Our aim is to expand our Reachout Challenge to make more of a difference based on a proven format. The contribution of service users and volunteers ensures that we are empowering them to have a voice and enable changes to be made to services to improve the experience of both service provider and service user. By improving people’s awareness of mental health, we can break down barriers and change the personal experience to combat stigma and discrimination within services and the wider community.
We will hold regular information stalls and dialogues with more public sector organisations and the public to break down barriers with people with mental health conditions. This could include a pledge as a result of our dialogue with people and expansion of local coverage. We currently are limited by volunteer availability so we would like to expand our volunteer base to cover more organisations and events. In the medium term we wish to expand our project so that we reach more people in public sector organisations and the wider public.
Key Outcomes
Our work combats negative views of mental health – that we are not able to contribute, not employable or useless – which in turn improves community cohesion and addresses low self-esteem and confidence amongst those dealing with public sector organisations, making the experience of both the service provider and service recipient a more positive one.
By combating stigma and discrimination, we can educate and inform the public and as the realities of mental health are more widely understood, we improve the life chances of people with mental health conditions as we help improve community cohesion
Organisation: If your company would like some mental health awareness training, please do contact me.
Volunteers: If you are interested in becoming a volunteer and would like to know more click here or give me a call to have an informal chat about how you would like to get involved