Mental Health campaign being launched for those struggling in Cornwall

Posted on: 29th April 2020

Mental Health campaign being launched for those struggling in Cornwall, during this Coronavirus pandemic. Mental health is as important as physical health.

One in four of UK adults have had feelings of loneliness because of coronavirus, according to research by the Mental Health Foundation. Here is a link with information for adults struggling with their mental health. Adult Mental Health advice & support

How are you feeling today?

You will have seen and heard a lot in the news about Mental Wellbeing.

We all have Mental Health and we all move along the spectrum from feeling great to feeling not so great. And even if we appear to feel great that may be masking some serious issues.

At Volunteer Cornwall we are very aware that we are all having to cope with an unusual situation and we will all approach it differently. We are constantly looking for ways to support our staff and you.

Here are four of the things at Volunteer Cornwall you can ask for or talk to:

  1. Have a Telephone Befriender:  The Telephone Befriending offer is there for our communities and for you.  If you feel you need some one to talk to we have nearly 200 volunteers happy to just have a chat (either by phone or video link).  We also have a number of Telephone Befriender Champions who can offer some further support due to their experience and skills.
  2. Wellbeing Mentors: BUT what if you do need more than a chat?  The volunteer Wellbeing Mentors are there to support you as well as our NHS and Social Care colleagues. Email in confidence to welfare@volunteercornwall.org.uk
  3. HOPE TEA PARTY: If you feel the need for some more Social Interaction and support join us on our HOPE ZOOM Tea Parties.
  4. Volunteer Support: Lastly but definitely not least contact Judy Thomas as your Volunteer Support Officer for a confidential chat. Tel: 01872 266993 or 07968 706109  or  Email: judyt@volunteercornwall.org.uk

There are also some National Campaigns that you can get involved with and a huge amount of advice and information on our NHS pages.

Lets Talk: Check out this campaign: https://www.letstalkcampaign.com/

Every Mind Matters: Having good mental health helps us relax more, achieve more and enjoy our lives more. We have expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing. https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

If the adults stats in this crisis are worrying, almost half of all young people are experiencing loneliness during this health crisis. In Cornwall specialist support is being made available to young people and their families and carers through the Headstart Kernow project, part of Cornwall Council’s Together for Families.

The campaign focusses on two new web pages: one for children and young people with information on how to support their mental health resilience, and another for parents and carers with information on how best to support young people during this time.

Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for children, wellbeing and public health Sally Hawken said: “Children and young people are no less affected by the worry and stress of the coronavirus than adults.  Many of them will be missing school and friends or are anxious about when they will be able to see other family members, such as grandparents.

“These new resources are designed to support families and young people as we navigate our way through the pandemic. For parents, carers and young people in Cornwall; we all need to remember ‘it’s OK to not be OK’ and that help is available.”

The advice for young people was created with the help of young people themselves and can be found at www.startnowcornwall.org.uk. It contains information on the five ways to wellbeing, including some ideas on how to keep busy, and advice about home learning has a full list of telephone numbers and chat facilities where young people can get more help or talk to someone about their worries and concerns.

The advice for parents and carers can be found at www.cornwall.gov.uk/togetherforfamilies where there are lots of videos to help parents to understand what their young person is going through, blog posts and tips for supporting each other..

Head of partnerships, innovation & wellbeing at Cornwall Council, Charlotte Hill, said: “Many young people are going to be affected by the wider impacts of the coronavirus and we need to help them through this challenging time. The pages are an excellent resource and are packed with information to help protect and support mental health resilience.

“One of the best tools is the ‘5 ways to wellbeing’, these are: connect, be active, take notice, give and learn. Simple things like taking a walk, messaging friends or being more aware of the birds singing can all help with your mental health.”

Both the websites are being continually updated with new video content, blog posts and podcasts, with information also being shared on social media.