Mental Health issues can affect people in all walks of life. The Government’s Department of Health advises that one in four of us will experience mental ill health at some point in our lives.

Unfortunately, there is a much higher rate of mental health problems amongst homeless populations. Poor mental health can be a cause and consequence of homelessness. The onset of mental illness can trigger, or be part of, a series of events that can lead to homelessness. Additionally, mental health issues might well be exacerbated or caused by the stresses associated with being homeless.

With this in mind, Homeless Health Nurse Claire O’Connell has taken it upon herself to create and launch a new mental health & well-being project, aimed specifically at those who are 18+ and find themselves either homeless or in vulnerable living situation, such as sofa surfing. The five part workshop, which has been supported by BrisDoc and the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI), is run from the Compass Centre on Jamaica Street as well as a various hostels across the city.

The programme guides people through ways to connect, keep learning, be active, take notice and give to others. Many of these steps pose a particularly hard and unique challenge for people who are homeless, due to their often chaotic lifestyle and a disconnect from society.

The QNI were thrilled with the feedback they received from a number of service users who had recently completed the course with one telling them it had “given them a feeling of hope when they needed it most”.

If you would like any more information please contact Claire O’Connell on claire.oconnell@nhs.net