July Connections Magazine

Issue five

Connections Your supporter magazine from Mind

Read about how your support is making a difference every day Crisis care campaign update Aggie MacKenzie tells us why she’s cycling from London to Paris in support of Mind Plus how young people with mental health problems are being inspired

by City and Hackney Mind

Sometimes the most important thing we say to someone is that they are not alone – life working on the Mind Infoline

Welcome to the summer edition of Connections magazine I would like to thank you all for your continued support of Mind’s work. Today people need Mind more than ever and it’s with your help that we’re able to make a real difference to people’s lives.

In this edition, we talk to the people who work on the Mind Infoline. For many people it’s their first port of call when they just don’t know where to turn. And demand is growing. Calls received have steadily increased since the service opened 20 years ago and at the start of this year they surged by 18 per cent.

Many people have been contacting us, anxious about the benefit and welfare reforms - and the reassessment process that’s meant to help and support people find suitable employment. From what you’ve told us, we know that it’s a stressful experience and damaging people’s lives. It certainly isn’t fulfilling its purpose of supporting people with mental health problems on their journey back to work.

You may have heard that I took the decision earlier this year to resign from the government review panel which was set up to scrutinise how people are treated during the reassessment process. This decision was not taken lightly but we saw little recognition of the need for change and the need to do so quickly. We don’t want more people subjected to a process which isn’t working. We are continuing with our campaign and have called for assessments to be halted until it’s got right and gives people with mental health problems the support and respect they deserve.

We listen to what people with mental health problems are telling us. It was their experiences of crisis care that formed our report Listening to experience. In it we highlighted good examples of care but also raised awareness of how harrowing an experience it can be when it goes horribly wrong. In March we took the campaign to the next stage by inviting people from all over the country to tell their stories directly to MPs at the Houses of Parliament.

Finally, I would like to say a big thank you to the 229 people who ran the London Marathon this year for Mind. This year we are well on the way to raising an amazing £300,000.

Thank you again for your support. We really couldn’t do the work we do and help the people we help without you.

Contents We’re Mind, the mental health charity.

We believe no one should have to face a mental health problem alone. We’re here for you. Today.

Now. Whether you’re stressed, depressed or in crisis. We’ll listen, give support and advice, and fight your corner.

Mind Infoline Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 6.00pm Paul Farmer Chief Executive Mind If you would like to update your personal details or change the way we communicate with you please contact us at: Mind 15-19 Broadway, London E15 4BQ T: 020 8215 2243 E: ask@mind.org.uk When you have finished with this newsletter please recycle it

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Mind news

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Working on the Mind Infoline

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Local Minds Grant Fund

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Working on the Mind Infoline can be challenging but greatly rewarding. We talk to one of the advisors

Take a look at how donations from last year’s Big Give Challenge are funding projects at local Minds

Can you spot yourself at the Virgin London Marathon?

Over 200 people ran the Virgin London Marathon for Mind this year raising an amazing £300,000

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Cycling to Paris for Mind

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Around and about

0300 123 3393 info@mind.org.uk

Our Crisis Care campaigners shared their stories and experiences with MPs

There are many ways to support Mind. Aggie MacKenzie talks about why she’s cycling from London to Paris

City and Hackney Mind has helped inspire young people for many years. We take a look at their employment service and how it’s helping young people achieve great things

Mind news

Crisis care: getting MPs to listen to experience When people’s lives come crashing down in a mental health crisis, they need help urgently. Excellent crisis care exists. But we need it everywhere.

When we launched our Crisis Care campaign last year, we put people who use mental healthcare services at the very heart of the campaign. Their moving and compelling testimony formed the basis of our report Listening to experience.

On Tuesday 13 March, we took the campaign to the Houses of Parliament to find out if MPs were actually listening.

It was an emotional event for many of us, with powerful stories from everyone involved in the crisis care debate – people with experience, mental health professionals, service providers and MPs. 4

We couldn’t have done it without the passion and resolve of our crisis care champions – people with direct experience of crisis care services who joined our campaign and spoke out. On the day, 45 individuals came to London to tell their stories. There were uplifting accounts about exemplary practice but also harrowing stories about services that had failed horribly.

Paul Burstow MP, Minister for Care Services (pictured), spoke at the event and said: “Mind’s crisis care campaign has raised hugely important issues about the availability and quality of acute and crisis mental health care. The issue is now firmly on the Government’s agenda and I am fully committed to working with Mind to bring about change.”

One of the campaigners who took part said: “It was an enlightening experience

to share my story with those MPs that will be discussing mental health in parliament shortly. It was especially nice to meet my own MP who took a keen interest in what I had to say. For me the event just brought home to me how important it is for charities like Mind to bring campaigns like this to the forefront.

“I do not think that it is too much to ask for that in 2012 we have crisis services that are reliable.”

You can get involved in our campaign by writing to your MP. We’ve prepared a briefing for MPs which gives them 10 key steps to help improve crisis care services in their constituency. For more information visit mind.org.uk/crisiscare

Veolia Environmental Services raise over £85,000 for Mind and SAMH From sky diving in Birmingham, carol singing in Brighton to climbing the Three Peaks, employees from Veolia Environmental Services have risen to the challenge.

In 2011, they raised an amazing £85,000 for Mind and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH). The support doesn’t stop there; over 300 Veolia employees volunteered at Ecominds projects and Mind shops and Mind has provided mental health awareness training for Veolia’s staff.

Veolia Charity Champion Kelly Booth, said: “Mind is a charity that is very close to my heart as a close family member has bipolar disorder. I raised over £1,000 by organising a charity gig, cake stalls and dressed our site operatives as Singing Santas, which made local TV! It was an absolute pleasure fundraising for Mind; I found the whole experience enjoyable and rewarding.”

If you would like to find out more about Mind’s partnership with Veolia and other companies, please visit our webpage mind.org.uk/companies

Help us put an end to outdated and discriminatory laws The Mental Health Discrimination Bill had its first reading in the House of Lords on Tuesday 15 May. This is a very important bill that will amend four pieces of outdated and discriminatory legislation.

At the moment, if you have experienced a mental health problem, or spent time in hospital, you could be prevented from undertaking certain roles and responsibilities.

Mind supports the passing of the Bill and would like to hear from anyone who has experienced this type of discrimination.

Have you been prevented from any of the things below because of a mental health problem?

•

Sitting on a jury

•

Being a school governor

•

Becoming a company director

•

Serving as an MP

Please email Paul at Mind paul.spencer@mind.org.uk and help us pass the bill.

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Working on the Infoline

Sometimes the most important thing we say to someone is that they are not alone An average day on the Mind Infoline would normally start around 8.30am, although the line opens from 9.00am. I like to look at recent news events, so I have a good idea of any issues or news stories in the media that might be brought up during calls.

Working on the Infoline can be quite unpredictable as we take a wide range of calls covering a variety of mental health issues.

We don’t just communicate by phone but also receive many emails and letters and when I am not taking calls I will be replying to these. Many people find that they feel more comfortable communicating by email. When replying, I treat them the same as I would a call, providing a personal and individual response.

We always try to make sure emails are answered within five working days so it can make for 6

a hectic day jumping from emails to calls. However, the satisfaction of knowing that I have helped someone makes it all worthwhile.

We receive calls and emails from individuals looking for support in their area or information that helps them better understand their diagnosis; carers who support people with mental health problems; friends and family who are concerned for loved ones and want to help them and people who want to know how to approach the subject of mental health with someone they feel needs support.

Recently we have been receiving a lot of calls and emails on the subject of benefits and welfare reform. Many people we talk to have been affected by the changes, in particular the assessment process which many have found stressful or feel

that their mental health was not taken into consideration or even acknowledged.

There are occasions when I receive calls and emails from individuals who are in distress or feeling suicidal. These can be challenging as I am dealing with very raw emotions. Often when someone is feeling suicidal they are also feeling hopeless about their situation and don’t feel there is any way out other than to take their own life.

During all the calls I take, I make sure I listen to the caller and often try to put myself in their shoes so that I can empathise with that person. For many people the Infoline is the first time they have talked about an issue or acknowledged that they may need some support. This can be a big step for someone to take and so it is important that

callers feel that they have been listened to and feel empowered, motivated and reassured to take the next step towards accessing help or support.

This is where I feel the Infoline plays an important role, as we are able to use our resources to look for emotional and practical support services that someone can access. Many people we talk to, through no fault of their own, are not always aware of the different types of support options that are available through a range of organisations and charities. Being able to empower someone with information so that they can find a way to move forward is the part of my job which I enjoy the most.

Sometimes the most important thing we can say to someone is that they are not alone.

Although working on the Infoline can be challenging, it is also a very rewarding job, I am also lucky that I am supported and work with a brilliant team on the Infoline. All my colleagues are very passionate about the job they do and we support each other.

Infoline fact-file The Mind Infoline answers more than 30,000 enquiries each year. For most people who contact us we’ll be the first person they’ve talked to about their mental health problems. Here are just a few facts about the Infoline.

• 62 per cent of all people who called the Infoline last year say that their situation has improved as a direct result of contacting Mind and the action they have taken • 45 per cent of people who contact us are concerned about a friend or family member • 73 per cent of those who called about a personal issue say that they went on to seek further professional help • 91 per cent of people who spoke to friends, family or an employer about their mental health following contacting Mind, did so for the first time If you need us call 0300 123 3393.

Your support helps vital services like the Mind Infoline. If you can help us today, please fill out the form attached to the letter and return it in the envelope provided. Or you can donate online at mind.org.uk/connections 7

London Marathon in pictures Can you spot yourself at the Virgin London Marathon?

A record 229 people ran the Virgin London Marathon this year for Mind and we’re well on our way to raising £300,000. Here are just a few photos from a great day.

With your help we can make a real difference.

People need Mind more than ever.

People contacting the Mind Infoline has increased steadily since we first started the service 20 years ago and this year we’ve had a surge in demand.

It’s your donations and generosity that means we can reach out giving support and advice to anyone experiencing a mental health problem.

Whether they are depressed, stressed or in crisis.

With your help we can make a real difference £6 could help 2 people in need get information and advice about depression or bereavement.

I feel I have succeeded in making many people aware of the charity’s work and, in being open about my reasons for doing it, have raised awareness of the ongoing struggle for those of us who live with mental health issues. It has been an amazing experience. Beth

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See more images at flickr.com/photos/mindevents

£17.40 provides a lifeline. It enables us to answer 2 calls to the Mind Infoline from people in desperate need of support. £30 could help Mind promote green exercise and outdoor activities, helping people with anxiety and depression.

It’s easy to donate online please visit mind.org.uk/connections

Please accept my donation of: £ I enclose a cheque/postal order payable to Mind OR P lease debit my: Mastercard

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Please complete this form and return it with your gift in the freepost envelope provide, or to: FREEPOST RLUC-YLJH-GHYH, Mind, Worksop, S80 2RT Thank you.

I want to Gift Aid my donation.

I am a UK taxpayer and would like Mind to treat all donations I have made for the four years prior to this tax year and all donations I make from the date below, until I notify you otherwise, as Gift Aid donations.

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Local Minds Grant Fund

Supporting services at local Minds Over the years, the Local Mind Grant Fund has provided millions of pounds for local Mind projects all over the country. The £18,177 we raised from the Big Give 2011 Christmas Challenge was enough to fund 3 projects.

Suicide Intervention Skills Training and Mental Health First Aid Carlisle Eden Mind works across the east and north of Cumbria.

A grant from the fund supported the delivery of six sessions in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).

Over 100 participants from across the public, private and third sector received the training, which helped them spot and respond to the warning signs if someone they know is thinking of taking their own life. The programme also helps build understanding of mental health issues in the wider community.

The feedback from those who attended was incredibly positive.

As a result of the interest and demand that was generated, Carlisle Eden Mind are now training front line staff who are 10

working with young people. Over 2,500 people are expected to receive training over the next 18 months.

Mental Health First Aid and Suicide Intervention Skills courses are supported by Mind all over England and Wales.

The courses don’t teach people how to be therapists but are designed to give people the skills to recognise the symptoms of mental health problems. These skills provide initial help and comfort, and to guide a person towards appropriate professional help. One person who recently took one such course told us: “Within a few weeks of the course I actually used what I’d learnt in real life when I helped a woman experiencing a panic attack in a supermarket, whilst staff were looking for a paper bag for the woman to breathe into (which is what used to be

recommended) I applied what I had learnt and by the time they came back with a bag, the woman was already showing signs of recovering.”

Your support helps provide grants to local Minds so they can continue to provide local services and projects.

If you can help us today, please fill out the form attached to your letter and return it in the envelope provided.

Or you can donate online at mind.org.uk/connections

Peer Support Training, Oxfordshire Mind Peer support workers are individuals who have experience of mental health problems and of mental health services.

They offer mutual support to anyone who feels it helpful to talk about their own experience with someone who has been there too. Sharing can lead to a sense of genuine empathy, shared understanding and hope.

Peer support has proved to be a powerful tool to help people recover.

Personalised care and support is central to the services of Oxfordshire Mind. The grant was awarded to help develop a training package to enable people to become peer support workers.

People with mental health problems are at the heart of this project and when the training goes ‘live’ it is expected the service can provide simple, safe strategies to help people look forward to a brighter future.

Oxfordshire Mind places great value on the grants we access from Mind. In recent years they have enabled us to undertake some new and innovative projects, which we would not otherwise have been able to support.

Oxfordshire Mind

The Big Give Challenge The Big Give Challenge happens every year during December.

It’s a scheme where by giving online to the Big Give website during ‘Challenge’ week your donation to Mind is doubled at no additional cost to you. Look out for details of this years Challenge on our website mind.org.uk or sign up to our supporter email newsletter, e-connections at mind.org.uk/get_involved/enewsletters

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Mind events

Cycling for Mind feels great, just ask Aggie One event that is proving popular this year is the London to Paris Cycle challenge. With good reason – the route takes our team of Mind cyclists through beautiful English villages into stunning rural France, passing historical landmarks to a triumphant finish under the Eiffel Tower. And this September we’ll be joined by Aggie MacKenzie from How Clean is Your House fame. She took some time recently to talk to us about why she’s decided to take up the challenge for Mind.

Finally – do you have a message for the other Mind supporters who will be joining you on the start line in London this September?

fore – wake the public up to the discussions that need to be had.

As long as we don’t talk about it, people won’t get the help and support they need.

And what are your top tips for those preparing to cycle London to Paris, or for a similar event this year?

You’ve done a lot of cycling in the past – what keeps tempting you back onto your bike?

Plan! Planning is key! Build time into your week where you can get into the saddle. Equally, it’s important to run or take on other exercise to help build your fitness.

It’s going to be great. The atmosphere will be amazing and the camaraderie will carry us all through. Truly the joy of events is always the people you meet and the fun along the way, which makes the whole challenge so much easier.

Why are you supporting Mind this year?

Mental health issues slip under the radar far too easily. I think it is less of a taboo than it once was, but is still a topic many people simply don’t talk about.

We all need to deal with it and bring the important issues to the

I think it’s the bike itself. I love that feeling of flying along – it’s almost hypnotic and truly a liberating experience. I love doing long rides and yes, I know I’ll have a sore bottom by the end of it, but I also know the sense of achievement is incredible. Plus cycling uses so much energy – I can eat all the chocolate I like as I go... it’s great!

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Vaseline for blisters, a good pair of sunglasses, gloves, and a spare inner tube (and if you get a puncture, hope a nice young man will come along and fix it for you!).

I was told a great piece of advice: if in training you sometimes don’t have the time to cover the distance you need, spend the time you do have cycling up hills instead of on the flat. This will build up your stamina and muscle strength and can be a short sharp way of getting fit.

In terms of kit – don’t forget

If you’ve been inspired to take up a cycling challenge and help raise money for Mind, call our friendly events team on 0871 872 1144 and we’d be happy to answer any questions you have.

The London to Paris ride is great.

But if that’s a bit far we are also looking for people who want to join us and pedal from London to Brighton on 16 September 2012.

Get in touch and find out more information on our website mind.org.uk/pedal2brighton

Running for Mind feels great A team of 15 from GLAMOUR Magazine will be finding out just how good it feels to run for Mind as they take on the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon on 7 October. They’ve told us what’s inspiring them to run and why they’ve chosen Mind.

“We’ve been inspired by our campaign, Hey, It’s OK To Talk About Depression.

We have been absolutely blown away by the reader response to this awareness drive. The whole team is committed to ensuring the message lives on beyond one issue and we plan to raise tons of money as a team for Mind!” Jo Elvin, Editor “I’m excited to be doing it as part of a team as we will all support each other, but it’s further than I’ve ever run before so I’m pretty terrified! Seeing the Hey, It’s OK campaign in GLAMOUR really inspired me to take action and support Mind, so I’m really looking forward to having achieved something for myself and for an excellent cause.” Vicky Ibbetson, Designer “I’m slightly scared about running 13.1 miles - it’s such a long way! But we are doing this because the Hey, It’s OK campaign is incredibly important and something we all feel so passionately about.” Amy Abrahams, Deputy Chief Sub Editor

To join Mind’s team, along with our friends at GLAMOUR Magazine on 7 October go to mind.org.uk/royalparks or email events@mind.uk (by 15 August) 13

Mind around and about

The course of my life City and Hackney Mind in East London has an employment service that’s working to help young people who have been diagnosed with the early signs of psychosis. Psychosis is a sign of mental illness which, if not treated quickly, can make everyday life increasingly difficult. In its early stages it may be as simple as knowing things are not right and are not getting better. People may be increasingly anxious, depressed or angry.

People living in the area are referred to City and Hackney Mind when they’re aged between 18 and 35. Walking through the door for the first time can be a daunting experience for anyone. But by assessing people speedily and giving them a voice in deciding the best way to help, they’re able to feel at ease in no time.

Working alongside the employment service is a team of nurses, social workers and therapists, each with particular skills. This support can be vital to young people and provides advice on a wide range of issues, such as medication which could help them cope, to discussing practical concerns such as finding somewhere to live.

The combination of services available is very important.

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Mental health problems can have many causes - some minor, some very complex - and young people are supported to make sense of the feelings and anxieties they have.

The employment service at City and Hackney Mind is seen as an important part of that support and an aid to recovery by boosting self-esteem and confidence. It’s been running for over 20 years and provides the skills to allow people to create CVs of their achievements, which they can use and be proud to present at an interview.

To those who experience mental health problems, something as important as a CV can be a demoralising document. Many employment services see the CV as an output to demonstrate that they have worked with someone.

This ‘tick box’ exercise results in lists of failed exams and bland statements, that often create additional stress for people who can’t relate to what has been written.

The first thing that the employment advisers do at City

and Hackney Mind is to spend time with the person. Over a number of sessions, they get to know the person, talking about achievements in their life, things they are proud of, whether in work, school or everyday life.

They build a picture of a person and put that onto paper, creating a ‘celebration of life’. These become more than CVs but living documents – people are encouraged to record each new achievement and are given the skills to update them.

It can be a starting point to a person’s journey to recovery by helping people look at work as a positive step and providing them with the tools to take those steps.

City and Hackney Mind had some amazing results seeing people go from a perception of themselves as never being able to work to feeling they can.

Someone who was recently helped wrote: “Thanks for congratulating me on the new job but I feel that I should really congratulate you.

I clearly remember the first day

I met you and I have to say that I honestly knew just from first impressions that it was a new chapter to my life.

“Since then things have been looking up at such a fast pace.

I’m really grateful for the time you spent with me training and rebuilding my confidence for any plans I mentioned....and by the looks of it, it’s all paid off… “…You’ve actually steered me towards my dreams. You’ve done more than just find me a job...

Thank you very much. I’ll stay in contact.”

The work carried out helping young people is just one of the employment projects undertaken

by City and Hackney Mind, who offer a tailored service helping people of all needs and ages.

City and Hackney Mind is an independent charity affiliated to Mind. If you would like to find out more information about their services and how they’re helping people in London, visit their website cityandhackneymind.org.uk

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Mind events There are lots of ways that you can support Mind. Whether you’d like to run, swim or skydive we’re here to support you.

Running for Mind feels great • Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon, 7 October • Liverpool Marathon, 14 October • Great South Run (10 miles), 28 October

Challenge yourself to something different • • • •

London to Paris cycle, 6 to 10 September London to Brighton cycle challenge, 16 September Three Peaks challenge, 21 to 23 September Thames path challenge, 29 September

More events on our website

mind.org.uk/events Do good, feel great. Join Mind for an exciting challenge this year and we’ll be there every step of the way.

Email: eventsteam@mind.org.uk Tel: 0871 872 1144

Forty people took part in our May Skydive. But don’t worry, you don’t have to wait till next May to take part and parachute for Mind.

Visit mind.org.uk/skydive for more information