MentalHealthNews 2013 Edition 1
New Horizons - Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing Resource Centre
Dates for your Diary
Welcome
Cynon
Aberdare Centre
• Thursday 24th January 4pm-6pm Launch of the Youth Project. • Every Thursday 4pm9pm Youth Project for people 18-25yrs suffering from mental health issues. • Thursday 24th January 11am-12:30pm Diabetes Peer Support Group Open to anyone suffering or concerned about diabetes come along for information/ support on the illness and how to prevent it. • Thursday 24th January weekly volunteer led safe space will run from 9am-12pm. • Last Thursday of every month - Service User Meeting from 12pm. • Thursday 10am-12pm Creative Writing with literacy support.
Rhondda
Apple Tree Stores
• Thursday 24th January 11am-2:30pm, Routes to Recovery mental health self management 12 week course please contact Gofal on 01443 845 970. • Wednesday 6th Feb 10am–12pm Basic Skills delivered by WEA. • Friday 15th Feb 9.30pm12.30pm - Confidence Building for 5 weeks delivered by WEA.
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2013.
Welcome back to our first Newsletter of 2013. As always New Horizons would like to thank you for your continued support and would like to take this opportunity on behalf of all the staff and Management Committee to wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. 2012 - The past year has been a busy one for New Horizons, the Cynon Valley centre moved into a new premises in Aberdare, we celebrated our one year anniversary at Apple Tree stores (to find out more on the Apple Tree Stores Open day see page 2) and we successfully introduced the Recovery Star Model (see below for a catch up on the events). 2013 looking forward...we are extremely pleased to launch our NEW Youth Project on January 24th for more details please see page 3. New Horizons is also still working closely with C.A.B. and is aware that the welfare reforms are a great worry for mental health service users. Mountain Ash C.A.B has written an article to help explain some of the changes - you can find this article on the page 5.
World Mental Health week events October 8th-13th 2012
Once again RCT mental health partnership put on a wide variety of events during World Mental Health Week. New Horizons was pleased to host our own Open Day in the new Aberdare centre on Tuesday 9th October. During the open day volunteers showed the range of services we offer and our music group provided the background music and even made a debut with their very own song “New Horizons the Place to go.” (If you suffer from mental health issues and would like to take part in the music group come along to Aberdare from 1-3 every Tuesday). We also had the pleasure of hosting the Quiz night at the Ton Pentre football club. Our Patron actor/writer Boyd Clack successfully hosted the night and service users and partner agencies alike competed against one another in teams to see who could win the challenge. One of the Rhondda Housing Association teams pipped everyone at the post to win first prize. Many thanks to those who donated raffle prizes. Service user DH said “I had a good night on the quiz night it was a nice environment and pleasant company and to top it all I won a raffle prize. I was thrilled with the prize.” New Horizons staff and service users also enjoyed taking part in both the Rhondda and Aberdare Walk a mile (despite the wet weather). At the Merthyr Tydfil Mental Health Week event New Horizons had an information stall and New Horizons music group performed and held music workshops which had very positive feedback in the events evaluations forms. A huge thank you to all service users and volunteers that helped out and took part (especially the music group who showcased their talent all over RCT)these events go along way in reducing stigma and showing the range of services we have for mental health sufferers in the locality.
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Open Day at ATS On Wednesday 21st November New Horizons held an Open Day at our centre at Apple Tree Stores in Dinas.
This was to celebrate having a presence in Dinas for the past 18 months and to promote the services we provide for those in the community with mental health and emotional wellbeing issues. Those who attended included mental health service users, volunteers, partner organizations and the Dinas Tenants & Residents Association. Our Patrons Boyd Clack (Writer/Actor) and Kirsten Jones who have been a constant support of New Horizons for many years were also in attendance. New Horizons’ volunteers were there showing the good work they do supporting staff in the delivery of services; Reflexology, Healthy Hearts and Art & Craft.
Boyd Clack patron of New Horizons enjoying some therapeutic reflexology at Apple Tree Stores
The support, skills and time volunteers offer the charity is fantastic and New Horizons staff are very grateful for their continued support.
Courses at ATS
Apple Trees Stores is really pleased to be hosting Gofal’s Routes to Recovery course. Routes to Recovery will be taking place from Thursday 24th January 11:30-2:30 for 12 weeks. Participants of the course can expect to learn information about mental health recovery, medication, local services, confidence building and benefits entitlement. People who have attended the Routes to Recovery programme previously have found great benefits. Many people say they have made new friends and improved their confidence. Some people have progressed onto voluntary work, college and paid employment, and have described themselves as taking control of their illness as a result of the course. To book your place call Gofal on 01443 845 970. Also starting at Apple Tree Stores the WEA will be running Basic Skills starting on Wednesday 6th February 10am–12pm and Confidence Building starting on Friday 15th February 9.30am–12.30pm for 5 weeks please contact Tracy Thomas on 01443 681881 to book. Art and Craft group every Friday at 1pm.
Beat Cymru Self Help Group Facilitator needed. Beat Cymru aims to offer help, support and information on anorexia, bulimia and related eating disorders and is starting a group in Aberdare shortly. We are looking for 2 Group Facilitators to run the group and deliver support to people in a caring environment. You must have some understanding and interest in eating disorders and will work alongside another co-facilitator to deliver a self help group to sufferers and carers of those with eating disorders. You will be supported to ensure a successful smooth running of an informative and safe group which will be run 1-2 times per month. You must feel confident to speak in front of a group and able to manage people well. Full training is provided and for a full role description please contact Adrianne on 07891527138.
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New Horizons’ Young Person’s Support Project
The New Horizons mental health charity has received a vital funding boost from the Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales for a young peoples’ project. The Rhondda Cynon Taff (RCT) based charity, has been awarded a grant of just over £7,000 for a pilot project to support young people living with mental health issues in the area. New Horizons manages a range of resource and outreach centres throughout Rhondda Cynon Taff for people experiencing mental health or emotional wellbeing issues, and projects the positive image of people suffering mental health problems through challenging discrimination by means of education, outreach work, information and support services. The grant will enable New Horizons to offer a six month pilot project from January-June 2013 at the Resource Centre in Aberdare to support young people (aged 18-25) who are living with mental health issues in RCT. The pilot project will offer 1:1 support using the Recovery Model, access to information, advice, counselling and training (including a Depression Busting course) and access to the internet cafe.
Gill Malpas, Chair of New Horizons, says: “New Horizons is really pleased to have received the funding from Lloyds TSB to develop this new service for young people which I know is desperately needed in this area.” Mike Lewis, Grant Manager for Wales at the Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales, said, “New Horizons is a positive and well run charity helping disadvantaged young people across the Rhondda Cynon Taff area. The Foundation’s focus is on supporting charities that are able to help people play fuller roles in their communities and New Horizons does just that.” If you are a youth organisation and are interested in working in partnership please contact the centre on 01685 881113 or download a referral from our website - www.newhorizons-mentalhealth.co.uk If you are a young person aged 18 – 25 suffering from mental health issues in RCT and would like support please get in contact on 01685 881113 New Horizons, 16 Dean Street, Aberdare CF44 7BN
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NH2 Creative Design NH2 creative design is a new web development and graphic design social enterprise business established by New Horizons. The target customers are Third Sector organisations, the public, new start up businesses and established small to medium size businesses. Since the early 1990’s New Horizons has been a major provider of Third Sector mental health support services of its’ kind in the Cynon and Rhondda Valleys. One in four people will experience mental health problems in their life. The stigma attached to mental health conditions can add insult to injury. At a time when people need most support they can become isolated and personal confidence can be shattered and skills and abilities disintegrate.
• The long term sustainability for New Horizons and reduction in grant dependency • It would increase the number of partners that New Horizons actively works with. Through involvement in the project of people experiencing mental health issues there will be additional outcomes of – • Increased confidence and reduced isolation of the volunteers on the project • Increased training in IT and business development skills of the volunteers involved in the Project • A mentoring scheme would also be considered within the feasibility study to enable volunteers on the Project to support new volunteers on the project • Improved mental health and well being as a result of being involved in the project If you are interested in volunteering on the project please call Claire on 01685 881113
Rhondda Cynon Taf is an area labelled ‘socially excluded’ and many wards score highly on all poverty indicating factors and indicating factors such as self esteem and ambition is generally extremely low. New Horizons aims to address these profound issues and work towards sustainable personal, social and economic development. New Horizons helps ‘socially excluded’ individuals by working directly with the marginalised group of people who experience mental health issues within Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Mental Health Support
The benefits that the project would bring would include-
We are always looking for Volunteers or even Virtual Volunteers. If you are looking for work experience or training, a boost in confidence and self-esteem, the opportunity to support others or to ‘give something back’, or just have some spare time...then come and help us! If you have time to spare and want to do somethng useful please get in touch and find out what Volunteering Opportunities are available.
• The ‘upskilling’ of people who are experiencing mental health issues through their involvement in the project as volunteers • Volunteers would receive training in IT and business development and marketing • The support for these volunteers to develop the above skills will assist in their search for employment which would then in turn help to improve the local economy • Volunteering on the project would help to improve levels of confidence and reduce isolation in the community
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Mental Health Support is a partnership project between New Horizons Mental Health and Emotional Well-being Resource Centre, LHB and Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Mental Health Support aims to provide accessible advice and information about mental health issues and services to people with mental health problems, their carers, health professionals and anyone else with an interest in mental illness.
Join the websites Focus Group every Tuesday at 3pm. If you haven’t already done so check it out at www.mentalhealthsupport.co.uk
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Changes to Welfare Benefit In the last couple of years there have been major changes in welfare benefits and even more are planned. It is not possible to cover all the changes in this short article so this is a summary of what is happening to ESA (Employment and Support Allowance) and DLA (Disability Living Allowance).
ESA
Since October 2008, no one has been able to make a new application for Incapacity Benefit or income support on the grounds of their ill health or disability. Instead all new applications have to be for ESA. Incapacity Benefit has continued to be paid to people who were receiving it in October 2008 but gradually they are all being called for an ESA assessment. Jobcentre Plus expects to have finished reassessing these cases by March 2014. ESA is awarded to people who score enough points on a series of tasks, called ‘descriptors’. Incapacity Benefit was awarded in the same way but the ESA descriptors are stricter, and many people are finding that they are not eligible for ESA, even though they had been awarded Incapacity Benefit. People who are turned down for ESA, either on a new application or on a reassessment of their Incapacity Benefit, can put in an appeal. Until the appeal is heard, they are paid ESA at the rate of ÂŁ71 a week. Anyone who decides not to appeal should get a check of other benefits that they might be able to claim instead, and so should anyone whose appeal is unsuccessful. People who are awarded ESA are placed in one of two groups - the work-related group and the support group. Most people are placed in the work-related group and have to attend workfocussed interviews to discuss their prospects of finding work, and activities to help improve the chance of getting employment. People who have a full National Insurance record are awarded contribution-based ESA which is paid no matter how high their savings or the income of their partner but people who are in the work-related group can only get contribution-based ESA for a maximum of twelve months. They too should get advice on other benefits they might be able to claim when their ESA comes to an end. People are placed in the support group if they have the most disabling conditions or are terminally ill. They do not have to attend workfocussed interviews and their contribution-based ESA is not limited to one year. It is possible to
request a transfer from the work-related group to the support group but this can result in the whole award being looked at again, so anyone thinking of a transfer must get advice first.
DLA In April 2013, DLA for people aged between 16 and 65 is due to be replaced by Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and anyone who makes a new claim will have to apply for PIP instead of DLA. From October 2013 people who are already receiving DLA will start to be invited to make an application for PIP and it will be March 2016 before all existing claimants have been reassessed. The Government has not yet announced a lot of the detail of how PIP will work but we do know that it will have a daily living component and a mobility component, both with a standard and an enhanced rate. These will replace the DLA mobility component with low, middle and high rates, and the care component with low and high rates, so PIP will have no equivalent of the low mobility component of DLA. To receive PIP, people will have to have had sufficient level of disability for three months before claiming and be likely to continue with this degree of disablement for at least another nine months, which is a change from the six months for DLA. PIP differs from DLA in having no condition or disability that gives automatic entitlement and most people will have to have a face to face assessment. People with the most severe health conditions or disabilities, and people who are terminally ill, might not need to have a face to face assessment but this will be decided on a case by case basis. Anyone who is on DLA and then invited to apply for PIP should get advice before applying. More information and help This has been only a brief overview of the changes. Many more welfare benefits are being affected and the details of the changes are being published in stages. Up to date information can be found on the DirectGov website or the Citizens Advice website at www.adviceguide. org.uk. At the Citizens Advice Bureau we can give independent advice on welfare benefits, including applications and appeals. Details of our services are online at www. citizensadvice.org.uk or telephone our benefits helpline at 01443 475948. Margaret Sheppard, Cynon Valley Citizens Advice Bureau
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Courses at New Horizons Aberdare Basic I.T course starting soon. If you are interested in learning more about your computer, surfing the internet, using Social Media and how to fill in an online form then get in touch with us and book your place. Places are unlimited so please book early to avoid disappointment. Call us on 01685 881113. Aberdare Creative Writing Course with learning support if needed, every Thursday at 10am. Mountain Ash Every Monday 2-3- Piano lessons please contact Kristy to book your space on (01685) 881113 Pentre House Every Tuesday- Free reflexology to make an appointment please contact Tracy on (01443) 681881 on a Wed, Thurs or Fri Apple Tree Stores Art & Craft every Friday 1pm - 4pm Routes to Recovery Starting Thursday 24th January 11am-2:30pm, Routes to Recovery mental health self management 12 week course please contact Gofal on 01443 845 970.
Stamp Appeal
New Horizons is now registered with stamps for charity to generate funds. We would appreciate it if all our supporters could cut the stamps off their received letters and bring them to New Horizons. Should other Businesses/ organizations wish to help out please get in contact as they can either send us the stamps or send them to ‘stamps for charity for us’ direct. Thanking you in advance.
E-book
Are you interested in contributing to Mental Health Supports E-book? If so then read on. We are putting together an E-book. If you have suffered or are suffering from mental health issues would you like to write about it? The book will be a collection of stories, poems, peoples mental health journeys and letters.
Basic Skills delivered by WEA.Wednesday 6th Feb 10am–12pm.
New Horizons Creative Writing Group can help you put those words on paper. Starting Thursdays at 10am you can come and join the group. There is also support for those who need it.
Confidence Building for 5 weeks delivered by WEA. Friday 15th Feb 9.30pm-12.30pm.
For further information contact: Claire/Kristy on 01685 881113
NEW HORIZONS Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing Centre
Cynon 16 Dean Street 10am - 4pm Every Tuesday & Friday 9am - 9pm Thursdays Providence Chapel Mountain Ash 10am - 4pm Every Monday 6
Rhondda Apple Tree Stores, Dinas 10am - 4pm Every Wednesday, Thursday & Friday & Pentre House, Pentre (next to St.Peters Church) 10am - 4pm Every Tuesday
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Volunteer led peer support group Fridays 1pm - 4pm St.Lleurwg’s Church Hirwaun.