Community Support – Resource Centres

Many people with ongoing mental health problems find themselves cut off from their communities and loved ones. Together’s Resource Centres provide an accessible, safe and welcoming environment where people can socialise while learning new skills and finding out how to access external support.

Traditional mental health Resource Centres enable service users to access a range of support services that are delivered by that centre. These might include, for example, include practical and emotional support, activities and courses, access to local resources, representation to other bodies (Advocacy) and skills and learning development.

However, we are moving towards a much more tailored approach to delivering services via our Resource Centres. We call this Your Way.

Your Way – Personalised mental health support

Personalised services are becoming increasingly important in mental health support and we have introduced a new service model called Your Way, which was spearheaded in our Wandsworth Resource Centre in 2010. Your Way moves away from the traditional ‘day centre’ approach where mental health support is delivered in a static building through a list of set activities, to one in which service users build and direct their own package of support, tailored to their specific needs. They are encouraged to access services in the community, and even to lead their own activities.

Our intention is for many more of Together’s traditional Resource Centres to adopt the Your Way approach.

The importance of Peer Support in mental health

Peer Support is a key element to delivering the Your Way approach and has been central to Together’s way of working for many years. Our Resource Centres provide a place where people with mental health issues can receive understanding support and encouragement from others who can draw on their own experiences to help. They can even become Peer Supporters themselves.

I’ve found my niche in this place. It’s not judgemental; you can be yourself. There’s no pretence. Everybody here has a mental health problem to some extent, so you aren’t judged for that and the people are friendly. Everybody helps one another.” Read Stella’s story.

Our current Community Support – Resource Centres services

You can learn more about each of our services and what they can offer you by clicking on the links below.

Remember, you can contact the staff at the service for more information. You’ll find a phone number and an email address on each service page.