Most people with mental health problems live successfully in their own homes in the community. But the day-to-day business of running your home and life can be complicated enough even if you haven’t got any mental health problems. And finding and keeping a job, making and keeping up with friendships, making sure you have enough money and can pay your bills, as well as accessing any benefits you are entitled to can all seem particularly complicated and difficult if you are going through, or are recovering from, a period of mental distress. These sorts of things can be particularly difficult if you are adjusting to life in the community after having spent time in a psychiatric hospital.

This is where a community-support service can come in…A community-support service can offer you regular visits from a trained Community-support Worker who will support you to manage these kinds of practical issues, as well as giving you emotional support.

Who are these services for?

Community-support services are intended for anyone living in their own home who has mental health problems and is receiving support from their local community mental health team (CMHT). They are open to men and women of all ages and ethnic groups. Some Together community-support services also support people who have drug- or alcohol-misuse problems as well as mental health problems.

Local authorities and other organisations also run community-support services aimed at people with other needs, for example older people or those with physical disabilities.

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What do community-support services offer?

Community-support services offer regular, planned, practical help with day-to-day things, such as:

• managing your money, including things like paying the rent and bills
• taking care of your flat or house – from keeping your house clean and organised, to decorating or making sure your home is safe by, for example, making sure your boiler is in good repair, or that you have proper locks
• claiming housing and welfare benefits, which can sometimes be a confusing, long drawn-out process
• dealing with the police or probation services – if necessary helping you to maintain good relations with these services, perhaps by supporting you to attend any regular appointments, access your records, or make a complaint
• getting involved in community activities – anything from joining the library, to getting involved in drama, music or art clubs
• accessing local services – perhaps you need help finding childcare, or working out the cheapest way to use local services, or you may need to find out about grants for study
• training for qualifications – a Community-support Worker could help you to find out about opportunities for training and education in your local area, so that you can learn new skills, improve your job prospects and meet new people
• finding and keeping a job – we could help you work out what kind of job you are can do and assist you in looking for a job or voluntary post. We alsooffer advice and support in filling in application forms and preparing for interviews
• managing your medication or treatment – this might include registering with or changing your doctor, or looking for alternative treatments or therapies
• building your confidence and developing ‘coping strategies’.

Plus your Community-support Worker will also offer a listening ear and a chance to chat about anything else that is concerning you.

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How do community-support services work?

When you first start to use a community-support service, a manager from the service will visit you to find out what you need, and decide whether the service is the best thing for you. Once you are offered a place on the scheme, a Community-support Worker will talk to you about when, how often, and where they can meet with you, the kind of support you need, and what they can offer.

Using this information they will draw up a service agreement with you that will set out in writing how often the Community-support Worker will meet with you, and a plan of what you want to do and need support with. You can update this agreement regularly, as your needs and interests change.

After that, your Community-support Worker will visit you at the agreed times and offer you the support that has been agreed – whether that involves going with you to the shops or supporting you to sort out your bills.

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Who are Community-support Workers?

Community-support Workers come from a different backgrounds – some may have worked in other mental health services, some have done similar community work, some have supported family or friends with mental health problems. Others may be looking for practical experience while they train for a social work or nursing qualification. A good community-support service will work hard to make sure that your Community-support Worker is someone who you can get on with and relate to.

For some people using this type of service it may be important that their Community-support Worker can speak their language and be familiar with their culture. So a good service will ask you what you need: is it important that you have a male or a female Community-support Worker? Or do you, say, want someone who shares your interest in walking? While it may not always be possible to provide a Community-support Worker who matches all your preferences, Together community-support services will do their best.

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How long can I use the service?

Most community-support services will support you for as long as you need. Regular review meetings are usually held to make sure that you continue to get the support that’s right for you. These give you the chance to suggest any changes that you think would improve the service you get. The reviews can also involve staff from your community mental health team (CMHT) and together you all decide what works best for you.

As you gain in confidence, you can decide at any point that you no longer need this kind of support. Or if problems come up that lead you to feel that you need another kind of service instead of, or in addition, to community support, your Community-support Worker can help you find this too.

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How much will the service cost?

Most community-support services are free to the people who use them. They are usually funded by local authorities. If there is a cost to you, the manager of the service will tell you about this and should also provide this information in writing.

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How can I get help from community-support services?

You can usually be referred to a community-support service by a member of your local authority’s local community mental health team, such as a social worker. Alternatively, you can contact them directly yourself.

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How can I get involved in decisions about the running of the community-support service?

Most community-support services will ask people using the service for their views about how the service has helped them and how they could do better. By providing this feedback you can help them to do a better job.