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Engagement and involvement.
Welcome to our portfolio. Here we aim to showcase our work and events that we have undertaken in collaboration with a number of partners , so that you can see how we may be able to support you.
College Freshers Events
We recently attended College Freshers Events. It was an exciting way to connect with students and provide support during their transition into college. These events offer the perfect opportunity for students to share their Lived Experiences with mental health with us, while also receiving guidance and support from our team. We believe that these events will help ease any nerves and ensure that students have access to the appropriate resources as they begin this new chapter in their lives.
Merthyr Tydfil Pride
Merthyr Tydfil Pride is a recent project that took place at Merthyr Tydfil College. The project aimed to create a safe and inclusive space for people to share their lived experiences with mental health and celebrate diversity. It was a great opportunity to engage with the community and promote understanding and acceptance.
Age Alliance event
We had an amazing experience at the recent Age Alliance event in Cynon Linc, where we were able to engage with members of the community and hear about their struggles and experiences with mental health. It was a privilege to share our own experiences and insights with other organisations and we look forward to continuing to work together to support and improve mental health within the community.
Eisteddfod 2024 Ynysangharad Park
We are excited to introduce the recent project, Eisteddfod 2024 at Ynysangharad Park, an event that showcases the rich culture and language of Wales. Aside from celebrating Welsh arts and literature, we were also happy to support the lived experience of Welsh speakers at this event and are pleased to hear that the Welsh language has helped many with their mental health. At this event, we had a fantastic time engaging with people who have lived experience of mental health and learning a lot about their stories. We also had the opportunity to network with other organisations and showcase our Sunshine Jar, which provided visitors with positive affirmations to motivate and inspire them. It was an enriching and inspiring experience, and we are excited to share it with you.
Merthyr Tydfil Volunteer Week Event 2024
Merthyr Tydfil Volunteer Week Event 2024 is a recent project aimed at highlighting the important work that volunteers do in our communities. This event provided a platform to showcase the mental health benefits of volunteering and allowed organizations to network and collaborate on best practices for supporting volunteers in Merthyr Tydfil.
Online Focus group Primary care psychology service
Great focus group session with Primary Care Psychology service, INFORM CTM and University of South Wales. Thanks to 12 of our members of INFORM CTM for taking part and providing valuable feedback. The purpose of the group was to provide feedback on a video which will be used for individuals on the waiting list for therapy.
Active Wheels at the Pipyn event
Our partners at Active Wheels were proud to attend the PIPYN event in Merthyr. PIPYN are an organisation that deal with childhood obesity and this event was about the impact of obesity on a child's mental health.
Our friends at Active Wheels were there to offer an opportunity for people to engage in cycling and to acknowledge the impact of cycling on tackling obesity whilst encouraging healthy lifestyles.
It was great to see the local AM Dawn Bowden supporting active lifestyles and she even tried out our side by side bike!
It was great to chat with other charities there and give support to people who may want to get into cycling.
Our friends at Active Wheels were there to offer an opportunity for people to engage in cycling and to acknowledge the impact of cycling on tackling obesity whilst encouraging healthy lifestyles.
It was great to see the local AM Dawn Bowden supporting active lifestyles and she even tried out our side by side bike!
It was great to chat with other charities there and give support to people who may want to get into cycling.
5-9 club
Dignity Pledge
Trivallis event
During the summer we attended some of the community roadshows which were held by Trlvallis housing association. The events were an opportunity for us to showcase some of our work and inform the community of our future plans. It was also an opportunity for residents to register to become a member of our organisation. Although the weather was atrocious it didn’t dampen the spirits of the residents who took part in activities, visited the various stands and enjoyed the food that was on offer. If you would like to become a member then, please see our membership page for more details of how you can join us.
We also attended the Glyncoch and spoke to people about their experience of mental health services and what was good about the service they received and also what they felt could be improved. We also spoke to people about the new 10 year Mental Health strategy that Welsh Government are currently developing and that we are working to ensure that the right priorities are included which help improve services. It was great to chat to Heledd Fychan AS/MS for the Pontypridd Ward and her colleague about our organisation and how we could be more involved in the local community and to hear peoples experience of using services.
We also attended the Glyncoch and spoke to people about their experience of mental health services and what was good about the service they received and also what they felt could be improved. We also spoke to people about the new 10 year Mental Health strategy that Welsh Government are currently developing and that we are working to ensure that the right priorities are included which help improve services. It was great to chat to Heledd Fychan AS/MS for the Pontypridd Ward and her colleague about our organisation and how we could be more involved in the local community and to hear peoples experience of using services.
Welsh Ambulance Service
We have been involved in a number of different projects over many years and these range from being service user led to being asked by an organisation to work collaboratively with them to on a particular project and we share our knowledge and experience to help ensure that it achieves the agreed outcomes.
One of our projects involved working with the Welsh Ambulance service on a Mental Health Support helpline leaflet and they requested service users to help design and develop the resource which would be used throughout all the WAST services in Wales.
Reps worked on the project from the very start to identify the helpline numbers which they felt should be included, they also worked on every aspect of the design and layout of the leaflet even down to choosing the correct image to go on the front.
The leaflet was developed following feedback from paramedics who attended calls for people who were in distress and the crews wanted something they could give to people where they could access emotional support.
The leaflet has also been rebranded and used by some of the police forces in Wales who felt it was a valuable resource and would also help their staff members. The leaflet is also available in some community pharmacies and is an excellent example of the value of having lived experience input into projects.
One of our projects involved working with the Welsh Ambulance service on a Mental Health Support helpline leaflet and they requested service users to help design and develop the resource which would be used throughout all the WAST services in Wales.
Reps worked on the project from the very start to identify the helpline numbers which they felt should be included, they also worked on every aspect of the design and layout of the leaflet even down to choosing the correct image to go on the front.
The leaflet was developed following feedback from paramedics who attended calls for people who were in distress and the crews wanted something they could give to people where they could access emotional support.
The leaflet has also been rebranded and used by some of the police forces in Wales who felt it was a valuable resource and would also help their staff members. The leaflet is also available in some community pharmacies and is an excellent example of the value of having lived experience input into projects.
Ystrad Big Get Together
In August we were invited to have a stall at the Ystrad Big Get Together so we could meet other community organisations and speak to members of the community about INFORM and the opportunities we will be supporting members to take part in. We had an excellent response and had a number of people sign up to become members and we are looking forward to working with them in the future.
Global Partnership event
In April we were invited to attend a Global Citizenship Event that had been organised by the Business Studies students of Merthyr College which was included as part of their coursework. The event was a great opportunity to promote our work within the Merthyr Tydfil area and also speak to individuals and organisations and find out about other support available in the community. The event was very well organised and Keira the project manager along with the other business studies students made sure the event ran smoothly. Well done to everyone and thank you for the invite.
Mental Health & Wellbeing Awards
This year some of our members attended the awards in Cardiff as they had been nominated for an award. Keira our youth champion was successful in winning the inspiring young person award for overcoming the challenges she has faced with her mental health and how she has helped to improve her mental health while also facing daily challenges with this.
Maggy our Marketing & Media Consultant won the Trudy Williams Special recognition award for all the work she does within mental health and raising awareness of suicide prevention in young men and the work she does with the Co-Alc Alliance. Maggy has been a strong advocate for mental health services for many years and is also a volunteer with Samaritans.
We are extremely proud of both Keira and Maggy for their passion and commitment in wanting to improve services for those experiencing poor mental health.
While at the awards ceremony Sharon our director had the privilege of hearing from Simon Weston CBE about his experience of being in the Falklands War and the trauma he experienced and the years of reconstructive surgery that he endured when the ship he was on was bombed and set on fire by Argentine Skyhawk fighters during the Bluff Cove Air Attacks. Simons story was so sad to hear but also shows what an inspiration he is in finding the resilience and strength to rebuild his life. Sharon spoke to Simon about how more help needs to be made available to veterans but also the need for more help and support to be available to anyone who experiences trauma and how it can take many years for people to be able to access services to help them recover.
Maggy our Marketing & Media Consultant won the Trudy Williams Special recognition award for all the work she does within mental health and raising awareness of suicide prevention in young men and the work she does with the Co-Alc Alliance. Maggy has been a strong advocate for mental health services for many years and is also a volunteer with Samaritans.
We are extremely proud of both Keira and Maggy for their passion and commitment in wanting to improve services for those experiencing poor mental health.
While at the awards ceremony Sharon our director had the privilege of hearing from Simon Weston CBE about his experience of being in the Falklands War and the trauma he experienced and the years of reconstructive surgery that he endured when the ship he was on was bombed and set on fire by Argentine Skyhawk fighters during the Bluff Cove Air Attacks. Simons story was so sad to hear but also shows what an inspiration he is in finding the resilience and strength to rebuild his life. Sharon spoke to Simon about how more help needs to be made available to veterans but also the need for more help and support to be available to anyone who experiences trauma and how it can take many years for people to be able to access services to help them recover.
CONTACT
This mailbox is not monitored 24/7 so please do not use this form if you need immediate assistance, go to our HELP page for advice.
Covering Rhondda Cynon, Taf,
Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend
and iSouth Wales
Mail: informctm@yahoo.com
Phone: Sharon Phillips- Director and Lead consultant 07341989937
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Registered in England & Wales as a Community Interest Company
no: 14990586
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