RESEARCH carried out in recent years has shown some worrying data about our mental health. The Public Health Agency estimates that the overall prevalence of mental illness here may be 25 per cent higher than elsewhere in the UK. There are many issues that may contribute to this, not least the legacy of the Troubles but also poor diet, lack of exercise and all the other normally accepted reasons for mental health issues. But the question is, how to help?
The Bamford Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability (2006) placed emphasis on the need for preventive and promotional measures. A key recommendation of this review was that these services should be located in “appropriate and child friendly, non-stigmatising environments”.
As a lifelong supporter and advocate of the many benefits of local libraries, I would like to dedicate this column to a review of the excellent project Health in Mind whose brilliant success was celebrated at a closing event last week.
Starting in 2009 this wonderful project aimed at helping to reach as many people struggling with mental health problems as possible, was initiated through an unlikely forum, our 96 local libraries. Libraries have the wonderful position of providing a neutral and welcoming space, already serviced by knowledgeable staff, the fact that all of the help provided is free ensures its accessibility for everyone.
Run in partnership with agencies including Cause, Aware, Mind Wise, Action Mental Health, and the Lottery Fund, this project out-performed anyone’s expectations, providing 96,090 people with up-to-date and relevant information.
The number of people able to get help was truly impressive – 60,777 people gained positive awareness of mental health and understanding of mental health issues; 29, 489 people took part in activities.
Much of the project was interactive – for example, 400 wellbeing workshops were attended by 5,000 people. The workshops included personal development, mindfulness courses, nutrition workshops, laughter yoga, music therapy, living life to the full courses and the Wellness Recovery Action Plan, “a simple and systematic approach to assisting people to recover and maintain mental wellness”. As well, every week 500 people came to the libraries to Knit and Natter over a cup of tea.
For any individual or family struggling through issues relating to mental-health problems, it is so important to be able to access the right information at the right time. The Health in Mind project gathered a wide range of information from all the relevant agencies and groups available to meet people’s needs and made it available through a newsletter and their excellent and user-friendly website, www.yourhealthinmind.org.
This website, based on the five ways to wellbeing, acted as a central resource, providing access to quality assured information, signposting people to help and offering a forum for all those involved in the project. Over the course of the project 10,000 information packs were given out, the website had 20,000 hits and social media was a strong focus for the Health in Mind outreach.
Alongside of that, the Your Health Online course gave people the opportunity to improve their computer skills, allowing them to fully utilise the available online support.
Of course the ultimate role of a library is to encourage reading through the provision of books. It is said that readers feel happier about themselves and their lives; reading for 30 minutes a week apparently enhances social connectedness and community spirit, helping protect against and even prepare for, life’s difficulties.
In 2013 I wrote about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, the choice of the One Book campaign, part of the Health in Mind initiative, aimed to get 5,000 people in Northern Ireland reading the same book. Such is the brilliance of this simple little book that in the end it was read by more than 8,000 people. If you haven’t yet read it, do yourself a favour and get hold of a copy. Your local library can, of course, provide.
Also widely available in all the libraries are the Bibliotherapy Collection, a preselected collection of books recommended and approved by doctors and other health professionals.
As to the future for this project, I spoke with Julie Russell, information and learning services manager for Libraries NI, to ask if there was a plan to continue with this life enhancing initiative. She assured me that all the partners will be continuing to meet and actively seek further funding, the brilliant website will continue to be available, offering help and assistance to those in need. Congratulations, Libraries NI.
r.armstrong@irishnews.com
