Growing up & growing old / Mental health in the community

‘Mental health in the community’ is a series of six podcasts brought to you by the Mental Health Foundation and the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

What is this series about?

From 2016 to 2019 the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust ran the Mental Health Fellowships programme, funding individuals to travel abroad to learn more about how community-based solutions are being created to respond to some of today’s most pressing mental health challenges.

The Mental Health Foundation was the expert partner in this programme, helping to shape its aims, select the successful candidates and provide mentoring to the successful Fellows. In total, 59 Churchill Fellows were chosen to investigate best practice in 18 countries and bring back new evidence and ideas to create positive change in their profession, practice and communities in the UK.

This series of podcasts distils the key findings from this rich body of learning, and makes recommendations for policy and practice in the UK. Each episode focuses on an aspect of the Mental Health Fellowships’ overarching theme ‘community-based solutions’. There are also corresponding briefings for each of the categories below, available at www.mentalhealth.org.uk or www.wcmt.org.uk.

Episode 6: Growing up and growing old

Who’s on the podcast today?

Trevor Barnes: Host, freelance journalist and BBC radio presenter.

Olivia Richards: teacher at St Paul’s C of E Primary School in Addlestone, Surrey and leader of The Story Project. Travelled to the USA and Canada in 2016 to explore how reading and writing can be used to teach young people social and emotional skills.

David Humphreys: a family therapist, travelled to Canada and the USA in 2016 to explore ways of improving the involvement of family members in community mental health treatment.

What is the episode about?

This episode features discussions around how community-based approaches are being used abroad to support the mental health of both younger and older people.

We hear about the 'The Story Project', the work of Churchill Fellow, Olivia Richards, who travelled to the US and Canada to study how reading and writing are used in schools to teach children and young people the kind of social and emotional skills that can nurture emotional literacy and offer protection from anxiety and depression in later life.

Need support?

 If you need someone to talk to then Samaritans are available on 116 123 (UK) for free, 24/7. They are there to talk to, listen and they won't judge or tell you what to do.

 C.A.L.M.: National helpline for men to talk about any troubles they are feeling. Call 0800 58 58 58 (UK). They are available 5pm-midnight 365 days a year.

 For support in a crisis, Text Shout to 85258. If you’re experiencing a personal crisis, are unable to cope and need support. Shout can help with urgent issues such as: Suicidal thoughts, abuse or assault, self-harm, bullying, relationship challenges.