Latest news with #peerSupport
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Men's mental health group Andysmanclub is coming to Taunton
A suicide prevention charity is meeting for the first time to offer open discussions about men's mental named after a man called Andrew Roberts who took his own life, will be running sessions in Taunton in group says it will run free peer-to-peer support sessions each week, where men can speak openly to each other and share their South West area lead for the charity, Steve Doyle, said: "Having a space where you can go along and speak very openly to people who may have gone through similar things, and get what you're talking about, can be very powerful in helping you move on." Mr Doyle said anyone who identifies as a man and is over 18 years old can come along to one of the sessions, which will take place every Monday evening at Nightingale Lodge on E Reach."Everyone has some kind of struggle with their mental health at some point during their lives," Mr Doyle said."I came to Andysmanclub in January 2022. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression."I was more honest there than I was in my counselling sessions or towards my family and friends. There were guys there who had been in similar situations, and were further along the line from it."Mr Doyle said there is "no pressure" to share anything, everyone who attends is invited to speak as much or little as they would like."The first night is always nerve racking because you put the sign outside and you never know how many people will come along," he added.
CBC
04-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
Peer support agency in Thunder Bay, Ont., readies for relocation, new supportive housing
Social Sharing A peer support agency in Thunder Bay, Ont., is relocating its drop-in centre, as it expands its services to include supportive housing on the south side of town. People Advocating for Change Through Empowerment (PACE), located at 510 Victoria Avenue E., is a central location for some of the city's most vulnerable. There, they can get food and free clothing, do their laundry, take a shower and connect with others in a safe environment. The organization has recently become involved in the province's new Homeless and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub (HART) program, following the closure of the region's only supervised consumption site, Path 525, at the end of March. "We love this space. However, to make it work better with the new initiatives coming up by the government and for the initiatives going on in this business area, like the [Victoriaville] mall coming down, our people need a place to go," said Georgina McKinnon, PACE's executive director. In the coming weeks, PACE will relocate to 409 George St., directly across from Shelter House, remaining in the neighbourhood it's been serving for years. With the new space comes room for a dozen new supportive housing units, which McKinnon hopes become part of a continuum of care for people recovering from addiction, she said. "We're hoping to be one of the last steps, that people come out of recovery, go into more heavily-supported housing, down to lightly-supported housing," McKinnon explained. "We can help them out downstairs in PACE before they get out into the world on their own." The Thunder Bay district continues to have the highest opioid-related death rate in Ontario, at nearly five times the provincial average. NorWest Community Health Centres, which operated Path 525, is the lead partner for Thunder Bay's HART Hub. Unlike supervised consumption sites, HART Hubs do not allow supervised drug consumption, safer supply or needle exchange programs. According to the province, they instead focus on providing primary care, employment support, and mental health, addiction and social services — much of which PACE already offers. "I'm so excited," McKinnon said of the upcoming move. "PACE is expanding in so many ways, it's amazing." 'They help me with all of it' Everyone who works at PACE has lived experience of the challenges their clients are going through, such as homelessness, addictions and mental health issues. David Baumgartner is a long-time client at PACE who started coming there when he was staying at an overnight shelter. "It kind of became like my second home. I'm here often, pretty much every day, for everything from just talking to people to eating to getting clothes, whatever," he said. "They help me with all of it." He said it's important for the city to support places like PACE, which are open to everyone. "Even though I have an apartment, I still come here to eat. I come here to get out of the house; it gets depressing sitting in there all the time," Baumgartner said. "It kind of became like my second home." - David Baumgartner, client at PACE "It's really important to have a space like this, where people can feel safe." McKinnon said PACE is planning a seamless transition to its new space to avoid any disruption in services. A moving company is expected to start bringing things over from the Victoria Avenue East location in mid-July. Renovations have already started at the George Street building, she said. Her hope is that as PACE expands its presence in the region, more people gain a better understanding of the clients it serves. "Once you get to know the people that come to PACE, you get a whole different idea of them. They're wonderful people that really want to give back to the community," McKinnon said. As temperatures begin to rise, she said PACE is most in need of donations of seasonal clothing — especially for men — as well as shoes, kitchen and household items and fans.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Women-only mental health service opens for military personnel
An online support service for female military veterans "struggling to come forward" has been started for the East of England. The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) is organising the sessions after identifying a gap in service will focus on providing peer support as well as managing mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. It will offer a safe space to discuss sexual assault and harassment within the armed forces. Clinical nurse specialist Vicki Bailey works for the NHS mental health trust's Veterans Integrated Service and identified the need while studying at Anglia Ruskin University. "There wasn't any research around the barriers female veterans face when accessing mental health services and that ignited a passion to offer something bespoke," she said. Some 25 female veterans have signed up so far to join online monthly meetings. RAF veteran Mandy Small, from Rendlesham in Suffolk, served in the RAF as a dog handler. She did two tours of Iraq where she was injured in a mortar blast which knocked her out of an observation tower on to the concrete said she had experienced mental health issues and had had support from the NSFT and was part of the new group. "It's important for everyone, whether male or female, to have a safe space -somewhere that they feel comfortable enough to be able to open up," she said."I hope these new drop-ins will encourage more people who are struggling to come forward, so they realise they are not alone going through their issues." Ms Small said the prevalence of sexual assault within the armed forces was a barrier to women taking part in support services for veterans. She said: "So many people are still living with the trauma of this, and they have only just been given a voice. "Women-only groups are so important as people don't always feel confident enough to discuss this in front of men." The NSFT provides NHS mental health services across Norfolk and Suffolk, but its new service is available to veterans across the wider Eastern region including Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Essex and can register for the new service via the NSFT plan is to expand the service in the autumn for members who have a mental health issue and need more clinical support. A range of support services for people with mental health and other issues is listed on the BBC Action Line pages. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sister pays tribute to 'kind and caring' mental health worker
The sister of a "kind and caring" mental health worker found dead at her home has paid tribute to her. Olivia Martinez, from the Pottergate area of Norwich, had spent the past three years working as a peer support worker for the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. But the body of the 29-year-old was found at her home by a friend in Waddington Street on Monday, May 5. An inquest opening into her death revealed that she had committed an act that ended her life. Oliver Martinez died earlier this month (Image: Submitted) Sharing a tribute with this paper, sister Serena Crofts said: 'We have set up a Go Fund Me to help fund her funeral. 'It is also to be able to make a donation to the Huntington's Disease Associate in her name, as this illness affected her life due to her mum and grandpa having the condition.' She went on to describe her sister as 'a kind caring young woman' who was 'loved by so many people'. READ MORE: READ MORE: Paying tribute via the Go Fund Me page, she added: 'Anyone who knew Liv, knew that she brightened up any room she was in. Whether that be by making funny TikTok [videos] or just being herself. 'Tragically, Liv lost her battle with her mental health and took her own life. This is something Olivia had been dealing with for over a decade. 'She has left a big hole in so many people's lives but the solace we can take is that she is back with her beautiful mother.' They family hope to be able to fund a white horse-drawn carriage for her funeral, complete with pink plumes. Olivia Martinez (Image: Norfolk and Waveney Mind) Ms Crofts added: 'We feel this is something she would adore, along with flowers and making the day as lovely as we can.' They also plan to donate to the Huntington's Disease Association and Norfolk and Waveney Mind, both important organisations to Ms Martinez. "She had done a lot of work closely with the Huntington's charity to raise money and awareness of the disease, so any money that is left over afterwards will be donated,' Ms Crofts added. 'We massively appreciate any help given whether it be a little or a lot. Know that no matter what, Olivia loved you all and would be so proud of us all coming together at this time.' Visit to donate. Do you need support? Samaritans can be reached 24/7 on 116 123 for completely confidential support and advice. The NHS First Response Service is available 24/7 on 111 option 2, providing urgent mental health support for people in Norfolk and Suffolk.
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Surrey's female-only mental health group hits one-year milestone
A female-only mental health support group in Surrey is celebrating one year of helping people in the Moore started Grow and Glow in Epsom in 2024 after she could not find a local peer support space for women struggling with their mental Surrey Fire and Rescue Service firefighter said: "After experiencing my own challenges and receiving a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, I took time off work to focus on my recovery. "During that period, I searched for a local women's peer support group but found nothing available and I knew something had to change." At the weekly meetings people sit in a circle and are asked how their week is going and if they have anything they want to get off their group, which has expanded to Guildford and Reigate, is still fully funded by Ms Moore."I didn't want to wait for funding, I didn't want to wait for red tape [and] all [those] kind of hoops you've got to jump through," she told BBC Radio Surrey."I knew that I wanted to start something, I knew that I needed it and I wanted to provide it for other women." The group has expanded to Guildford and Reigate with weekly sessions offering a safe, welcoming space for women to share their struggles and victories. Ms Moore said: "We're not therapists, we're not counsellors, it's about lived experiences and people who have been through it and are going through it. "And I think there's a beauty in people that understand and just get it and say 'I'm really sorry you're going through that, that's rubbish, but we're here for you'."Ms Moore is looking for people to facilitate more groups in the county."Our mission from the beginning has been to create an accessible space for every woman in Surrey, and that remains our mission today," she said. If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can visit the BBC's Action Line.
