We are working with the Basingstoke and Deane Social Inclusion Partnership in a bid to help reduce the impact of homelessness and rough sleeping and advancing social inclusion in the borough, by providing mental health and wellbeing support.
The Basingstoke and Deane Social Inclusion Partnership was formed in 2015 to develop a community-led response to homelessness through a partnership approach. The partnership brings together housing, homelessness and emergency services, community organisations, faith-based voluntary groups, people with lived experience and local businesses who are all committed to reducing homelessness and advancing social inclusion in the borough. Stakeholders work together to generates ideas, provide leadership and coordination and enable insights from people with lived and living experience of homelessness and rough sleeping to inform and drive the work of the partnership.
For better mental health and wellbeing in Basingstoke
Andover Mind has a wellbeing centre in Vyne Road, Basingstoke where a range of services are provided to support people with mental health problems. Help is available to all of those who need it, from aiding recovery from a serious mental health issue to providing advice, services and information to people wanting to avoid poor mental health. In the evenings the wellbeing centre doubles up as a Safe Haven, which is open every day of the year for anyone suffering with a mental health crisis. The service is open from 6pm until 10pm year-round and its doors are open to all, with no need for an appointment. There’s also the option to call the service, or to attend a virtual appointment, for those unable to attend in person.
Helen Mothersole is Head of Wellbeing Services for Andover Mind. She said:
“People experiencing homelessness are more at risk of poor mental health and a proportion of our service users are homeless. We support them by teaching recovery & coping skills to help with the causes of their mental health issues. The work we do based around wellbeing, teaching skills to manage anxiety, self-esteem, confidence and anger can all make a difference.
“We also direct them to other agencies which are also able to support them in other ways,
and that’s where the Social Inclusion Partnership is so valuable. We’re able to give service
updates, to network, to keep up to date with the latest information about services which we
can then share with those we support. It’s a really good opportunity.”
Affordable Private Counselling in Basingstoke
Andover Mind recently launched a new counselling service, offered at their Basingstoke wellbeing centre at a heavily discounted rate, subject to individual financial circumstances. The service can be accessed by anyone, either through self-referral or through a professional.
Primary care mental health support
Wellbeing Advisors from the Andover Mind are also based in GP surgeries across Hampshire thanks to the formation of Hampshire Minds CIC (community interest company), which brought together Andover Mind, Havant and East Hants Mind and Solent Mind to jointly provide the adult mental health and wellbeing services across the county.
Wellbeing services offered through the CIC aim to provide clients with the tools and resources necessary to manage their own mental wellbeing through one-to-one support and wellbeing related workshops & groups which help people identify their own needs and work towards their goals.
Helen said: “Our ethos is around providing a range of services designed to enable people to achieve their individual potential. But a big part of what we do is working to promote mental wellbeing and to challenge the stigma and discrimination which can exist around mental health.”
If you are or know of somebody who is currently sleeping rough, please contact Julian House at basingstoke-outreach@julianhouse.org.uk, call 01256 322 791 or speak with the council’s housing team on 01256 844844. More information can be found at basingstoke.gov.uk/homelessness.
