WHAT NEXT? It was Shrub Hill Workshop which gave that extra boost which I will always be grateful for.

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1 WHAT NEXT? It was Shrub Hill Workshop which gave that extra boost which I will always be grateful for. People come to Shrub Hill as a stepping stone in their recovery from mental ill health. We organise regular reviews with all who attend, looking at how things are going and discussing future goals. Some of the most frequent areas people progress to are college courses, employment preparation and voluntary work. People often find it useful to continue coming to Shrub Hill while starting the next step. This can help with confidence and support. We hope the following information may give you a better picture of what is involved in these activities. In each section, you will find quotes from people who have moved on, but who were once doing an activity at Shrub Hill and wondering What next? Other people feel they have got what they need from Shrub Hill and do not wish to go on to any outside, formal activities. They may just wish to return to home life and more informal activities. That s OK, everyone attending Shrub Hill can choose what they feel is right for them. 1

2 VOLUNTEERING Why Volunteer? Many people find voluntary work a good next step beyond Shrub Hill. It can be useful in: Giving confidence and a sense of purpose. Getting skills, experience and a reference which will make it easier to find a job. Having social contact and making friends. Having the chance to give something back (People describe how disempowered they feel by having been unwell and on the receiving end of services. It can be a great confidence booster to be in a position where you are helping other people). The good thing about volunteering is that the hours and type of work you do can be tailored to suit YOU. You should never find yourself in a situation where you are required to do more than you feel able. What Support Would I Get? We can put you in contact with a worker from your local volunteer bureau who will talk to you about your interests and needs. They will then try to find an organisation that is looking for somebody like you! You will be able to have an informal visit or trial session before committing yourself. The volunteer bureau will also take into account any special needs you have through having experienced mental ill health or other difficulties. Some larger organisations have a member of staff who is there to support volunteers. In other situations your support will be worked out with you in advance; this could involve having another volunteer working alongside you at the start if you would find this useful. We can also look at ways you can be supported through us here at Shrub Hill, or through your CPN/Social Worker. 2

3 What sort of Voluntary Work? There are opportunities for voluntary work in almost every field. You could work with children, older people, people with disabilities, people from ethnic minorities. You could help with administration, odd jobs, decorating, shopping etc. You may want to choose something where you already have a skill or interest. Some examples of volunteer jobs involving IT/admin skill Helping with reception duties at Worcester Welfare Rights, Malvern CAB Helping a small charity with its accounts Helping type letters and circulars Helping support others learning IT skills Helping produce the newsletter for the User Network Helping in the office at small / national charity My computer skills have helped me in typing the local Church newsletter and other documents for family and friends. They have also been useful in the Literacy and Numeracy classes I have started helping with. I am helping at St Richard s Hospice, including putting prices on sold furniture on the computer. Improved social skills have come by talking to customers. 3

4 COLLEGE COURSES Gone are the days when College Courses were for youngsters and superbrains only! Now there are courses for people of every age and every level of ability. Why Do a Course? College courses can: Give a sense of achievement through gaining a qualification Lead on to employment or further study Be a good way of meeting people Be fun! It has given me more confidence to get back into mainstream life, improved social skills and more of a structure to my week. But I couldn t join a College Group Some people worry that they won t be able to keep up with a College Course or that the group will be too big. There are many courses where you can work at your own pace and the group size is nice and small. We run some of these courses here at Shrub Hill. There are also some courses at college just for people who have experienced mental ill health. There are also on-line courses which you can access via a personal computer either at college or in the comfort of your own home. ( Learn Direct ). Before I attended Shrub Hill I attended a course at the Tech... when the exam was looming up I was just too nervous to take it. At Shrub Hill I have been able to take the CLAIT exams when I was ready for them in an unpressurised environment. This has made all the difference: it built up my confidence as I felt I could achieve goals and pass exams again. 4

5 What Support Would I Get? The most important thing is to choose the right course. Start by having a chat with Shrub Hill staff and looking at the brochures we have. We can help you arrange to see a College tutor here at Shrub Hill or meet the course tutor at College. All sorts of support can be arranged e.g. helping get to College, being met at College and accompanied to the classroom, help with course fees, additional help within the classroom. All the staff are very helpful and seem generally interested. What If I Don t Want a Long Course? The Colleges organise taster courses ( Bite-size ) and also other short courses that may last 4-6 weeks. Some of these short courses happen at Shrub Hill. The course helped as I don t think that I would have been able to do or get the job without it... Meeting and working with others who have had similar problems does help. In the classes I attended at Shrub Hill I was able to make new friends and feel comfortable learning in a group situation. Because of this I have felt able to attend sign language courses at Worcester Tech. Everyone is in the same boat and things come back that you think you have forgotten. 5

6 Examples of IT / Administration courses IT COURSE UNITS Word Processing Spreadsheets Databases Graphs and Charts DTP Web Page Design Internet ICT COURSES CLAIT ECDL CLAIT PLUS WAVE NVQ OCR Text & Word Processing ADMINISTRATION COURSE UNITS Health & Safety Photocopying Business Documents Filing Communications Faxing Telephone Techniques Collating Reception 6

7 EMPLOYMENT PREPARATION Most people would like to have paid work again at some stage of their lives. Many feel they are not ready yet. The trouble is, the longer people are out of work, the more difficult it can be to get back to it. So why not take the first steps towards employment now? Some steps that people have found useful are: Permitted Work Permitted Work allows you to do paid work for a few hours each week without it effecting your benefit. Work Placements/Tasters These can give you with the real experience of working in a particular job. They are unpaid, but are useful for confidence building and testing out a job area. They can help in applying for other jobs. Some also provide training. Careers Guidance This can help you look at your skills, interests and the advantages and disadvantages of particular jobs. Help with Job Applications Guidance and training can be given on where to look for jobs, how to fill in application forms and how to present well at interview Help Starting and Maintaining a Job Guidance and support can be given on discussing your individual needs with your employer. Support can be given if difficulties arise. Benefits Information Benefits advice will make sure you know the effects of a job on your income. 7

8 How Do I Access Any of These? You will probably find it best to start with a chat with Pete or Velma at Shrub Hill. Dawn Formosa is a specialist Mental Health Training and Employment Officer with the Shaw Trust. She visits Shrub Hill one day a month and will help with all the above areas. Shrub Hill run pre-employment courses in conjunction with a local College looking at all the areas listed and leading, for those who wish, to a supported work placement. Employment Services also run schemes to help people with disabilities back towards employment. These can be accessed through the Disability Employment Advisor at the Job Centre. Examples of IT/Admin Jobs Date Input Clerk Secretary Receptionist Administrator Filing Clerks PA Data Entry Clerk Web Page Designer Presentation Material IT Assistant Leaflet Production Programmer Earning some money has been good, even if it is only 20 per week. It s made me feel worthwhile and whole again... I was worried I might not cope, but I feel I am doing fine, though it is still early days. 8