A mental health charity based in Penryn is launching a service in the Truro and Falmouth area for anyone in recovery from mental health difficulties funded by the National Lottery.

Carrick Mind’s new Supported Volunteering project will offer dedicated support to anyone who wants to use volunteering as part of their recovery. Supported Volunteering, in the right environment, can provide a bridge for the volunteer back into the local community and workplace thus reducing social isolation.

The Social Exclusion Unit reported that only 24% of people with long term mental health problems in England were in employment. Supported Volunteering provides personally meaningful occupation that has purpose, challenge and focus. It provides a new social valued identity. Most important of all it enables volunteers to take positive risks to test out their recovery.

For some people with mental health difficulties full time work can be too big a step. However, with Supported Volunteering a person can test out their recovery and at the same time make a meaningful contribution to their local community.

Anyone interested in finding out more should contact Carrick Mind on 01326 617220.

Jon Gladstone

Chief Executive of Carrick Mind