We are currently in the process of speaking to people about a jigsaw project we hope to launch in 2015. We're inviting all organisations in Redditch to register their interest in the project and then we'll get everyone together to start organising it.
Aim:
The aim of the project is to focus on all of the aspects which
together make up a person's quality of life including their mental
and physical health, by looking at three aspects: how they can keep
themselves happy and well, how they can help a friend and how they
can help the community. Through this project, we hope to engage as
many people as possible within Redditch to take part in at least one
activity which will promote not only the specific aims of the project
but also those of the organisations taking part from the voluntary
and community sector.
How it will
work:
Participants will work towards being 'Health Smart' by collecting
pieces of a jigsaw, which together will make up an entire body. The
jigsaw is made up of six pieces, which each represent a part of
happiness/quality of life: the head (mental health), chest (heart
health ie looking after friends and family), stomach (food), left arm
(community), right arm (creativity) and legs (physical health).
There will be a number of sessions and activities run from the start
of 2015 right through to Wellbeing Week in October which will focus
specifically on one aspect of the jigsaw – for example comedy,
writing or sewing sessions for creativity, making and preparing meals
for food or sport for physical health. Once a person has attended one
of the sessions, they will be given the corresponding jigsaw piece
and it is hoped people will work towards attending six sessions
throughout the year and thus being able to complete the jigsaw.
Organisation:
The project will bring together a consortium of organisations, mostly
from the voluntary and community sector, who will put forward one
leader for each of the six identified health factors (mental health,
heart health, food, community, creativity and physical health). Each
of the six leaders will be responsible for putting together a
programme of activities leading up to October next year, liaising
with as many relevant other organisations as possible and in
encouraging people to join in and collect the jigsaw piece which
matches their factor.
As a whole, the consortium members will also be responsible for
promoting the project as widely as they can through the media,
existing contact lists, liaising with the public and private sectors
and promoting it at any events they host or attend.
Mission
statement:
To engage and unite as many different groups and individuals within
Redditch in a project to celebrate all aspects of health and
wellbeing incorporating mental health, heart health, food, community,
creativity and physical health. By giving thanks for positive factors
within their lives, encouraging them to think about how they can
improve less positive aspects of their emotional or physical health
and by focusing not only on self-health but also the health of other
people and the community as a whole, this will spread awareness of
the different aspects which come together to improve their quality of
life.
What are the
issues and what are the solutions we are offering?:
Lack of awareness about the meaning of words such as mental health
and wellbeing
Sessions which will specifically inform people about the meanings,
solutions to work towards better mental health and wellbeing.
A visual representation (with the jigsaw) of what exactly
incorporates health.
A chance to learn more about aspects of health which they may not be
familiar with.
A perceived lack of input from statutory services surrounding
lower level mental health issues (ie they don't step in until the
situation has reached crisis point
Opportunities to meet people in similar situations, engage in
positive activities and form new groups.
Information and signposting towards relevant services which could
assist.
A chance for those struggling and the people who are looking after
them to 'have a break' away from the issues faced.
There are so many organisations within the voluntary sector, often
they are unaware exactly what is going on with other groups
Closer working opportunities between all of the groups within the
Redditch voluntary sector.
The chance for groups to join together to offer activities, thus
increasing the time and potentially the funding available for them,
as well as the number of volunteers able to help.
Often the focus with mental health is on the negative aspects,
such as the problems within the statutory services
Turning the focus around so it is on positive activities being
provided in Redditch.
Giving people the chance to talk to others about what helped them
when they were facing issues.
Giving people a wide variety of activities to take part in, for
example: sport, writing, cooking etc.
