There are a variety of reasons why people don’t reach out for support if they live with ongoing mental health problems. They may have long-term physical health issues, be suffering domestic abuse, have a disability - or they may simply feel isolated and unable to ask for help.
Sometimes people in such circumstances don’t recognise that they are struggling with their mental health in the first place.
We want to help those who feel marginalised and unable to access mental health support - for whatever reason.
We want to partner with community organisations in Littlehampton and Bognor to identify and reach out to people who aren’t currently getting support with their mental health. We are also looking to better understand what prevents people from getting support in the first place.
“One of our objectives is to develop greater understanding about the barriers to people accessing mental health support and to try to find solutions to these,” said Sara Shepherd, peer outreach community and development worker at West Sussex Mind.
“With this in mind, we want to support those with long-term mental health issues to get help with other challenges they may be struggling with, such as housing, debt or their physical health, and to partner with organisations that can help them with these issues. We recognise these practical issues also have a significant impact on someone’s mental health and can exacerbate feelings of marginalisation and isolation.”
Could you help us?
- Are you a community organisation in Littlehampton or Bognor that could help us reach those people who aren’t currently getting help with their mental health? You might be from a food bank, a housing support, debt support or other third sector organisation and want to get involved in our outreach project. If so, email Sara Shepherd at s.shepherd@westsussexmind.org
- Do you have lived experience of mental health and some time to spare? We are currently recruiting volunteer peer support workers in Littlehampton and Bognor to give one-to-one support to people with long-term mental health problems.
- Could you help us challenge stigma around mental health and raise awareness about our services? If so, why not apply to be a mental health champion in Littlehampton or Bognor?