness and their families had somewhere to turn to for vital social interaction and reassurance, and essential practical and emotional support.
Jami is now, more than ever, a lifeline to anyone in the UK Jewish community affected by poor mental health. With the onset of Covid-19, looking after our mental as well as our physical health remains vital.
It was crucial that we continued to offer people opportunities to connect with other individuals and with their local community, through doorstep chats, extensive telephone befriending and online group activities. We created online weekly programmes for those that would normally use our hubs or drop in to Head Room Café, with Peer Support Worker led sessions – people who use their lived experience of mental illness to support
When restrictions were first placed on social interactions, necessitating the closure of Jami’s Head Room Café and community hubs, it removed the only regular social contact
others – as well as professional staff and volunteer led groups aimed at socialisation, fitness, wellbeing and creative activity. Our redeployed staff delivered over a thousand meals and doorstep chats to those most at risk, along with tablets and tech for people without, so they were able to access online support. One recipient said, “It makes me feel that someone is there for me, that someone will know if anything is wrong with me, makes me feel loved and cared about.” One-to-one sessions moved online focussing on individual recovery plans. Jami Social Workers and Occupational Therapists reported over a 50 percent increase in hours spent supporting people, with almost 30% more people being supported compared to pre-Covid-19 levels. We launched Jami Qwell and Jami Kooth Student, online counselling and wellbeing support services for adults and students respectively. Significantly, the response from our service users has affirmed
that the adapted services are proving to be effective and the uptake by the wider community in the online programmes and support groups has demonstrated the clear need for ongoing remote support. With current uncertainty regarding the future of the pandemic and the likelihood that some form of social distancing will remain in place for some time to come, we will continue to review and adapt our services. Once the physical crisis is over, we’ll all be dealing with the mental health fallout. For Jami, this means supporting the increased needs of our existing service users as well as creating sustainable services to meet the demand of new referrals. We are extremely grateful to the community on whom we rely to fund our essential, life-saving work – providing critical mental health services to our community has never been more important.
Visit jamiuk.org/get-support
Free online mental health support Adults throughout our community now have access to free, safe, online mental health and emotional wellbeing support via Qwell. Join immediately and anonymously through any smartphone, tablet or computer, to gain access to the following services:
Text-based counselling Online peer support Self-help tools
“I’ve felt so bad recently but whenever I come here I feel safe and it feels like an online family.”
Confidential online journal
Sign up and login at qwell.io/jami
XenZone is the UK’s leading online mental health platform and Qwell is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Registered charity no. 1003345. A company limited by guarantee. Registered in London no. 2618170
Evolving education in a pandemic Covid-19 has brought both challenge and opportunity for Jami’s Education Team.
ami life
i’s Education Manager, bout her team’s work well as her work y's initiative to respond ath of a school student. Learning is now more accessible than ever at Jami with 95% of the content in the new Education programme being online. Inclusivity and accessibility are certainly gains for many of us. When lockdown began, our Education Team prioritised transferring workshops and training sessions into online formats. We created new educational materials and resources to acknowledge the extra challenges that Covid-19 presented to our mental health.
One of the main challenges we faced when moving to online training was a balancing act. How to retain our key methodologies and practices whilst maximising the potential afforded by online technology and virtual spaces. Once we acclimatised to the new world of Zoom, we quickly discovered that, with some creativity, we could effectively create or update our training materials to be interactive and engaging.
“I went on a few Zoom training courses at Jami for Volunteers during lockdown. I felt that they were all very informative, inclusive and very clear, and it was so nice at the time to see familiar faces. I thought the courses were as good as live ones and we were even put into smaller groups via chat rooms, so we could discuss certain aspects of the given subject.”
Moving our training suite online has enabled us to fully connect with our community and other organisations. The new way of working has allowed us to access people who may otherwise have been unable to attend. This includes those who may have been unable to access certain learning spaces because of disabilities, access needs or health concerns. Additionally, it has also included those who may find it harder to be in larger audiences or in public spaces as well as those who balance multiple responsibilities such as parents.
hat this article contains vention. Feedback from our maiden voyages online revealed that people appreciated the online space and, in some cases, preferred it. Whilst nothing can replace face-to-face communication, people found that the personalities of our trainers and their training style translated well online. Our interactive approaches using different activity styles, maintained the energy and enthusiasm for learning throughout the sessions, despite concerns that learning online could be draining or feel flat.
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The Education Team are looking forward to continuing the online journey with our diverse and engaged community and hope to greet new learners in the forthcoming new year.
“I think there’s a lot to say about how much the changes in our lives have impacted on our availability for learning.” Philippa Carr Education Manager, Jami
Peer Trainers, who work with Jami’s Peer Support Workers, to deliver our Head Room Take a look at the 2020/21 prospectus jamiuk.org/education
Expand your horizons with Head Room Learning with Jami’s Education programme Learning is at the heart of Jami’s Head Room programme. We all have mental health just as we all have physical health. Jami provides education about mental health and wellbeing to everyone in the Jewish community. Here is a selection of courses and events from our new prospectus:
The Mind and Body Approach
“Shall I Be Mother?”
COVID-19 raised everyone’s anxiety levels. Now the world is very slowly returning to a ‘new normal’, many of us are left with anxious thoughts, worries about our future and have ‘fallen off the wagon’ with our self-care routines.
Our experience of motherhood is influenced by arts and culture, Jewish traditions and our own upbringing. We hear so much about the role of the mother that can be contradictory, idealistic and even misogynistic. What helpful ideas can we take from experience and what do we need to reinvent to survive and thrive as mothers of children or adults with mental health concerns?
Join Jami’s expert facilitators for a four week course aiming to lower your stress levels, give your more insight into your stress triggers and help you develop a stress management routine that you can stick with. Each week Tracey will give you stress reduction exercises and activities to calm both mind and body and Philippa will facilitate the group’s exploration into how we can remodel our relationship with our stressors and better manage the stress and anxiety we experience. If the group wishes, at the end of the 4 weeks there will be an option to continue working together.
four week course
Mothers with ‘children’ of all ages are invited to join us to explore and take inspiration from each other for this interactive session that will use creative techniques alongside discussion.
Tuesdays, 7.30 – 9.00pm
3
Nov 2020
10
Nov 2020
Online via Zoom
Wednesdays, 7.30 – 9.00pm
7,14,21,28
Oct 2020
Cost: This course is free to anyone currently using our Jami Carer and Family Support Service or £10 per person.
Online via Zoom Cost: £20
To book any of our courses, please email headroom@jamiuk.org or visit jamiuk.org/events
Burnout and Self Care
The response of the Jewish community to the COVID-19 crisis was rapid, offering practical, social and emotional support in new and creative ways. We all have different experiences of caring for others during COVID-19. Do you feel emotionally worn out or find yourself looking for quick fixes that do not help? Whatever your role as a carer whether it be for family or as a professional, join us to ponder the ‘cost’ of caring, how to recognise burnout and find strategies for prevention and recovery.
18
Nov 2020 Wednesday
7.00 – 9.00pm
Online via Zoom
Cost: The course is free for those currently using Jami services or £25 per person
Mental Health First Aid Refresher
For those who have trained on MHFA Adult Two Day or One Day Course in the past 3 years. Join us to refresh your knowledge on Mental Health First Aid. This half day course will update your knowledge of mental health and keep your awareness of mental health support options fresh. The course will also provide opportunities to practice applying the Mental Health First Aid action plan you learned on your initial course.
3
Mar 2021 Wednesday
9.30am – 1.00pm
Online via Zoom
Cost: £25 per person
MHFA Youth One Day
one day session We are accredited providers of Youth Mental Health First Aid. This internationally recognised training course is the gold standard equipping you to provide a ‘first aid response’ to adolescents in distress. In recent months there has been an increase in concern around young people’s mental health in our community. If you are a parent, teacher or youth worker and want to learn more about a variety of mental health problems, treatments currently in use and increase your confidence in supporting young people, then this is the course for you.
Tuesdays, 6.30 – 9.30pm
4
May 2021
11
May 2021
Martin B. Cohen Centre, Edgware Cost: £50 per person
To view all of our courses, see the full prospectus online at jamiuk.org/education
Student Mental Health
To order Wellbeing on Campus cards for your J-Soc, email: headroom@jamiuk.org
jamiuk.org/campus
Where to go for help Helplines Kooth – Free, safe and anonymous online counselling and support for students Visit www.Jami.Kooth.com
Get connected on campus Jewish Society (J-Soc)
Papyrus – Helpline for young people under 35 Call 0800 068 4141 Text 07860 039 967 Email pat@papyrus-uk.org
The main focus of Jewish life on campus. Find out more at www.ujs.
The Mix – Support for under 25 Call 0808 808 4994
Supporting Jewish students from all backgrounds and affiliations on campus. Find out more at
Samaritans – 24/7 support Call 116 123 Email jo@samaritans.org Nightline – run by students for students. Find your local nightline at www.nightline.ac.uk CALM - Campaign Against Living Miserably for men Nationwide 0800 58 58 58 Web chat www.thecalmzone.net/help/ webchat Shout - Free confidential support 24/7 via text Text Jami to 85258
Online resources Big White Wall www.bigwhitewall.com An online community of people who support each other through difficult times CBT Online www.moodgym.anu.edu.au
org.uk/j-socs
Suicide safety Seek immediate help – dial 999, visit A&E.
Involve other people – ask the person who you can contact to help them keep safe.
In a mental health emergency
Call 999 Go to A&E
University Jewish Chaplaincy REMEMBER – confidentiality does not apply to suicide.
Use your university emergency service
www.mychaplaincy.co.uk
University Student Wellbeing services Check out your university’s Wellbeing Counselling Services
Register with your GP It is important you look after your health at university. Find out how to sign up at www.nhs.uk/live-well/ healthy-body/getting-medical-care-asa-student/
Self care strategies
“It’s been nice to talk to someone who listens and can help” – Marc, 19 years old
Find your tribe Make connections with people who energise you
Go green
Side by Side sidebyside.mind.org.uk A safe place where you can get support from others who can relate to mental health difficulties.
Get out into green spaces they lower our stress levels
Headspace Mindfulness App www.headspace.com
Walk, dance, get some exercise however you fancy
Jami.Kooth.com Free, safe and anonymous online counselling and support for students Jami’s online mental wellbeing community, created just for students Talk to us free of charge, 365 days a year Private one to one support via message or live chat with our online counselling team
Move your body
Discussion boards and live forums with our friendly Jami Kooth community, 24/7 Helpful articles, personal experiences, advice and tips from young people and our experts
Visit www.Jami.Kooth.com
SUPPORTED BY Registered charity no. 1003345. A company limited by guarantee. Registered in London no. 2618170
Returning to the workplace Our experiences of Covid-19 will all have been different. Whether it resulted in redundancy, furlough, working from home or working on the frontline, what many were hoping would be a short-term adjustment looks like it is here for a while longer. Ironically, it appears that the only certainty we can rely on is some form of uncertainty for the foreseeable future. It is natural to have questions or anxieties about what our workplaces may look like in this new normal.
Check In If you are making a gradual or even sudden return to the workplace after a period of absence, it is important to process your feelings and manage expectations of what may have changed. Give yourself a moment to think about returning to work, identify the emotions you associate with the transition back and what you may need to plan ahead for or mitigate.
Get Support Normalise the higher anxieties or stresses you may feel about returning to the workplace - being in the actual office space, using public transport, seeing colleagues or reacclimatising to a work
routine. These are normal given the current circumstances. If they are constantly on your mind, adversely affecting your mood and impacting your functionality it is important to reach out for support. Often a friend’s listening ear can do the trick or if they are impacting your mental health then talk to a healthcare professional. Discussing your concerns directly with your employer can help. Depending on where you work you could review a stepped return or flexi time to suit your needs.
in an office. If you are going to be working from home for a while longer, it might be worth reflecting on what has worked well for you and what may need to change.
Adjustments
Consider your working hours, working from home often comes with more flexibility. Have you noticed if you’re more efficient earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon? How are you keeping in touch
Many employers are rethinking the workplace. Covid-19 has shown that employees can not only be trusted, but also be incredibly efficient without being
It’s far harder to have an effective work/ life balance when working and relaxing in the same space. Is there somewhere to set up a defined workspace? Think about minimising noise and maximising light and making sure you have all the equipment you need handy.
with colleagues and senior members of the team? Is there enough contact time on the phone or are you Zoom fatigued?
Recharge and Reset Whatever your relationship with work looks like in the next few months, it’s important to consider and acknowledge your feelings. Think about avenues for support as well as practical solutions. Yom Tovim are a time to recharge and rest and the perfect opportunity to reflect. If work is always on your mind and making it impossible to relax, perhaps putting some changes in place at work is exactly what is needed to help turn ‘off’.
Friends of Jami Committee 1987, Establishment of Jami House The Mental Health Awareness Shabbat (MHAS) aims to raise the profile of mental health in the Jewish community.
The Head Room Education team are able to provide and advise on educational workshops and events to mark MHAS.
To register to receive a Mental Health Awareness Shabbat toolkit for 2021 please contact laura.bahar@jamiuk.org or call Laura Bahar on 020 8458 2223. @JamiPeople @JAMIMentalHealth Registered Charity 1003345. A Company Limited by Guarantee 2618170.
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Demand for mental health services has never been higher. Please help Jami meet the increasing need. Essential mental health support from Jami, available 24/7 made a significant impact on Shoshana’s own wellbeing and on Jami’s advice she suggested to Michael that he contact Jami Qwell.
Jami Qwell is a free and anonymous online counselling service recently commissioned by Jami to provide mental health support to all Jewish adults.
Shoshana and Michael have been married for over 30 years. On meeting them, they appear to be outgoing and sociable with a full and happy family life. However, when Michael feels really low, he struggles to step out of the house and can’t face the world. Unable to accept the help he needs leaves Michael more isolated, with Shoshana his only connection to the outside world. These dark periods can last for days or sometimes weeks, until Michael eventually re-emerges.
“It’s heart breaking when your husband won’t accept help. Every day I wore a mask while underneath I was crumbling” – Shoshana
During the Covid pandemic Shoshana witnessed her husband becoming increasingly anxious and reluctant to speak to family and friends. She made excuses for him as to why he wasn’t answering his phone or replying to WhatsApp messages with his usual good humour. The increased worry and burden began affecting Shoshana’s sleep and focus.
Being able to talk to a trained counsellor anonymously removed some of Michael’s earlier embarrassment and allowed him to begin to understand his feelings. “Through the online community I was able to ‘talk’ to other people and learn from their experiences as well as to a qualified counsellor. I realised I wasn’t unique in having bouts of depression, particularly
during lockdown, and that getting professional help is something I should have done a long time ago.” With 1:1 support, Michael now has a stepby-step plan to help him leave the house for the first time since March, and is working on a longer term strategy to manage his depression in the future. Shoshana is hopeful that as lockdown continues to lift, Rosh Hashanah really does bring a happy and healthy new year.
Please help to support people in our community who are living with mental illness. Jami can only meet the growing demand for services through your generosity.
With the country in lockdown, Shoshana contacted Jami, taking the first step in addressing both their needs for professional support. Through the Carers and Family Support Service she was introduced to a Jami social worker and to others experiencing similar situations. The guidance and support from both
You can help support people like Michael and Shoshana in the following ways: £25
Pays for a carer of someone with depression to attend an online support group
£75
Funds a social worker to conduct an initial one-to-one assessment with someone like Shoshana
£250
Sponsors one month of peer support for a vulnerable person living in isolation
£500
Trains a group of carers in mental health first aid
Donate today at jamiuk.org/donate Registered charity no. 1003345. A company limited by guarantee. Registered in London no. 2618170
£125
Provides advanced training for one volunteer
£1,000
Pays for 15 hours of one-to-one online counselling with Jami Qwell