Learning Disability Week (14-20 June 2021) raises awareness of learning disabilities across the UK. Fittingly, this year’s theme celebrates art and creativity and the vital role they play in self-expression of people with a learning disability.
We will be celebrating Learning Disability Week by highlighting – AMH Promote, based in Bangor, Co. Down, and the many positive stories and incredible talent witnessed on a daily basis at our fantastic training facility. The service offers a wealth of educational opportunities for local adults with learning disabilities.
AMH Promote’s training is delivered through a day opportunities service, which focuses on the personal development of clients. This positive route can progress to employment options, socially inclusive groups and/or further education.
Courses such as those with ASDAN and OCN NI certificates, cover a diversity of topics such as Self Advocacy, Meal Preparation, Independent Living skills, Sports Studies, Personal & Social Development (PSD), computer skills, digital photography, baking skills, horticulture, communication skills, and crafts.
Above all, AMH Promote’s caring environment fosters confidence and independence, with many clients not only enjoying new hobbies, creative activities and careers but importantly, making lasting lifelong friendships as they learn.
Throughout lockdown our talented Promote artists have certainly been Embracing the Power of Creativity by attending Wednesday Art Zoomers and Friday Craft classes on-line and we’re delighted that we are now able to offer a blended services with the addition of face to face classes once more!
For more information about AMH Promote download their information leaflet and follow them on facebook and tune into our social media challenges all this week!
A ‘CAN DO’ Challenge is the theme for this year’s Men’s Health Week. The challenge embraces the five ways to well-being over the first 5 days; taking notice, giving back, being active, connecting with others and continually learning.
Men are being tasked with putting into action a different way to find their own well-being each day of the week, then rounding off the weekend by repeating their favourite two activities!
Connect – connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
Be active – you don’t have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
Keep learning – learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike?
Give to others – even the smallest act can count, whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.
Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
The Five Ways to wellbeing were developed by the New Economics Foundation. You can download the Take 5 poster here.
Organisers of the initiative, the Men’s Mental Health Forum, are also encouraging men to talk about how they feel. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, men’s mental health was already a cause for concern, with reduced numbers seeking treatment for depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. Lockdowns brought a considerable rise in youth unemployment and inevitable home schooling which reports claim has hit boys and young men both at school and university, especially from Black African Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
Male-dominated workforces have suffered disproportionately in terms of income and some, such as self-employed taxi drivers, for example, have received little support to compensate for this loss. Additionally, men are more likely to be employed in occupations not easily carried out at home, resulting in higher male-dominated workforces at greater risk during the pandemic.
In Northern Ireland, Action Mental Health operates three Men’s Sheds for men aged 50+. Based in Downpatrick, Enniskillen and Antrim, the sheds bring men together to share their skills, have a laugh and a cup of tea while working on practical activities of their choice. It’s the perfect place for members to be themselves, a place to work at their own pace, a place to exchange ideas and learn, a place for members to support each other and build friendships. For further information please visit here.
Alongside the Sheds, Action Mental Health’s New Horizons services across Northern Ireland cater for men from 18+ supporting them back into education, employment or further training following periods of mental ill health. A number of our services also run groups specifically for younger clients – Lisburn (Speer), Foyle (Boost), Fermanagh (Boost), Antrim (Evolve). Find out more here.
AMH New Life Counselling offers a range of services to support men experiencing mental health issues and those in crisis.
In the past year AMH New Horizons supported 725 males while 83 men were welcomed into the Mens Sheds. AMH New Life counselling further supported 442 male clients over the age of 18 through one-to-one counselling.
Mark Bryce is currently taking part in the Creative Crafts class in AMH New Horizons Downpatrick, and in the words of Skills Coach Sarah Sims –
“Mark has been absolutely brilliant, not only does he lead by example but he has such a good way with the rest of the less confident clients. He has flourished in terms of his confidence and will happily demonstrate woodworking skills to his peer group”.
Mark is someone who would have struggled to leave the house before joining AMH and he feels that AMH has given him purpose and he is now excited about future opportunities. Great work Mark!
Mark is taking part in the “Working It Out” Project in AMH New Horizons Downpatrick. “Working It Out” is part-funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020 and the Department for the Economy.
We’ve all had so much practice walking over the pandemic that the clients of AMH New Horizons Newry and Mourne decided to take that to the next level – by traversing the globe!
Clients were inspired by National Walking Month in May to take a virtual World Walk from picturesque Co Down, translating their steps, taken close to home, to the distance of far flung places like New York City and Tokyo on the other side of the world.
The service and its supporters set their sights on walking – and cycling – the equivalent of the circumference of the world – a whopping 24,901 miles – but everyone had so much fun they went all the way to 26,000!
Participants took to paths locally, throughout picturesque brambles and bushes, tow paths and the tarmac to clock up 2000 steps for every mile around the globe.
The organisers even enlisted the help of swimmers – including tiny bathers and paddlers – who helped clock up the distance in the waters off the Co Down coast, during the month-long event which was geared towards raising funds for AMH New Horizons Newry and Mourne service.
The annual focus on walking goes hand-in-hand with another yearly event, Mental Health Awareness Week, which this year shone its spotlight on connecting with nature.
Action Mental Health Chief Executive David Babington (far left) joins with some of the cyclists who helped clock up the miles for AMH New Horizons Newry and Mourne, along with Peter Fitzsimmons, AMH Chairman.
Young people in the North West who attend Action Mental Health’s dedicated youth group are creating a unique piece of art after reaping the benefits of connecting with nature.
Members of AMH New Horizons Foyle Boost group embraced the focus of May’s Mental Health Awareness Week and are preparing to unveil a giant mural inspired by the natural bounty of the local waterways.
Fifteen members of Boost commenced a special research project from last September to March this year to unearth the natural ‘jewels’ of the River Foyle and are creating a mural to depict the mysteries they discovered below the surface.
Helping to bring their learning to life is professional graffiti artist, Donal O’Doherty from Peaball Graffiti. The local artist was enlisted to help the gang from Boost express and transfer their river experience into art, using symbols, sound and colours from the riverscape.
The mural was made possible by a generous donation by Foyle Port, with the artwork incorporating a navigation map detailing significant information on the major river’s natural ‘jewels’.
Artist Donal O’Doherty (far left) gets the ball rolling on Boost’s new graffiti artwork.
The Boost team are putting paint to canvas after spending time exploring the river in the Public Health Agency’s Clear project-sponsored initiative. The project encouraged the Boost gang to spend time at the river to engage in the Five Ways to Well-Being: keep active, connect, take notice, keep learning and give.
The young people kept active by walks by the river, river swimming and river gorging, paddle boarding, cycling, archery and jetty jumping. They took notice by recording river sounds, mindful walking, birdwatching, forest bathing and mediation.
They kept learning about the river’s rich history, its ecosystem, flora and fauna and humans’ inextricable links to the natural resource, while also connecting with key stakeholders, including businesses and services that have popped up around the river. Finally, they gave of their time to discover, experience and explore the opportunities that the river has to offer, and to counter the negative connections often associated with the River Foyle.
The mural, which has been named the ‘Salmon of Knowledge’, feature of Irish mythology, will be mounted at the new event space Ebrington Square, in June. River soundscapes recorded by the young people will activate as passers-by view it.
AMH New Horizons Foyle Service Manager Pauline Flanagan commented: “The young people have really enjoying the experience of their river forays and foraging.
Members of Action Mental Health’s New Horizons Foyle Boost group get creative with their new mural project.
“Many thanks to the Public Health Agency and Clear project for supporting this interesting and inspiring exploration of the local River Foyle. Thank also to Foyle Port for the funding gift, which allows our young people to share their findings with the community. The young artists hope this will be a truly transformational local experience for everyone who comes along.”
The OCN NI Learning Endeavour Awards took place online yesterday.
If you missed the live streaming – you can catch up on the video link below.
Many congratulations to everyone who was nominated! Here are the results for the AMH team who were shortlisted!! We are so proud of you all!
Health and Well-being Learner of the Year
Highly Commended : Kathryn Tilson – AMH New Horizons Fermanagh
When Kathryn joined Action Mental Health she had no formal qualifications bit she was keen to take part in accredited training, so joined an OCN class on “Producing a CV”. She has now completed nine Level 2 OCN courses – some in person and some online – and is working towards the OCN NI Award in Employability Skills and Personal Success and Well-being. Kathryn is always well prepared for classes, participate enthusiastically in discussion and puts considerable effort into completing written work.
Highly Commended : Beverley Farry – AMH New Horizons Fermanagh
Beverley stated on her journey with Action Mental Health being a little nervous about attending the service and meeting new people. With encouragement from the staff in AMH New Horizons Fermanagh, Beverley began attending the service and commenced OCN Level 2 courses in Mental Health Awareness, Communication Skills and a range of other courses too. As the months progressed Beverley began to feel much more comfortable in the OCN classes, her confidence improved and she began to made friends and connections with other learners.
Shortlisted :Louise Smith – AMH New Horizons Lisburn
Through participating in the OCN NI Level 2 Award in Personal Success and Well-being Louise has been able to participate in and comprehend a range of confidence building strategies that she has put into place in her job and her personal life, As a keyworker Louise has worked throughout the Covid Pandemic which has been a stressful experience, and due to the strategies and techniques she acquired during this qualification she was able to have the confidence to negotiate her working hours and conditions to enable her to build a work life balance
Shortlisted : Roberta Wadey – AMH New Horizons North Down & Ards
Roberta was attending in-house classes prior to lockdown. She continued with her creativity requesting to work towards her Level 1 OCN in Mixed Media remotely. Regular Zoom sessions, emails phone calls, collecting materials from AMH, sending and printing photographs lots of research and time and effort resulted in Roberta creating two stunning mixed media pieces. Bobby’s project exceeds the requirements of the Level 1 qualification – the ingenuity, skill and perseverance shown evident in her completed pieces and supporting documentation. This course has given her a step towards her dream – she has her sights set on a University textiles course, starting that journey this September, her application for a Level 3 textiles college course already underway.
Sharon contributed well to group discussion and attended all sessions for her OCN course. Her coursework was of a high standard despite some of the delivery taking place over zoom. Overall she was an enthusiastic learner who got a lot out of the course. While completing the OCN NI Level 2 Award in Mental Health Awareness, Sharon was able to support and advise the other group members by drawing on her own experiences. Sharon became a valued member of the group showing great courage, empathy and always applied herself well in group discussions.
Shortlisted – Beverley Farry – AMH New Horizons Fermanagh
Shortlisted – Kathryn Tilson – AMH New Horizons Fermanagh
The programmes delivered at AMH New Horizons service, that the award recipients participate in, are part of the “Working it Out” project, which is part-funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020, the Department for the Economy and the five NI Health & Social Care Trusts.
Volunteers Week takes place 1-7 June every year. It’s a chance to recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make to our communities and say thank you. #VolunteersWeek
Gary Legge is a former AMH New Horizons North Down & Ards client, who recently completed his training and successfully progressed to volunteering at the Warehouse, Newtownards. Over time the Warehouse’s garden had become neglected and urgently needed some TLC. Emma-Jayne Begley, AMH New Horizons North Down & Ards Employment Officer arranged a visit for Gary to meet the staff at the Warehouse. The Warehouse is a charity which engages the community in many different ways including a busy foodbank, ‘Share & Wear’ Inititive and outreach support. Gary has previous garden experience and was enthusiastic to commence volunteering, even during lockdown when he helped in the foodbank preparing food hampers and distributing them to families affected by Covid-19. Gary said,
“I enjoy volunteering at the Warehouse and now have a sense a purpose, I’m making new friends and making a difference every day.”
Tracy McVea, Community Support Worker at the Warehouse said,
“We love having Gary as part of our team, he is doing everything from gardening to packing food hampers. He also leads a small team of gardeners for our gardening project. He has been a real asset to us and we value him very much.”
Pictured is Tracy McVea and Gary Legge
During Vounteer Week we would like acknowledge the support and commitment of all our volunteers in Action Mental Health, and send out a GREAT BIG THANK YOU!
Gary took part in the “Working It Out” project at AMH New Horizons. This project is part-funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020 and the Department for the Economy.
The children of St. Bernard’s Primary School in Newtownabbey help launch Action Mental Health’s Healthy Heroes programme, with AMH MensSana Projects Service Manager, Karen Hillis (left) and AMH MensSana Project Worker, Rachel Horner.
Children navigating the stressful transition from primary school to ‘big school’, following more than a year of unprecedented disruption, are to be aided on their journey through an engaging new programme launched by Action Mental Health.
Healthy Heroes is a new, informative, year-long programme designed especially for children in P7, which aims to help them cope with the myriad issues that come with leaving primary school behind and on to secondary level education.
The new programme builds on Action Mental Health’s highly successful and widely subscribed Healthy Me programme which has been promoting positive mental health in Northern Ireland’s primary schools since its launch in 2017.
Since then, AMH MensSana has delivered the well-being and resilience-building programme to over 21,000 children and adult key contacts. Healthy Me was developed in partnership with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Healthy Heroes aims to deal with issues of anxiety, stress and managing changes, as well as self-esteem, courage, confidence, learning differences and friendship. Crucially, it offers an evidence-based and trauma-informed approach to building life-long skills for coping with change and transitions. It is also all about celebrating individual children’s uniqueness and achievement as they move towards the first year of the next phase of their education.
Trauma–informed practice promotes a culture of safety, empowerment, and healing. Fittingly, mental health and well-being practitioners’ feedback has praised its content as ‘positive and reaffirming, empowering, inspirational, confidence and resilience-building’.
The new programme, which takes place during the academic school year, includes a staff information session, and a children’s session each term delivered by experienced MensSana Project Workers from Action Mental Health.
Teachers will be furnished with monthly resources on individual topics, including lesson plans and presentations which support the objectives of the PDMU (Personal Development and Mutual Understanding) curriculum, for further exploration with the children.
School staff will also be supported by regular, term ‘check ins’ from their Action Mental Health Project Worker, who will also provide additional signposting and support when requested, thereby building their capacity to support mental and emotional well-being with their students during this challenging period.
At the end of each year, children and teachers can look forward to the culmination of the programme with an end of year assembly celebration.
Both children-focused projects benefit from the specialist expertise of teams within Action Mental Health’s MensSana service, which has been delivering its well-being and resilience-building projects to Northern Ireland communities since 2003.
Head of Resilience & Well-being Services at Action Mental Health, Amanda Jones, explained: “The success of Healthy Me has been so overwhelming, but identifying the area of transitioning from primary school, and beyond, as a common need among our Healthy Me schools, we wanted to offer a more focused package on this topic.”
“Action Mental Health knows the last year has been exceedingly tough for children and young people and as an organisation we want to respond to that very real and ongoing need. We are constantly looking at ways of utilising the unique expertise of our teams in partnership with others to expand the ways in which we are able to support local schools.
“Healthy Heroes is the first in a series of new programmes that we plan to roll out to both primary and secondary schools in communities across Northern Ireland in the coming months.”
