Re Mind
Issue 2, December 2015
North Staffs Mind Bulletin Update
Inside this issue:
Schools - more are buying in services each year. We are having to recruit externally as we are running out of staff with any spare capacity.
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Parents in Mind - we are awaiting news on a bid to support their work, and will continue to engage with Commissioners so we do all we can not to lose this service and highly valued staff.
Secondments - Alan Vann is seconded out to Family Intervention Project in Stafford, and Chris Abela will be seconded to CAMHs (Stafford) in the New Year while he does his Interpersonal Therapy Training as part of the roll out of CAMHS IAPT.
Placement staff - the annual recruitment has begun and second interviews are scheduled soon.
Christmas Closure - from lunchtime on Christmas Eve, until we re-open on 4th Jan. Any vulnerable people should make contact with the NHS Access Team, Mental Health Helpline and the Samaritans, all of whom remain open over the period (the numbers are shown below).
Training - we have been running lots of training recently - Mental Health Awareness for employers, Blue Light training for emergency services, and as a result our new Training and Development Manager Diane Collingwood Julie, and others have been run off Counselling Services Manager their feet.
Useful contact numbers over the Christmas Period
A Not So Merry Christmas
3 National Mind Campaign 4-5 Interview with Lyn Varden 6-7 Hyperbole and a Half & World Mental Health Day 7 Free Guide to Stress and Anxiety 8
North Staffs Mind 40th Anniversary Ball
Registered Charity Number 700788 83 Marsh St Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire ST1 5HN T: 01782 262100 F: 01782 262212 E: reception@nsmind.org.uk W: nsmind.org.uk
NHS Access Team - 24/7 cover for all mental health services across Staffordshire and Stoke On Trent. 0300 123 0907
North Staffs Mind is a charity and we rely on donations to help continue our work.
Staffordshire Mental Health Helpline - Local mental health helpline. Open 7pm-2am on weekdays, and 2pm-2am on weekends. 0808 800 2234
Please contact us to find out how you can provide support.
Samaritans - 24/7 confidential telephone helpline. 08457 90 90 90 1
A Not So Merry Christmas Merry Christmas"! This occasion is all about being happy, right? Yet according to a 2011 study conducted by the US National Institute of Health, there appears to be a trend between the Christmas holidays and the worsening of moods in individuals. Although this may come as a shock for some, for others this is hardly news at all. There are many reasons why this may be the case. Here is a list of a few, along with some tips on how to deal with these winter challenges:
Seasonal Affective Disorder
(SAD) is a type of depression which becomes more prevalent during the winter months. Although there is no concrete evidence for the causes of SAD, many studies have suggested that the lack of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus from working properly. This may have an effect on: • the production of melatonin (a hormone which makes you feel sleepy). Melatonin may rise above normal levels when there is a lack of sunlight, making it harder to sleep. • the production of serotonin (a hormone which regulates our mood). Serotonin may drop below normal levels when there is a lack of sunlight, making us more prone to drops in mood. Tips • Get as much natural sunlight as possible. Try to spend some time every day outdoors and sit near windows when you're indoors. • Some people find that light therapy can help improve their mood considerably. This involves sitting by a special lamp called a lamp box, usually for around 30
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minutes to one hour every morning. Take regular exercise, particularly outdoors during the day. If possible, take steps to avoid or minimise stressful situations. If the depression is serious, seek out the help of a qualified mental health professional.
Excessive Commercialisation
The build-up to Christmas is a profitable time in the commercial world. To encourage customers to part from their money, businesses are constantly marketing Christmas in a “perfect” light. The expectations which this creates however, often sets us up for disappointment. There is also the added expectation to spend lots of money on gifts. This can generate financial stress and incurring of debt. Tips • Set a budget for the amount of money you spend on Christmas presents. You don't have to spend lots of money to give a good present, be creative! Acts of kindness can go a long way as well. • Don't believe the "perfect" representation that the media creates. Reduce your expectations and any attachment to what it might be like; pretend that you've never experienced Christmas before and only hold onto the traditions that you like. • Think about what you can be grateful for in your life already, rather than focusing on what you don't have.
Tips • Focus on gratitude for people in your life now who give you meaning. • Stay busy. Some people find it beneficial to fill their days up with things to do. Spending time with other people, such as volunteering in your local community can help keep your mind off the past. • Seek out bereavement counselling. The Dove Service is a local counselling service specialising in bereavement. This gives people a confidential space to explore their feelings in a safe setting. For enquiries please call 01782 83155 or 683153.
If you're feeling low this winter season, getting outdoors and catching some sunlight can be helpful. Image credit: Kris Williams
Loneliness and excessive pondering
Christmas often brings up memories of loved ones who have passed away; for those who have grieved over someone close, Christmas can be an extremely difficult period. A lot of time can be spent wrestling with challenging emotions and ruminating on the past.
Don't believe the ads; they are deceptive! Christmas is what you make it. Image credit: Daniela Hartmann
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National Mind Campaign Mind is campaigning for improved support for unemployed people experiencing mental health problems. At the moment, mainstream government back-towork schemes frequently fail people with mental health problems. Of almost 160,000 people with poor mental health placed on one scheme, just 8% have been helped into work, compared with 24% of people who don’t have a mental health problem. As one person placed on a government scheme explained:
“The support I received simply did what I could do on my own – put together a CV and search for jobs. There was not enough support geared to my specific difficulties. Every task was the same for everyone. Not everyone’s needs are the same.” Currently the largest group of people on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) are those with mental health problems. Mind is pushing the new government to develop a fairer, more responsive system for the one million people on ESA with mental health problems. Such a scheme will need to: • Focus on the wellbeing and health outcomes of claimants and not pressurise them into situations that will make them more ill • Be supportive of each individual claimant’s ambitions and aspirations. • Offer specialist and personcentred support • Integrate with health and other related services
• Work closely with employers to ensure people going back into the workplace have the support they need.
People Need Support Not Sanctions Catherine Hale, a Work Programme service user supported by Mind, has produced a new report about back-towork programmes for people with disabilities and health conditions. The report, Fulfilling Potential? ESA and the fate of the Work Related Activity Group3, is based on the experiences of over 500 people being required to engage in back-to-work schemes. The findings are startling: • The Work Programme and Jobcentre Plus were pushing people into generic activities rather than providing specialist support • The inappropriateness of these activities and the threat of benefits being cut was leaving people feeling very anxious • People said their health, confidence and sense of purpose in life were all worse after engaging with the programmes.
What you can do We need MPs to read Catherine’s report and push for urgent changes so that people get the support they need to move closer to work. To tell your MP, head to www.mind.org.uk/benefits, then click on ‘Sanctions’, then ‘Get Involved’, then ‘Tell your MP’. On this page, you will need to fill in a few of your personal details so that your local MP can be identified. Once you’ve submitted these details you will be able to see the email that will be sent to your MP. 3
"Currently the largest group of people on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) are those with mental health problems." "Of almost 160,000 people with poor mental health placed on one scheme, just 8% have been helped into work, compared to 24% of people who don’t have a mental health problem."
You can make a difference with just a few clicks.
Interview With Lyn Varden at Making Space Work4You Making Space Work4You Employment Service (established 1st April 2011) enables individuals who have a mental health diagnosis to gain paid work in the open competitive job market. The service is tailored to the individual and therefore the level of support and help is agreed between the Mental Health Employment Advisor and the person who wishes to have a job. Work4You were awarded ‘Centre of Excellence’ for delivering the IPS (Individual Placement & Support) model, by the Centre of Mental Health 2013. Lyn Varden is the Team Leader for the Work4You service. Her role is to manage the team and service and ensure that they abide by the IPS model.
Where are the services based and to whom do they offer services? The Work4You team have one office in Stafford. We cover the whole of Staffordshire, excluding Stoke on Trent. We meet the referred clients in their local community, usually libraries. The service is open to individuals who have a mental illness diagnosis and who want paid work now.
Why was it established? Staffordshire commissioners for mental health found that over 50% of individuals with a mental health diagnosis said
they wanted to be in paid work. Generally, individuals with mental health illnesses are under-represented in the workplace.
interview skills – anything the person needs help with to gain the job they want.
How do you motivate or inspire people to find work?
How do you help people gain job specific skills? The service works with the individual in partnership to enable the person to gain the paid work they want. We look at all the areas of paid work, including where the person will be better off, the number of hours, location, cost of travelling to work, or any responsibilities the person may have such as childcare. We also look at what did the person do before, hobbies and interests, what did they like and what did they dislike, and what to say or what not to say. The service then completes a targeted CV based on the person's skills and abilities. With the person’s permission, we will then approach employers to try and secure a job, interview or work placement before it is advertised. The service works quickly – the full application process and outcome of a job is secured within 30 working days.
The service is for the person who says they want a job now. Therefore we work with the person’s motivation, we also believe in the person to get that job, and we share clients’ stories and past experiences. We break the types of jobs down so we know exactly what job the person wants to do.
"The service works with the individual in partnership to enable the person to gain the paid work they want."
How do you work with the skills that people already have? The service is very individual based. We start where we need to start with the person, it may be showing the person how to job search, uploading a CV, creating an email address, application forms,
"The service is very individual based. We start where we need to start with the person"
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Interview With Lyn Varden Cont. What ongoing support do you offer once your clients find work? When the person is in work, we offer ongoing time unlimited support which is agreed with and caters to the individual.
What other types of support and guidance do you provide? • Benefit counselling is included – this involves exploring and giving the individual information for where they will be better off. • The service is oversubscribed so we offer workshops and drop-ins to help individuals not under the community mental health teams to get a job. • We attend ‘day services’ for any questions about employment. • The service helps individuals return to work after a period off sick. • The service enables individuals who may be struggling with their paid work to retain that job or look for another job • Work4You works with employers to reduce sickness and increase productivity in the workplace and offers mental health awareness training. • We contact employers who wish to have a better understanding of mental health issues and how to respond in a better way to work colleagues.
I have never worked due to struggling with my bipolar disorder. I was home schooled from age 14, and led to believe that I was better kept away from the public and staying at home as I may become ill at any time. I started working with Work4You not really knowing what I wanted to do and not really believing that I could actually get a job. My advisor and I updated my CV and as I talked to my advisor one day about caring for my elderly grandparents, one with Dementia, and how much I had enjoyed this. My advisor suggested me looking for jobs in care, and the more I thought about this, the more it seemed a good idea.
"I was home schooled from age 14, and led to believe that I was better kept away from the public and staying at home as I may become ill at any time."
My advisor supported me to apply for a job with a home care company, and I was so surprised when I got an interview! I met with my advisor before the interview and the advisor practiced some interview skills with me. I was so nervous, but my advisor kept telling me I could do this. The company quickly called me and told me I had the job! "I have now been in I have now been in work for two work 2 months, months, working 12 hours a week and working 12 hours a I love it. I enjoy meeting new people week and I love it." and I have quickly built up a rapport with my clients. I meet with my advisor monthly, and I enjoy having someone to talk to about my job.
Work4You is a referral service, via community mental health teams, GP, IAPTs and self-referrals Lyn Varden can be contacted on 07843268042 or via email on lyn.varden@makingspace.co.uk. Making Space Work4You will try to get in contact within 5 working days to make an appointment in the community (usually, local libraries). 5
Resources - Hyperbole and a Half Hyperbole and a Half is a comic internet blog written by Allie Brosh.
It is a retelling of her life and includes stories from her childhood, as well as the challenges she faces in adult life. Brosh's posts are very funny and she frequently writes about the effects of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Her posts on depression have been described by fans as the most relatable portrayal they've ever seen of their own experiences.
Website: hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.co.uk
Image credit: Julia Glassman
World Mental Health Day 2015 What is it? On Saturday 10 October, the World Federation of Mental Health (WFMH) hosted World Mental Health Day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on mental health issues, and to shed light on what can be done to help those affected. It is estimated that only about a quarter of people with a mental health problem in the UK receive ongoing treatment, leaving the majority of people grappling with mental health issues on their own.
What is being done? World Mental Health Day seeks to confront mental health stigma through producing an updated Fundamental Facts document on mental health with the aim of distributing it to the widest possible audience. For example, did you know that one in four adults and one in ten children are likely to have a mental health problem in any given year? At the heart of the Fundamental Facts is a focus on prevention. By providing the right information, guidance and support, especially in
childhood and adolescence, the chances of developing mental health problems can be reduced for millions of people over a lifetime. How can you help? World Mental Health Day encourages the sharing of the Fundamental Facts on social media with family, friends and colleagues. We all have mental health and overlooking those who are struggling can lead to stigma, low confidence, low self-esteem, withdrawal and social isolation. Simply visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk to download the Fundamental Facts for yourself.
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"did you know that one in four adults and one in ten children are likely to have a mental health problem in any given year?"
What's Happening Locally: World Mental Health Day On Friday 9th October, a World Mental Health Day event was held at the One Recovery hub in NewcastleUnder-Lyme. It was organised by North Staffs Users Group (NSUG), an organisation which represents the views of users of local mental health services in a bid to promote service improvements. At the event, NS Mind was represented by Hazel Ball. After advertising the event on the national media outlet Time To Change, Hazel reported a high level of attendance. As someone who runs NS Mind's Befriending programme, Hazel said "Maybe we overlook the value of social activities that most people take for granted. These sorts of events provide an opportunity for people to meet in an environment where there are organisations there to support them. It is safe and accessible for those attending knowing that they will meet people going through similar situations. There is such an emphasis on evidence based research, but how do you measure the value of human connection?"
Organisations involved:
Befriending and Mentoring Scheme Time To Change - Mental health anti- (NS Mind) - A stigma campaign. programme offering www.time-to-change.org.uk opportunities for volunteers to provide One Recovery Staffordshire one to one social Substance misuse support and support to people services. www.adsolutions.org.uk with mental health problems. North Staffs Users Group For service representing the views of users of information please call local mental health services in a bid 01782 262100 and ask to promote service improvements. for Hazel. www.nsug.co.uk Changes - provides mental health services for Adults and Children. www.changes.org.uk Brighter Futures - provides support to those who require extra help to live independently. www.brighterfutures.org.uk
"Maybe we overlook the value of social activities that most people take for granted."
Resources - Free Guide to Stress and Anxiety Mind has produced a free guide to stress and anxiety. It offers you practical suggestions on what you can do to improve the way you feel, ways you can support other people experiencing feelings of stress and anxiety, and information to help you understand what is happening. To have it sent to you via email simply visit www.mind.org.uk/stress-and-anxiety-guide and fill in a first name, surname and email address.
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Proudly Presents
A 40th Anniversary Celebration
The Ruby Ball Saturday 14th May 2016 7pm The Britannia Stadium
Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke-on-Trent. ST4 4EG
Come and celebrate with us at our formal ball and raise funds for North Staffs Mind Featuring: Drinks reception & three course meal
Special guest & speaker Michael Mansfield QC
Charity Auction and Raff le
Entertainment & Dancing
Tickets ÂŁ40 per person or ÂŁ350 per table of 10 For more information and for booking enquiries please contact
rubyball@nsmind.org.uk 01782 262100
North Staffs Mind. 83 Marsh Street Hanley Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5HN Reg. Charity Number 700788 Company Limited by Guarantee Reg. in England 2294089
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