How mental health charities responded to COVID-19
We look back at our Community in Action reporting on how mental health organisations creatively and rapidly responded to the pandemic.
Throughout the pandemic we have been keenly aware of the impacts on people’s mental health. Everyone has faced challenges and factors like dealing with the fear surrounding COVID-19, isolation and financial concerns have taken their toll on many.
As part of our Community in Action project we gathered articles from mental health charities. Their rapid responses have been remarkable. Migrating counselling, peer support and social groups online or to telephone services ensured people were not left behind. Providing useful information online on how to cope with our new circumstances gave people some power over how to manage their wellbeing.
Cope Scotland harnessed online working, sending out daily emails providing warm words and practical support. Health in Mind set up online resources and quickly responded to the impact an increase in domestic abuse was having on mental health. Penumbra provided services around suicide prevention, self harm and continued its work across its supported living services and Carr Gomm sent out kindness packages alongside maintaining its services online. In addition, Wellbeing Scotland ran self management groups to ensure people could continue to support their own mental health.
Many people relied on these third sector services to support them through the critical stages of lockdown. The sector provided essential support with determination and a commitment to those who access those services.
Read in depth on the work carried out by Cope Scotland, Health in Mind, Penumbra, Carr Gomm and Wellbeing Scotland during lockdown.
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