A wide shot of Smeatons Tower in Plymouth with the text “Plymouth VCSE Sector Support Services” and the logos of Devon Mind and Plymouth City Council

In collaboration with Plymouth City Council (PCC), we are proud to announce the launch of a new pilot project aimed at supporting the mental health and wellbeing of Plymouth voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector workers. The project includes three brand new, bespoke services aimed at helping those under pressure in the city to manage their mental health and wellbeing.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, VCSE workers have experienced significant pressure to maximise support for a wide range of people in the community. In response, PCC commissioned us to develop a programme of support services specifically to help support the mental health of people in the sector. We are providing three options for VCSE workers: a one-to-one listening service, a peer support group, and a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course.

Find out more about the services

Olivia Craig, CEO of Devon Mind, said of the partnership: “We understand deeply the pressures that our colleagues in the voluntary sector have experienced over the last year, so we are delighted to be piloting this new VCSE Support Service for Plymouth over the next six months. This will give people the space to talk with a qualified peer who understands their challenges, and who can provide emotional and moral support as needed.”

The new VCSE listening service provides space and time to talk openly with a qualified peer about any difficulties or worries, and receive advice and guidance on how to stay mentally well during such challenging times. Appointments are 45 minutes long, currently scheduled through March and April
The VCSE peer support group will run every two weeks, providing a forum for members of the community to meet and chat with their peers.
The MBSR course, set to take place during April and May, aims to address prolonged periods of stress which can lead to poor mental health.

Councillor Kate Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Health and Adult Social Care at PCC, added: “We are delighted to be working with Devon Mind to be ensuring that our voluntary sector colleagues can get the support they need during this difficult time. The voluntary sector in Plymouth has responded magnificently to the challenge of COVID, working in close partnership with the Council in our ‘Caring for Plymouth’ partnership to help people who are struggling with finances, loneliness or mental health issues, and now it the time for us to make sure that the staff look after their own wellbeing.”

We have worked closely with Plymouth City Council for over 20 years on developing and expanding our recovery college support services in Plymouth, which we are now working hard to extend to other areas of Devon. The new VCSE support services are now open for self-referral.

Find out more and register your interest