Soapbox

Easy to access, fast and effective: the Stepping Stones Project enables mental health service users to move into mainstream activities of their choice, giving them greater control over their lives and renewed confidence and independence. Recently, people have pursued a variety of interests, including catering, computing, art and design, timpani, goodzang (a Chinese musical instrument) and other specialist hobbies.

The project started as a result of local demand by service users and provides a new way of supporting people, and produces impressive results, which have surprised everyone, professionals and users alike.

The worker inspires people and creates initial confidence and enthusiasm in users, giving them the courage to take the first step to re-enter mainstream activities. She sources a wide range of information on various pursuits -- social, sporting, hobbies and educational -- and matches the users to activities, and offers ongoing support where necessary. She aims to keep the work short term, having achieved the initial breakthrough. In addition, three coureses have been established in computing, the internet and drama at a local college as part of the mainstream adult education syllabus. This provides opportunities for more than 50 people a term.

Success is measured by the practical and emotional changes that people describe and which are observed by carers and profesionals. People have improved their physical appearance, posture and dress, have become more able to state their needs, have gained the confidence to do other activities and have an improved social life. For example, people have had the courage to undertake windsurfing, first aid, music technology, golf, horseriding, film-making and local history, to name but a few.

It has become clear that people's motivation and capacity to take up new activities bears no relation to the severity of their illness. Some people have attended college while inpatitents, several whilst under section. Many people now no longer require inpatient treatment or support by social workers. We believe that by focusing on positive development -- mastery and a sense of purpose gained by people choosing an activity that inspires them or that they feel astrong urge to engage in -- positive mental health follows.

The latest development is a course for an RSA certificate in computing due to run at St Dominic's College, Harrow-on-the-Hill, for eight weeks from May 25. The course is available to all mental health service users and former users in Harrow. For more information on any aspect of project, call me on 0181 863 7136 or 0181 426 0929.

Gillian Samuels is the project worker on Stepping Stones

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.