New stretch target
Allowing New Horizons to open for additional or longer warm space sessions
Improving Emotional Wellbeing Locally
by New Horizons Mental Health in Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff, United Kingdom
Total raised £670
raised so far+ est. £5.00
4
supportersNew Horizons support local people with mental well-being and now cost-of-living challenges by, providing drop-in 'tea and chat' sessions
by New Horizons Mental Health in Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff, United Kingdom
Who are we?
New Horizons has been supporting people of the South Wales valleys to tackle their emotional well-being challenges for over 30 years.
We are experiencing an enhanced need this Winter and we want to support more people experiencing difficulties at this time so, we are putting on extra drop-in sessions from our warm base in Aberdare.
Community impact
An analysis of New Horizons Recovery College by Welsh Government Analytical Volunteers shows consistent improvements to the well-being of the
students who attended courses. Comparisons using the Warwick-Edinburgh Well-being scale, the data shows positive increases year-on-year.
Jamie Evans' depression and anxiety saw him isolate himself from others, to a point where he would go weeks without human contact and was using prescribed drugs to medicate himself from the pain. Jamie was out of work for 10 years because of anxiety, depression and other health problems, with no aspirations or plans for the future. Jamie was given substance misuse support including a leaflet about a 12-week Psychology course with Adult Learning Wales and New Horizons Mental Health.
"On the first day, I stood outside the class for about 20 minutes looking at the door, terrified to go in. My anxiety was though the roof and I almost turned around. But something inside of me had clicked and I forced myself into the class. "It was amazing, I immediately felt at home and the classes couldn't come quick enough —I just wanted to learn more. "
Jamie enrolled on further courses in confidence building, criminology and the an Access course in Humanities and Social Science at Coleg y Cymoedd.
"I learnt not just subject knowledge but valuable skills, self belief, resilience, friendship of class-mates and better mental health.
New Horizons is crowdfunding to help us support more people like Jamie - people now suffering further challenges due to the cost of living crisis - helping them to tackle their own emotional well-being issues and using our warm support space in Aberdare.