MeeT THe TeAM
Mental wellbeing with ewen’s Room Ewen’s Room mental health charity is piloting an initiative to improve health and wellbeing within Lochaber by training and supporting young volunteers who, in turn, will help people of a similar age in their immediate communities. This innovative programme is being developed and delivered by a newly-recruited team of five part-time education officers, who will work directly with ‘Wellbeing Champions’ aged between 14-25 years old, with additional part time input from local HighLife Highland Youth Development Officers. Once recruited and trained these Wellbeing Champions will be based within their ‘communities’ of school, college and workplace, where they will support each other as well as their peers. The aim is to improve levels of emotional and mental health of individuals and the
wellbeing in these groups as a whole. Grants from the Highland Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund and from The Highland Council will support the team and ensure that it will continue and to develop the progress made through the pilot programme. Its success will ensure that the programme will be further rolled out, with WellBeing Champions being placed in schools, colleges and workplaces across Lochaber by the end of 2022. Thereafter, it is expected that the learning and knowledge gained, and processes tested, will be used to introduce, support and expand the model to other areas of Highland. The Highland Council grant will also help Ewen’s Room to continue its online and face to face community support existing services. These
include EwenMe – befriending for those affected by loneliness or social isolation, with weekly Zoom meetings to encourage wellbeing and mental fitness, alongside craft and themed workshops which invite involvement in shared group activity to improve individual mental fitness and mood. There will also be a trial of a new employability service, for people who are currently unemployed, and who have experienced difficulties with their mental health. This will run in partnership with local businesses, colleges, and training providers. The aim is to provide a mentorship scheme, giving support from the start of a job search, all the way through to the early stages of new employment. For more information visit the website: www.ewensroom. com/education/wellbeingchampions-project/
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