Wandsworth Care Alliance

Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month

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Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, held each November, aims to highlight the unique mental health struggles men face and encourage open conversations about mental health. While many men experience anxiety, depression, and stress, societal pressures can make it difficult for them to seek help, often resulting in silence and isolation.

Poor mental health can affect people of any gender, but mental health outcomes for men and women aren’t equal. Due to societal expectations of masculinity, men are less likely to talk to others about their feelings, so they suffer in silence.

This awareness month challenges stigmas, encourages men to seek support, and emphasises the importance of mental health services tailored for men. Through increased awareness, we can promote healthier coping strategies and foster supportive environments for men everywhere.

Tips for supporting Men’s Mental Health:

  • Encourage open conversations.
  • Normalise seeking therapy or counselling.
  • Promote self-care routines and healthy outlets for stress.
  • Foster supportive environments for men

Here are few organisations that provide support for men’s mental health:

To share resources for this article please contact communications@wandcareall.org.uk

The Health Inequalities fund – everything you need to know!

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WCA are organising a new programme, working with the health service, 6 partner non-profit organisations, and a university evaluation team to help people in Wandsworth get legal support and welfare advice.

The fund has been designed by the ICB as part of a holistic (whole person) approach to health that sees how people are less likely to need mental and physical health services if they have a good standard of living, with an understanding of their rights and entitlements.

To approach this, the South West London Integrated Care Board (for the NHS), have found 6 themes that correlate to poor health outcomes. ​These themes are:

  • Black Asian Global Majority
  • Learning disabilities and autism​
  • LGBTQIA+​
  • Young and unpaid carers​
  • Socially isolated people​ (loneliness)
  • Asylum seekers and refugees.

They have given us a fund to help address the inequalities local people might be more likely to experience due to the underprivilege and discrimination these groups face. The fund will be used for improving the welfare and legal advice offer for better health outcomes.

Not for profit organisations work in the community, with these groups. As experts at reaching these communities, the ICB recognises that the funds need to be community led and distributed to 6 lead organisations on the frontline. This will help the ICB better understand the issues within these theme groups and help them to carry out preventative care more effectively after listening to the feedback from this project and others like it.

How does it work?

Wandsworth Care Alliance (WCA)manage, divide and distribute £320,000 to 6 leading organisationsto represent each theme. ​

We will then: ​

  • Work with the ICB​
  • Give development support and funds to project leads​
  • Set up a steering group for each project​
  • Coordinate external evaluation with Roehampton University

Together, with support from us (WCA) and having regular check-ins, project leads will design and deliver a programme responding to service users’ specific needs that runs between March 2024 – March 2025.
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How the project is going so far?

The six leads of the different themes have begun work on their projects in a variety of ways including research to understand the barriers faced in accessing welfare and legal advice, reaching out to their target groups to make them aware of the project, and carrying out workshops and 1-1 sessions. As the projects progress, we will provide more detailed updates on the impact of the work.

List of the organisations involved and links to websites here:

For more information on this project contact us at communications@wandcareall.org.uk

Nada Savitch – Volunteer Interview

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About Nada and her background 

I’ve worked for charities for many years. I’ve got a master’s in information science, and I started off in pharmaceutical publishing, volunteered in Sri Lanka for 3 years as a librarian, and returned then got a job at a specialist library at the Institute of Marine Engineers (a charity and professional body).  

I also worked for the Alzheimer’s society for about 10 years setting up their website and discussion board. A couple of colleagues and I ran our own community interest company which is like a small charity. We did lots of projects with people with dementia. We got a real reputation for service user involvement.  

Then, I was caring for mum for a long time which is when I came across Healthwatch. Service user involvement is one of my passions- that’s why Healthwatch appeals to me. Healthwatch is something that I could do while caring for mum, and it stretch my mind. 

How long have you been volunteering with Healthwatch Wandsworth? 

I have been a Healthwatch Research Assistant since 2019. The research role suited me because I could do so much remotely while caring for my mum, and I could choose the things that interested me. The flexibility allows you to work to your capacity and is such a lovely way of volunteering. I felt valued while caring for my mum.  

Were you able to use your previous professional skills in this volunteer role? 

The things I’ve done as a volunteer have been so varied. I’ve worked on a range of things from glossaries to writing to statistics. I’ve used my skills and developed new ones. It’s also kept me up to date with what’s happening in Wandsworth especially with health and social care. It also gave me insight into Healthwatch and how it works. 

Can you share a positive experience of volunteering with us? 

It’s all been positive. Generally, I feel useful and informed. One of the most interesting things was looking at the ONS Statistics. 

What encouragement would you give to someone who has never considered volunteering before? 

Volunteering gives you satisfaction. It’s all the best bits of having job without any of the bad bits. You’re helping people and you feel really valued. You can grow and develop skills on your own terms. You get all the job satisfaction of having a really good job without any of the pressure. You get paid in the satisfaction of doing something good. It’s a good thing to have on your CV.  

It’s brought me so much knowledge and I feel part of a Healthwatch community. You have all made me feel part of that. People think you only volunteer when you’re young or retired. I think it’s important that all people of all ages think about volunteering. Volunteering can help combat the stress of work life. 

Can you share 3 ways volunteering can impact the volunteer? 

  1. Helping you grow. 
  1. Interacting with a variety of people. 
  1. Being part of a community. 

Interested in volunteering with us? Click here to learn more. 

The unsung heroes: the vital role of unpaid carers

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We all care for someone, but the word ‘carer’ is defined under the Care Act as anyone who, without payment, looks after a person who cannot cope without their support. Carers might care for someone who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction. The person a carer looks after doesn’t have to be a family member or partner; they could be a friend or neighbour.

There is often confusion because the word ‘carer’ is also used to describe another group of amazing people who do paid work for care agencies or care homes, also known as care workers. For this reason, carers are often referred to as unpaid carers, family carers or informal carers. Carers often get great personal satisfaction from caring, but it can bring financial, emotional, and physical strains.

A carer can be of any age and it’s estimated there are as many as 600 children and young people with caring responsibilities in Wandsworth (Working Together to Support Carers and Young Carers in Wandsworth 2017-2020).

According to the national charity Carers UK, unpaid carers in England and Wales contribute a staggering £445 million to the economy every day (Valuing Carers 2021, Petrillo and Bennett).

Carers week is a UK-wide awareness campaign seeking to increase visibility for carers with decision makers, services, employers, communities, and businesses. This year’s carers week is taking place from 10–16 June 2024 and the theme is ‘putting carers on the map’.

If you are a carer or know someone who is, there is help available locally. Take a look at the information and resources below to find out more:

  • Wandsworth Carers Centre offers support to carers in the local community. Visit their website to see the amazing services they offer.
  • Carers are entitled to an assessment. An assessment is a chance for carers to think about themselves, their wishes and their needs, rather than concentrating on the person they care for.  Find out more about the assessment process by visiting the Wandsworth Council website or visiting Wandsworth Carers Centre information page.
  • The Wandsworth Carers Centre offers information and advice on a whole range of topics including benefits and finances, making a plan for what would happen to the cared for person in an emergency, and looking after your own wellbeing.
  • The Carers Centre has a packed calendar of events from supper clubs to specialist support groups, from training to trips out.
  • Carers Partnership Wandsworth brings together organisations and carers throughout the borough to make carers more visible and ensure that services are developed with carers in mind. You can find out more here.

Looking to help out carers in the local community? Contact the Wandsworth Carers Centre for ideas about how to volunteer with them in a range of roles.

Written by Nada Savitch (Healthwatch Wandsworth volunteer).

*We aim to support and elevate the role of carers in all our communications. We recognise that ‘Carers’ has increasingly been referred to with a capitalised ‘C’ to honour their invaluable contributions. The current usage of it is in lower case as it’s not yet widely recognised and practiced.

What movement does for Dominic’s well-being

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I’m Dominic and I’ve been working at Wandsworth Care Alliance as a Mental Health Project Manager since September 2022. Mental Health Awareness Week is on 13th -19th May and has a theme of movement so I wanted to speak about enhancing mental well-being through physical activity and connections.

I have experienced challenges in my life, just like many others, and this has led to stress and anxiety at times, but what has helped me cope better is my exercise routine.

I found that for me physical activity isn’t just about building muscles or losing weight; it’s a tool for nurturing my mental health and well-being. I can say it’s provided me with mental clarity, is an excellent way to de-stress, relax, get some fresh air and an associated dopamine boost on my Monday night football sessions.

My sessions are more than just about playing sport and getting fit, it’s a chance to bond (depending on who won), offer escapism, and to have light hearted discussions about what’s happening in our lives, as well as any concerns we’re facing.

Meeting with other people who are going through the same or similar challenges puts things into perspective, and being distracted for a couple of hours is a great way for me and the others to leave those problems behind. At first, people from Monday night football might not pick up the phone and say, ‘Can we meet and talk’? but over time they feel more comfortable talking after a game of football.

Regular physical activity has become part of my routine, whether it’s a brisk walk in the morning to work, a gym session in the evening, or a swim on the weekend, each activity helps ease stress and anxiety.

Physical activity has been a companion on my journey towards mental well-being. As I get older it has taught me the importance of listening to my body, nurturing my mind, and honouring my connection between physical and mental health. Football is my way of maintaining human connection through sport, but it doesn’t have to be yours.

There are so many activities you can do like walking and exploring the great outdoors, swimming, yoga or even martial arts. There’s a wide range of activities you can take part in both independently and as part of a group whether that’s with new people, friends, or family.

Remember, just take one step at a time!

Take a look at our social post.

Resources:

For tips, advice and ways to get active near you click here.

Do you have more resources to share on this article? Please email us on communications@wandcareall.org.uk to share resources.

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