Southdown

“I have to think outside the box. I like that. I like to think how to do things better. It’s working smart, not hard. Although I do also work very hard! My name’s Amy and I’m an Employment Specialist in West Sussex. I’ve been in this role for about two years, and before that I was a Covid Employment Specialist for a year. What I like about my job is being able to offer and provide IPS Employment Support while working with the Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). I am currently integrated across three teams - Assessment and Treatment Service (ATS) in Shoreham, Early Intervention Service in Worthing, and Southdown’s Work and Wellbeing service covering West Sussex. My main goal is to support clients on their employment journey, effectively putting my arms around them and giving them a toolbox of different skills so when they’re ready for work, they have all the tools they need. I work with people aged 18 through to post-retirement who have either a mental health diagnosis or disability. Part of my role is encouraging them to see that they can work with their condition and that there can be positive effects of working while building their confidence around this. I do this job because I get to guide them on their journey. I see the impact of support and employment on a client. When I used to work in recruitment, I was never able to follow people through their work journey." Click here to read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gKD9xv85 . . West Sussex Mind| BHT Sussex | CAPITAL | Rethink Mental Illness | Stonepillow | United Response | Mind in Brighton and Hove | Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

We are really delighted to support the new mental health signposting campaign #HowAreYouReallyFeeling? which reminds us all of the importance of prioritising our mental wellbeing. Coproduced by the NHS, local authorities, primary care providers, charities, voluntary groups, and people with lived experience, the 'How Are You Really Feeling?' campaign is the first-time organisations and champions of mental health across Sussex have come together in this way to promote mental wellbeing. At Southdown, we are proud to sponsor this vital campaign and to have played a role in shaping its development. Neil Blanchard, our Chief Executive, says, “Mental health affects every part of our lives, from how we think and feel to how we connect with others and handle challenges. Seeking help isn’t just about improving mental health - it’s about improving life itself. When we take steps to care for our mental wellbeing, we open the door to better relationships, greater resilience, and a brighter future. “It’s inspiring to see so many organisations across Sussex’s mental health sector coming together to promote support and resources and encouraging more people to speak openly and confidently about mental health.” Find out more about the campaign and access the resources at: https://lnkd.in/eE7UtXri. @nhs-sussex | Sussex VCSE Mental Health Network | Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust | West Sussex County Council | East Sussex County Council | Brighton & Hove City Council | Possability People | UOK Mental Health Support | CAPITAL . #HowAreYouReallyFeeling? #PartnershipWorking #MentalHealthSussex .

We’re pleased to announce that Qwell, a personalised digital mental wellbeing service provided by Kooth Digital Health, is now part of the UOK Mental Health Support. Starting today, adults in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex will have 24/7 access to free, safe, and anonymous mental health support via www.uok.org.uk Neil Blanchard, our Chief Executive explains: "Investing in Qwell aligns with our commitment to support and promote good mental wellbeing for all; this includes offering people a choice of support that meets their needs. Qwell’s integration capabilities and unique out-of-hours provision make it a valuable addition to the UOK partnership, NHS services, as well as the wider mental health network of services across Brighton & Hove and East Sussex." Key features of the Qwell online service include: · Supportive information resources on various topics like parenting, relationships, and neurodiversity, available through reading, listening, or watching content. · Self-guided activities such as journaling, mood tracking, and goal setting. · Peer-to-peer forums for moderated conversations and support. · Supportive messaging with mental health practitioners, available at any time. · Professional live text chat support when needed. Funded by NHS Sussex, East Sussex County Council Brighton & Hove City Council, Qwell has been selected for its alignment with the Sussex Transforming Community Mental Health Services programme, which focuses on ensuring that people are able to access the appropriate wellbeing support they need, when they need it. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gMMduPf7 . Brooke Joyce | Stuart Reid | Alice Clements | Possability People | Seaview | Allsorts Youth Project | Brighton Exiled/Refugee Trauma Service | Brighton Women's Centre | Cruse Bereavement Support | @fabricabrighton Fabrica | Friends, Families and Travellers | Grassroots Suicide Prevention | THE HANGLETON & KNOLL PROJECT | Hera at WellBN | MONEY ADVICE PLUS | Rethink Mental Illness | Switchboard | The Trust For Developing Communities | The Clare Project | YMCA DownsLink Group |

Are you an Employability Practitioner or someone who has experience in providing 1-1 support? Are you looking for a new challenge or believe you have the transferable skills to support individuals to fulfil their employment goals? This role is in Southdown’s Substance Misuse Employment Service in East Sussex which helps people accessing structured treatment, back into employment. You will be working in partnership with Change Grow Live and co-located within clinical teams, with some remote and community-based working. You will be based at Hailsham Wellbeing Centre (Co-located with Change Grow Live Eastbourne) Salary: £26,158 plus £1000 a year essential car user allowance. The salary for this role will increase to £27,128 from 1st February 2025 Closing date: 17th December For more information, and to apply: https://lnkd.in/eqZzxAZs . #SouthdownCareers #CharityJobs #ForceForGood

UOK Brighton & Hove celebrated it's 5th Anniversary in October, and last Thursday we had a celebration event at our partner Fabrica's fabulous venue to mark the occasion. Thank you so much to everyone that came along. We were honoured to be joined by clients, experts by experience, colleagues, sector partners, and local organisations. Thank you to the wonderful Maggie Chau too, who presented our incredibly creative scribed 5- Year Impact Report.   At the heart of the event were the deeply moving and brave talks by Sarah, Fatima and Paul. Their words motivated and inspired us. Southdown's Chief Executive Neil Blanchard also delivered a brilliant speech reflecting on our journey as a partnership and the meaningful impact we have made, and continue to make in our community   We'd like to say an extra-special thank you to our partners and our commissioners NHS Sussex and Brighton & Hove City Council who fund, plan and help us deliver our service. As Lead Provider of the network, Southdown is extremely proud of everything we have achieved together. We have created a strong, supportive network that makes a great difference to the mental health and wellbeing of people in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex. Brooke Joyce, Zoya Rasul, Manasi Barmecha, Rosie Hayward, Heidi Rollinson TAP.Cert, Neil Blanchard, Sonia Mangan, Allsorts Youth Project, BERTs, Brighton Women's Centre, Cruse Bereavement Support, Fabrica, Friends, Families and Travellers, Grassroots Suicide Prevention, THE HANGLETON & KNOLL PROJECT, HERA, Mind in Brighton and Hove, MONEY ADVICE PLUS, Possability People, Rethink Mental Illness, Switchboard, The Trust For Developing Communities, The Clare Project, YMCA DownsLink Group

Last week, we gathered to celebrate a significant milestone for UOK Mental Health Support (Brighton & Hove) – five years of providing quality, inclusive and personalised mental health support in our community. The event was a heartfelt celebration of the network's achievements and the transformative impact it has had on many lives. As a Lead Provider of the network, Southdown is so proud of everything that we have achieved together with our partners.   The event brought together UOK Brighton & Hove partners, clients, and colleagues from across Southdown. It was an occasion not only to acknowledge the successes of the past five years but also to share personal stories of triumph and resilience. One of the highlights of the event was hearing from two members of Southdown’s Recovery College and a client and volunteer from Trust for Developing Communities, one of UOK partner organisations. Their stories of transformation and hope were deeply moving, illustrating the impact of community support. As one of them shared, the support they received "literally saved their lives." These testimonials were a powerful reminder of why we do what we do and the importance of continuing our mission.   We also had an opportunity to showcase our 5-year Impact Report as a snapshot of our achievements and the difference we have made in the community over the past five years.   We were also delighted to have Matt Gough, our new Chief Operating Officer, in attendance. Matt will officially join us in the New Year, and it was wonderful to see him engaging with our team and partners.   A huge thank you to Brooke Joyce for organising everything so well, and to everyone who attended, to our commissioners, and to all those who have supported UOK Brighton & Hove throughout the years. Together, we have created a strong, supportive network that continues to make a significant difference in the lives of many.   . Neil Blanchard | Sonia Mangan | | Alice Clements| Brooke Joyce | Brighton & Hove City Council | Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust | Allsorts Youth Project | Brighton Exiled/Refugee Trauma Service | Brighton Women's Centre | Cruse Bereavement Support | Fabrica | Friends, Families and Travellers | Grassroots Suicide Prevention | THE HANGLETON & KNOLL PROJECT | Hera at WellBN | Mind in Brighton and Hove | MONEY ADVICE PLUS | Rethink Mental Illness | Switchboard | The Trust For Developing Communities | The Clare Project | YMCA DownsLink Group

Are you passionate about the voluntary sector and interested in improving mental health services? The Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSE) Mental Health Transformation Team are looking for an individual to join our team to run the Sussex VCSE Mental Health Network. The network brings together voluntary organisations across Sussex to enable them to be part of the transformation of adult mental health services. As network coordinator you would be responsible for the day to day running of the network and for organising network events and comms. To find out more about the role, and to apply, please see: https://ow.ly/wAus50UiNqF Please Note: The salary for this role will increase to £27,128 per year pro rata from 1st February 2025. Closing Date: 10th December 2024 . #ChairtyJobs #SouthdownWay #ForceForGood

We recently spoke to Tracy, our Housing First worker, as she shares what her job involves and the difference it makes in clients’ lives. "I love my job and find it very rewarding. I see my role as being a consistent someone in a client’s life that is there to support them, as they can feel let down by other services they’ve accessed in the past. The purpose of Housing First is to support clients to sustain a property, to try and overcome any addictions, manage their mental and physical health, and to engage with other members of the multidisciplinary team to support them to end the cycle of rough sleeping and to maintain their home. The multidisciplinary team includes a nurse, occupational therapist, mental health workers, drug and alcohol workers from Change Grow Live (CGL), and probation services, all working under the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) umbrella to give wrap-around support for our clients. The benefits of working in this way are that we can do joint visits with all the other services and clients get seen a lot quicker. We normally see clients who have had long periods of rough sleeping and who have medium or high needs such as addiction and drug and/or alcohol misuse, mental and/or physical health conditions, and who may have not sustained properties in the past. They might often present with anxiety and mistrust services. Quite often they may struggle with the change from sleeping on the streets to having a roof over their head. Every day is different depending on the client. Sometimes I’m supporting a client to arrange Direct Debits or to open a bank account, sometimes I’m arranging to do joint visits with colleaguesfrom the other services. Other times, I’ll be taking clients to their doctor’s or to the Jobcentre to support them with benefit appointments. I arrange these appointments with the clients so that the time and day are suitable for them. I usually visit them in their homes, but sometimes we meet for coffee and have a chat at the café. I support my clients with letters they receive if they do not understand them, with budgeting, food shopping, and connect them to specialist services when their mental health is poor." Read Tracy's full story on our website: https://lnkd.in/ePM9XB2R Interested in exploring work opportunities at Southdown? We are hiring for several roles. Take a look at the job opportunities to join our team: https://lnkd.in/ebMWH8eq . . #ForceForGood #BrilliantWithPeople #Southdown #Care #CharityJobs

Amid growing financial and operational challenges jeopardising the sustainability and quality of essential mental health services in Sussex, the Sussex VCSE Mental Health Strategic Leadership Group has called on NHS Sussex leadership to address three urgent requests. 👉 Read the group’s open letter here: https://lnkd.in/eExMCHDh The Sussex VCSE Mental Health Strategic Leadership Group is formed of VCSE mental health representatives across Sussex, and aims to promote and expand the role of the VCSE in helping shape and deliver non-clinical mental health services across Sussex. VCSE organisations involved are Southdown (our Chief Executive, Neil Blanchard, acts as Chair), BHT Sussex, West Sussex Mind, Grassroots Suicide Prevention, YMCA DownsLink Group, Amaze Sussex, Stonepillow, Mental Health VCSE Transformation Team, and @Brighton’s Women’s Centre.  #SussexVCSE #MentalHealthMatters #Partnership