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'Towards Better Mental Health and Emotional
Well-being' Training Resource Pack ©
Aims of the Programme
This training resource pack is primarily about an approach
to mental health that enables people – if they think
it necessary – to explore ways of making realistic changes;
it raises awareness and is essentially a guide to personal
development. The training pack will encourage people to:
- Know more about themselves
- Value themselves and others
- Gain more confidence and control of their lives
- Know their limits and, if and when those limits are reached,
honestly communicate with someone who can help – a
relative, a friend or a professional
Context
In its ‘Promoting Mental Health: Strategy and Action
Plan 2003-2008’, the Department of Health, Social Services
and Public Safety reflects much of modern thinking on mental
health and associated issues. While recognising that in the
population there are ‘at risk’ groups who are
especially vulnerable to mental health problems, there is
also equal recognition of the fact that everyone benefits
from improved mental health.
Why work to promote better mental health and
emotional well being?
There can be no doubt that in disadvantaged areas there are
many factors that threaten and undermine people’s mental
health and emotional well-being: poverty and unemployment;
social exclusion or discrimination; poor physical environment;
negative peer pressures; experience of abuse or violence and
family or community conflict or tension.
Poverty is particularly destructive in the way it grinds
people’s confidence into the ground. Northern Ireland,
the Strategy document explains, ‘experiences higher
levels of deprivation than Britain or Europe. The proportion
of people on social security benefits here is higher than
in Britain or Europe… Poverty, low wages, unemployment,
poor housing and poor education have a substantial impact
on people’s health’. The document also draws attention
to the simple fact that ‘economic or financial disadvantage
increases stresses, including everyday pressures to pay bills
or to purchase food and clothing and limits access to activities
that enhance independence and well-being’.
Click here for the ‘Content
of Sessions’ [ in Adobe 'pdf' format ]
The development of this training resource
pack was funded by South & East Belfast Health and Social
Care Group.
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