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There have been exciting developments in Mind in Camden's Day Services. In July 2007 we were awarded a tender to provide mental health day services across Camden. We had applied as the lead organisation of a consortium consisting of ourselves, The Holy Cross Centre Trust and the Volunteer Centre Camden.
The service continues to be a membership service for Camden residents and is now based across three resource centres; Barnes House on Camden Road in Camden Town, the Crossfields Centre in the South of the borough and the Holy Cross Centre Trust which provides a North Camden Centre in Kings Cross. We do much more however than provide these resource centres.
The services are based on the principles of co-production which seeks to produce services alongside service users rather than for them. The consortium brings together the experience of:
- the Holy Cross Centre Trust in involving service users and members of the community as volunteer trainees working towards qualifications and Timebanking
- the Camden Volunteer Centre in providing Volunteer Opportunities in the wider community
- ourselves in involving service users in leading support groups and planning services
to create a unique package of services that consists of:
- Three resource centres where: people can get support, groups and activities take place (including specific days for women and people from black and ethnic minorities), people meet to go out to use community facilities
- A wide range of volunteering opportunities - within the day services and over 400 opportunities in the wider community
- A solution-focussed counselling service which provides up to 12 sessions of 1-1 counselling
Also:
- The Volunteer Centre Camden are developing a befriending service with service users and other stakeholders
- We are taking a community development approach to mental health promotion, involving BME and other community groups in Camden in the provision of services.
- We are developing more and more activities outside of centres in community facilities
- We are regularly running training courses for volunteers (including service users) to start them working towards their Level 2 Certificate in Mental Health
- The Holy Cross Centre Trust are in the process of developing a time bank that will enable members to exchange their time and skills. We will be involving local businesses and partner organisations. The aim is to involve participants in healthy and environmental activities for themselves and the wider community, assisting the service to move out of the traditional role of 'service provider' and into partnership mode. We are already starting to involve service users in running their own support groups.
How do I join
To use the Day Service, you need to become a member. Please call 0207 241 8986 to make an appointment.
Please note that the service is only open to Camden residents with significant mental health needs.
Click here to download our Day Service leaflet (PDF)
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