Support for Mental Health

Dartmouth Caring received news on Friday from The National Lottery that it has secured almost £10,000 to fund work supporting those in our community with mental health issues.  With the statutory services increasingly stretched this is wonderful news for the charity and the community.

The grant received will pay for a 12 month trial for a part time mental health support worker to use a range of methods to support individuals.  This will involve:

  • promoting an environment that encourages the client to feel safe and comfortable.
  • communicating with and supporting the client’s relatives and carers.
  • signposting the client to appropriate opportunities to connect, keep active, get involved and enjoy life in the community
  • manage their mental health issues 1:1 and dealing with crises such as housing/debt which have occurred due to mental health issues
  • accessing groups and activities within our community, reducing isolation and
  • to develop new support networks and to:
    • support the establishment of a local drop-in/hub for those with mental health issues (in partnership with others, including Devon Partnership NHS Trust – DPT (the local mental health NHS trust))
    • explore the role of volunteering to help build confidence and give something back (e.g. as tutors at the hub, or in our gardening project)

Dee Nutt, Chair of Dartmouth Caring said “this is an increasing issue across the town and villages, we are seeing more and more clients with low level mental health issues struggling to hold their lives together.  I have no doubt whatsoever that this will rapidly be an overstretched new service but at least it will start to make a difference.”

“Now we have the funding we can get on and set up the service, which we expect to be open to clients from late October.  Clients may self-refer and can be referred from the community and this complements the counselling service we already offer” explained Manager Nick Hindmarsh.