Story
Inclusion Barnet provides services by and for people with lived experience of disability and mental health issues. We have been providing services in Barnet for nearly 10 years, and provide a wide range of disability and community services.
In the last year, we provided intensive one to one support to over 100 disabled people. 238 people used our Space 2 B activity groups, 56 people used our peer support group and we engaged with 320 people in hospital to provide information and support. We have a small staff team, but we are also supported by over 60 volunteers, many of them also disabled people, who make a difference in their communities. Our volunteers perform many activities, including helping to facilitate groups, making hospital visits and supporting isolated people.
Our intensive support is flexible, and can help with anything from benefits claims and confidence building to supporting someone to arrange their end of life care. It is built around the needs of the individual. 98% of people using the service achieved at least one thing to make their lives better.
Space 2 B offers a unique service in Barnet, being by and for people with lived experience of mental health issues. One user of the service said: Barnet Voice has made a bigger difference than anything else in my mental health recovery. Theres not much in Barnet that I meet the requirements to access or that is long term. Over the years I began to despair that Id ever find anything to help me. Barnet Voice is special because I have a feeling of not being judged, and others have been through the same things so theres a feeling of community. Many people find it hard to get out of the house and are overwhelmed by depression so it is important to have something regular where you dont have to book in advance, which can be daunting. You have the freedom, when youre really low, of knowing that its going to be there regardless. Even if you cant get there on time or every week.
On our hospital visits, 100% of survey respondents found speaking to a volunteer useful, and 96% of people felt more confident about where to find support when they left hospital. One respondent said, I didnt know any of this stuff existed when I was last in hospital. Once youve left hospital, youre left alone. And Im scared of being left alone- before coming in this time, I didnt leave my home for 4 months. I didnt leave my house, Ive been scared this will happen again. But now, I have plans to go to groups, goals to achieve, its great to know. Its comforting.
£15 provides telephone support to a caller in distress.
£50 pays for a co-ordinator and group of volunteers to visit people in hospital to give them information and support.
£100 provides a days training to a group of volunteers who want to give their time to help people.
£150 covers a supported, 3 hour group with activities for up to 40 people with mental health issues.
£930 provides a disabled person with intensive one-to-one support from a specialist peer worker over several months to help them overcome barriers to accessing services and opportunities.
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