Self-management courses for young people with mental health disorders
By Liz Lockhart
Self-management courses aimed at younger people with diagnosed mental health conditions are being run across Wales.
The Mental Health Foundation will be running the courses which have been developed are to be delivered by people who have had a psychiatric diagnosis. They are designed to help those with a long-term mental health problem to take control of their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Adult courses are also available but these courses for young people aged between 18 and 30 are a new innovation.
With an estimated 500,000 people in Wales having been diagnosed with a mental health problem these courses look as though they are much needed.
‘The Mental Health Foundation’s self-management project has already successfully run more than 40 adult courses throughout Wales and more than 400 people have benefited from the programme, learning the skills to take control of their own illness,’ said Jane Wycherley, self-management project manager at the Mental Health Foundation.
‘We are delighted to be extending our self-management courses to young people’.
‘While addressing mental health problems prevalent in the adult population, we must also concentrate our efforts on improving the mental health of young people to prevent the worsening of their mental health problems further down the line. The earlier they get to grip with self-management techniques, the earlier they can learn to understand and manage their condition and improve their quality of life’.
‘For young people, growing up with a severe mental health condition, it’s easy to be overprotected by your family and not get the chance to make your own mistakes and learn from them. The problem-solving and goal-setting skills taught in the course will help fill that gap and help these young people get the support they need to get the life they want’ Jane added.
The courses have been funded by the Big Lottery Cymru and are run over two days, followed by six half-day sessions over the course of two months. The participants can then become part of a peer-support group. Great benefits can be found by sharing and solving problems together, socialising and practising self-management skills.
The dates and venues of these courses are:
- 24th and 25th August – Millennium Stadium in Cardiff
- 3rd and 4th October – Ramada Jarvis in Wrexham
- End of October – Aberystwyth
All the courses are free to attend and travel costs are paid.
Anyone wishing to attend should contact Jane Wycherley on 01633 415 434 or email [email protected]
