## **Aims and Purposes** Me4Mental is a voluntary non-profit organisation set up to provide support to individuals with poor mental health and to make an impact on the rate of suicide in Derry/Londonderry and remove the stigma surrounding mental health. ## **Objectives and Activities** The main activities and objectives of Me4Mental are: - (a) The advancement of health and or the saving of lives by the provision of a drop-in Centre that deals with mental health issues for individuals suffering from mental health aged eighteen or over, in Derry/Londonderry area, that is not an alcohol/drugs crisis, addiction, or rehab facility. - (b) The advancement of education of the public throughout Derry/Londonderry of mental health issues to remove the stigma around mental health - (1) By informing the public, attendees of our support group and support team of any courses and or discussions regarding mental health. ## **Achievements and Performance** ## **Drop Centre** We opened our drop-in centre 13th March 2018 which provides not only a drop-in listening ear service but also allows individuals to book a specific time to avail of the listening ear service. We not only provide a listening ear service from this centre but in addition provide services such as phone support, peer-to-peer support groups, enrichment programs, mental health advocacy and community support work. To date we have had a total of 800+ individuals who have availed of these services at our drop-in centre, Over the 2-year period of lockdown, we supported those in isolation by telephone calls on a daily/weekly basis. This averaged 30+ per day. ## **Support Groups** We currently have 1 peer-to-peer support groups every Thursday night, where 700+ individuals availed of this support group in the last year. ## **Breakfast Club** We also hold a breakfast club every Monday morning, where 480+ individuals have availed of this service since February 2023. This service provides a warm safe environment for those suffering from Ill mental health and helps combat social isolation. ## **Online Support** Our online support group is a closed support group has been running since January 2017. We have continued to provide this online support service with a team of eight admin staff available to facilitate this support. We currently have 8000+ members availing of this service. ## **Educational Program** In response to requests from local secondary schools we developed and delivered a mental health education enrichment program. This program involves taking a group of secondary students for a period of six weeks and educating them on issues surrounding mental health and where to seek support and methods of self-care to reduce stress. This education program was delivered in one local secondary school with other education establishments currently on the waiting list to receive this program. The education program ran from October to April and a new group of students participated in the program every six weeks. ## **Enrichment Programs** We have currently developed and delivered four enrichment programs. These programs included music, drama, photography, meditation, and mindfulness and ran for approximately six weeks, with music being delivered three times and meditation twice. In addition, we also facilitated a teen program giving teens a safe space to discuss mental health, this program ran for six months. ## **Promotion of Mental Health Awareness** We have taken part in a number of informational events with statutory bodies, voluntary organisations and local businesses. These include events such as Carers events through the Western Trust and providing a one-off informational session and support group with local schools and businesses. ## **Community Support Work** In addition to our above services, we have expanded our reach to provide community support workers to those individuals that require additional support with their mental health. During this year we have provided the opportunity for two of our volunteers to undertake community support work training and currently have another two volunteers scheduled for training this coming academic year. We have successfully delivered this service to one client and are currently identifying individuals that could benefit from this service in the future. ## **Volunteers** The services we are now providing have increased in the last year, with the opening of our drop-in centre we have decreased the number of volunteers to 13. These volunteers have received all relevant training such as OCN Level III diploma in Mental Health, Open University, Safe Talk, Mental Health First Aid and ASIST to enable them to provide a listening ear service on a drop in or appointment basis. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our volunteers for their hard work and commitment. We have also a student from the University of Ulster commencing their placement with us in the coming academic year. As our services expand, we will continue to recruit and train new volunteers as required. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Me4Mental is governed by a management committee of five individuals in a voluntary capacity. The committee meets every fist Wednesday of the month to discuss the day-to-day aspects of running the organisation. The committee members all hold certain roles and responsibilities in accordance with our constitution. The management committee is responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance including deciding on how the funds of Me4Mental are spent. We have appointed a new committee member in whom is our Volunteers Coordinator & Pastoral Officer. ## **Administrative Information** Me4Mental is situated on 18a Queen Street Derry/Londonderry BT48 7EF Tel: 02871413050 Email: info@me4mental.com Alt Email: me4mental2017@gmail.com Me4Mental is a voluntary organisation is registered with the Charity Commission of Northern Ireland. Me4Mental Management Committee members who have served from the founding of the organisation until the date of this report and there is no view of this changing in the future currently. Management Committee Member are: Chairperson Patricia Flangan McClean Vice-Chairperson Martin McClean Secretary & Treasurer Seamus Donnell Funding Officer & Administrator Kathyrn Lindsay Volunteers Coordinator & Pastoral Officer Patrick McColgan