This week (12th -18th) we are supporting the Mental Health Foundation’s Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) focus is on the power and importance of community.
In Shetland, many of us enjoy a strong sense of community, be it in the locality we live in, a shared experience or condition, or with others with a shared interest or hobby. This Mental Health Awareness Week, take the time to think about the communities that are important to you or find new ones that you would like to get involved with.
Being part of a community can make life feel more meaningful and enjoyable, help us feel happier and safer, and improve our mental health. It can even provide protection from the emotional harm of discrimination. Click here to read more on the Mental Health Awareness Week blog.
Connecting with people is one of the 5 steps to mental wellbeing, evidence suggests trying these 5 steps could help you feel more positive able to get the most out of life.
- Connect with people
- Be Physically active
- Learn new skills
- Give to others
- Pay attention to the present moment (mindfulness)
Keep an eye on our social media for daily posts and information.
What’s on?
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week a range of local organisations have come together to support and promote a variety of activities and events taking place throughout the community. Keep an eye on the Shetland Islands Council Sport and Leisure facebook page for updates.
SIC Sport and Leisure team have created a ‘Mental Wellness Bingo Card’, the team are encouraging everyone to have a go at achieving as many of the activities they can.
Shetland Community links and support
We have collated a variety of service information below which are available in Shetland, this is not a full list of all services. Shetland is home to many community groups and organisations, have a look at the Shetland Community Directory to find more and how to add your service to the directory.
Shetland Youth Services provide a variety of support and services for our young people from youth clubs to employment support.
A team of Community Involvement and Development Officers work throughout Shetland, with a focus on building stronger, more resilient, influential and inclusive communities. Find out more about the Community Involvement and Development officers – Community Work – Shetland Islands Council – click on the links on the left to find out how to contact the officer for your area.
Pop into the Living Well Hubs, the Living Well Hub is about building on local initiatives, combining what is already working, making connections within and across the health, community and social care, joining up good practice and strengthening common sense, empowerment and trust.
Living Well Hubs venues and times:
- Brae Youth Centre, between 10am and 4pm on Fridays.
- Scalloway Youth and Community Centre, Main Street, Scalloway, between 2pm and 4pm, fortnightly on Wednesdays
- The Old Bressay School at Speldiburn, between 9.15am and 11.15am, fortnightly on Wednesdays
- Cullivoe Hall, between 12noon and 2pm, on the last Tuesday of the month (school term only)
The Recovery Hub and Community Network are based at Pitt Lane in Lerwick, and they provide support to anyone affected by drug or alcohol issues.
Support is provided for anyone concerned about their own, or someone else’s, alcohol or drug use. The Hub’s focus is on giving people the opportunity to work together, with each other and with support services, to minimise the harm caused by drug and alcohol use. The Hub’s aim is to give people the tools they need, supported by other agencies and the community’s own network, to minimise the harm they may be facing, and to get the right help at the right time.
Services they provide:
- Drop in informal support
- One to one support
- Family Support Groups – peer support
- Recovery Groups
- Community involvement activities
Mind Your Head is a charity that aims to promote positive mental health and wellbeing in Shetland. They have two mental health support services and various wellbeing resources. Their vision is for Shetland to be a place where mental health is supported positively in the community. Their aims are:
- To deliver mental health support services across Shetland
- To research and respond to mental health and associated needs within the community
- To work in partnership with existing organisations to further the aims of the charity
- To raise mental health and wellbeing awareness in Shetland
Shetland Bereavement Support Service works with local and national service providers, funders and with the local community to promote awareness and good practice in bereavement care in Shetland by providing information, training and education
Safer Shetland – here to protect and support children and adults and to help make a Safer Shetland for everyone.
If you need someone to talk to about how you are feeling now, you can contact any of the following services found in the link below.