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Valued Lives
Valued lives is a non-profit organisation providing care and support to individuals with mental ill-health in Cornwall.
We work across 2 community based teams, supporting people with acute mental health conditions, and those with progressive neurological disorders inc. dementia. Our person centred home care service is outcome focused, and promotes ‘The 5 ways to wellbeing’.
Our progressive team work with individuals from early diagnosis through to palliative stages of care, ensuring that they receive not only the physical care that they require, but the emotional support to assist them and their families throughout such difficult journeys. Support is designed in a way that makes sure individuals get to continue living the lifestyle that they enjoy, promoting independence and continuation of community access and leisure activities.
The people using our service will choose the team that works with them, and be involved in all aspects of care planning. Our community based support service for people with acute mental health conditions is aimed at early intervention and early discharge for individuals to avoid hospitalisation . We provide rehabilitation and enablement programmes, life coaching and alternative therapies, as well as home visits for social care support.
Aside from our Care & Support services we are also launching a number of community projects. Included in these is our 24 hour emergency crisis response service which aims to reduce suicide rates, and our ‘big weekend’ project which offers recreational activities and outings based around ‘The 5 ways to wellbeing’ for people who are subject to social exclusion.
How does your organisation contribute to preventing suicide and supporting those affected by it?
We are currently launching a community project that provides a 24 hour emergency response to people in crisis. Following a short telephone call and risk assessment, a wellbeing worker will meet with the person to apply suicide intervention techniques and provide emotional support. This will then be followed up by appropriate sign posting, or progress onto the facilitation of a wellbeing recovery action plan through our care and support services.
A second community project currently being launched is ‘The Big Weekend’. This project works with those who are socially excluded, to take part in leisure activities inspired by the 5 ways to wellbeing.
We will be running a campaign for awareness around a number of issues in regards to mental ill-health. A large part of this will be information and advice sessions for the public, and gaining a social media presence by posting short informative video clips to teach people about recognising signs and symptoms and how to respond.
Valued lives also provide support services for those bereaved by suicide. We will facilitate group therapy sessions, activities that promote wellbeing, and signposting as required.
What are your current priorities?
Launch the Emergency Crisis Response
Upon successful registration as a non-profit organisation, we will be applying for grant funding to cover the first 24 months of our emergency crisis response service, in the hope that this will progress onto a commissioned contract.
Raise awareness through social media
The creation and posting of a number of short informative videos teaching the public about a range of mental health issues, and how to respond if they encounter them.
Facilitiation of peer support services
We will be running a number of peer support services, from group therapy sessions, to leisure activities to protect people from social exclusion.
Provision of information and advice sessions
We will have drop in sessions for information and advice around mental health issues and suicide.
What challenges are you currently facing?
As with many services, our biggest challenge currently is gaining sufficient funding to allow our projects to lift off. We are in the process of registering as a charity to hopefully gain access to grant funding, in the hope that we can progress onto a commissioned contract when we can prove our success.