Anyone joining the service is able to access the social activities.
People can pick and choose their level of involvement through their time within the service and can access the activities following their discharge.
People signing up with the social team are called Associates and to date we have over 3000 Associates across Norfolk and Waveney.
The activities are offered in different forms - a 2 day workshop focusing on recovery concepts, bespoke workshops depending on local needs, social meets and volunteering opportunities.
These activities support the clinical interventions by providing individuals with meaningful connections within their local community, the opportunity to try something new and to form networks with others.
To meet the needs of younger people, a youth social team made up of Youth LACs and PSWs provide similar interventions in Norfolk and Waveney.
The LACs are also key agents in building links and networks within their localities with statutory, non-statutory and voluntary sector organisations.
Within Wellbeing Ambassadors are essentially service users who are interested in helping and giving back into their community by being involved with the service ie volunteering.
With 60 Ambassadors working within the service in different capacities - Experts by Experience, community Champion and Navigator role, service user voice lies at the heart of our service provision.
They are currently involved in:
• Governance meetings to provide a service user perspective and to work in collaboration with staff towards development of the service model
• Workshops to share their lived experiences and give others hope that recovery is possible
• Co facilitating socials and workshops and helping first time attendees at socials and workshops to overcome the initial hurdles of accessing support and re-building their social networks
The service employs a peer support workforce of 25 across the youth and adult teams. PSWs have been instrumental in bringing about a cultural change in the way we offer our service.
For the period 1st September 2015- 31st August 2016 the total number of recorded Peer Support contacts has been 1272 across the Norfolk and Waveney.
Having PSWs within teams has meant that there is a constant friendly critic on board with a view to improving service provision from the perspective of someone who has used the service before or has had a similar experience.
Within Wellbeing the PSW role has been vital in helping service users (in a one to one or group environment) accessing physiological interventions fill the perceived learning and experiential gap
• PSWs have helped people with social anxiety achieve their goals of re-connecting with their local community by getting involved in social activities.
• There have been instances where people on a waiting list for therapy (counselling or CBT) have declined further support from the service, stating that they felt much better after having peer support.
• Peer Support has helped clients interested in getting back into employment start volunteering within Wellbeing and other local initiatives.
For more information please visit our website- https://www.wellbeingnands.co.uk/take-part/ or contact our Associate Support Manager email- [email protected].