The aims of Linkworking Project
Croydon's Peer Navigator & Support Project
The Team meet with service users and supports them by listening to their current experiences of using mental health services; these experiences are shared with commissioners NHS South West London Integrated Care Board (ICB) and service providers SLaM (the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust) to help shape mental health services to meet the needs of people that use services.
Aims of the Linkworking Project:
Listen:
“ We are there to listen and not to judge. Having had our own mental health problems, we know how helpful it is to have someone to talk to someone confidently and have their own lived experiences of services. As Linkworkers, we offer a safe space to talk about any issues without fearing repercussions so that service users can get help to feel better.
Support:
“ If any issues are raised, or someone shares something that is worrying them, we are there to support them and try to help get the issues resolved. To do this, we can either support them to raise the issue themselves or raise the issues on their behalf, anonymously or directly, depending on what is preferred.
Signpost:
“ Sometimes what’s on someone’s mind might be something that we can’t help with directly, but we can usually point them in the direction to get help. For example, someone might be worried about benefits or need support to find work. In these cases, we can usually let them know about other organisations that are available to help.
The Wards and Community Services that the Linkworking Project visits.
Community Mental Health Services
Queens Resource Centre: Monday from 10 am to 11.30 am
Jeanette Wallace House: Thursday from 10 am to 11.30 am
Wards at the Bethlem Royal Hospital
Gresham Ward 1: Wednesday from 10 am to 11.30 am
Gresham PICU: Wednesday from 10 am to 11.30 am
Fitzmary Ward 1: Wednesday from 1:30 pm to 3 pm
Gresham Ward 2: Thursday from 10 am to 11:30 am
Tyson West 1: Thursday from 1:30 pm to 3 pm
The Target Number of Service Users the Linkworking Project will engage with in each quarter.
1st Quarter
April to June
500
2nd Quarter
July to Sept
500
3rd Quarter
Oct to Dec
500
4th Quarter
Jan to March
500
Total
April to March
2000
Number of visits to SLaM’s Community Services & Inpatient Wards
1st Quarter
April to June
91
2nd Quarter
July to Sept
91
3rd Quarter
Oct to Dec
89
4th Quarter
Jan to March
89
Total
April to March
360
Claire Hawkes
Deputy CEO
Hear Us
Orchard House
15a Purley Road
South Croydon
Surrey
CR2 6EZ
Email: linkworking@hear-us.org
Webpage: www.hear-us.org/peer-support/
