Mental health initiatives launched by Lincoln trust

Lincolnshire-based Linkage Community Trust is launching two new community initiatives in Lincoln to promote positive mental health.

Linking Minds is a one-year project in which people with a learning difficulty or disability will be trained and supported to become ‘ambassadors’ for positive mental health.

They will be supported to deliver workshops to secondary school pupils in Lincolnshire about the importance of mental, as well as physical health, and what young people can do to look after their own wellbeing.

Linkage wants its Linking Minds ambassadors to be people with a learning difficulty or disability, because their experience is particularly important.

The ambassadors will meet as a group on a weekly basis at Linkage’s base in Lincoln, however the project can also support people elsewhere.

The second project, Get More Confidence, is a ‘light-touch’ support service, available to individuals with learning difficulties and disabilities who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, mental ill-health.

The project will meet as a group on a weekly basis, but a time-limited one-to-one service is also available, according to individual need.

The sessions are free and individuals are welcome to attend as few or as many as they like.

Linda Grant, Head of Development and Marketing, says: “The group will work on confidence-building activities, including exploring skills and strengths, completing some person-centred action plans, sharing information and guidance and using support to arrange participation in different activities, including volunteering and work experiences.”

Both projects will be run by Linkage staff from the charity’s new Adult Skills premises at Checkpoint Court, Sadler Road, in the Doddington Road area of Lincoln.

Linking Minds ambassador welcome and training sessions will run on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm on a weekly basis. For more information on Linking Minds please contact Kate Grimshaw on 01522 503183 or email [email protected].

Get More Confidence sessions will run on Tuesdays from 2pm to 4pm. For more information, contact Linda Grant on 01522 503184 or email [email protected].