SAMH North Ayrshire Council Leader Joe Cullinane has given his backing to a charity which helps people dealing with mental health issues.
Councillor Cullinane visited the Stevenston HQ of SAMH (the Scottish Association for Mental Health) to find out more about the life-changing services they provide to people across North Ayrshire.
The visit coincided with World Mental Health Day on Monday, October 10, which aims to raise awareness of mental health issues.
The Council Leader met both staff and service users who gave a vivid illustration of how SAMH’s Positive Steps approach has made a huge difference to the lives of many people.
Councillor Cullinane said: “The number of local people needing mental health support is rising and I am in awe of the services delivered by SAMH which gives one-to-one support, help and advice to people at a time when they need it most.
“The outstanding work of organisations like SAMH sometimes goes unheralded but it cannot be overestimated.
“Without the support provided by SAMH, the quality of life for many people who are struggling to cope with mental health issues would be severely diminished.
“World Mental Health Day was the perfect opportunity to applaud the work of SAMH and raise awareness of the fantastic work they do.”
Last year, SAMH redesigned and launched a new approach to community engagement with the aim of providing the people of North Ayrshire with mental health problems a more accessible service to help them build relationships within the community and lead fulfilling lives.
The redesigned service, named Positive Steps, is supported by North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership and utilises resources and opportunities that are already available in North Ayrshire to help individuals self-manage their mental health.
The service delivers tailored one-to-one support based on individual needs and offers access to SAMH’s Tools for Living Programme; providing the tools and skills people need to seek and sustain volunteering, training and employment opportunities.
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