Empowering Minds - A-Z Guide of National and Local Services, Training and Education
Introduction
Empowering Minds Workforce Resource created by the Alcohol & Drug Partnership:
This page provides an A-Z Guide of National and Local Services, Training and Education.
Support
Age Scotland
Information, advice and friendship, support for older people’s groups, health and wellbeing programmes and more.
Visit the Age Scotland website.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Visit the Alcoholics Anonymous website
National Helpline: 0800 917 7650
Alcohol Counselling and Brief Intervention Service (GCA)
GCA offers individual, free and confidential counselling for people experiencing alcohol related difficulties and those affected by someone else’s alcohol issue. The service is provided by trained staff and volunteers either in East Dunbartonshire or in the evenings and weekends at our Head Office base in Glasgow. GCA staff host alcohol information stalls and provide alcohol brief interventions (ABIs) in community settings as well as delivering ABI skills training.
Opening days/hours: Mon-Thurs, 9am-9pm Fri, 9am-6pm
Sat, 9am-1pm
Contact: Susan Philp, 14 North Claremont Street, Glasgow, G3 7LE.
support@glasgowcouncilonalcohol.org
Baby Loss Retreat
Baby Loss Retreat provides aftercare support to families who have been bereaved by the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, TFMR, neonatal death and IVF complications. Aftercare support includes counselling, trauma therapy, listening music therapy for siblings affected by the loss and two days away
at one of the retreats in Scotland. They also hold two support groups on the last Monday of every month
Visit the Baby Loss Retreat website
Call the Baby Loss Retreat 07555 467805
Office hours: Wed-Fri, 9am-5pm, phoneline open 24hrs.
Breathing Space
Calls are free. It is a free and confidential helpline for anyone experiencing low mood, anxiety or depression, or who is unusually worried and needs someone to talk to.
Visit the Breathing Space website
Call Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87
Brothers in Arms
They are not a crisis service, but provide mental health support, resources and links aimed at men’s mental wellbeing. Brothers in Arms use digital technology as a way to reach out.
The Brother-Stay Alive App is a suicide prevention resource for Scotland – full of useful information and tools to help you stay safe in crisis. You can use it if you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone who may be considering suicide. In addition to the resources, the app includes a safety plan, customisable reasons for living, and a Life Box where you can store photos and memories that are important to you.
Visit the Brothers in Arms Scotland website.
Calm (Campaign Against Living Miserably)
Provides freephone and online chat support 5pm-midnight daily. The website has information on a range of mental health topics.
Visit the Calm (Campaign Against Living Miserably) website
Carers Link
Providing support to carers within East Dunbartonshire by offering one-to-one support, information, advocacy, courses and groups.
Ceartas
Providing independent advocacy on issues including communicating with social work, guardianship, accessing extra support for education or employment, and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments, among many other things.
Child Line
A free, private and confidential service where you can talk about anything. We’re here for you online, on the phone, anytime.
Open 24/7.
Combat Stress
Treatment and support for those with conditions such as PTSD, anxiety and depression. Here To Help 24/7.
Visit the Combat Stress website
TEXT: 07537173683
Creatovators
Running regular ‘You Are Not Alone’ information sessions for families supporting an autistic person in East Dunbartonshire, as well as regular playschemes.
Visit the Creatovators website
CRUSE
Compassionate grief and bereavement support in Scotland
Free Helpline: 0808 802 6161
Monday to Friday 9am - 8pm, weekends 10am - 2pm.
East Dunbartonshire Alcohol and Drugs Recovery Service (ADRS)
The service offers assessment, support and treatment for alcohol and drugs issues by offering person-centred, recovery-focused care and treatment. You may be referred to other recovery services when appropriate.
Hours of Service: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
Visit the Alcohol and Drugs Recovery Service page on the HSCP website
East Dunbartonshire Association for Mental Health (EDAMH)
EDAMH is a local voluntary sector organisation and charity which offers emotional, practical and social support to people experiencing mental ill health who live in East Dunbartonshire.
Office Hours: 9am till 5pm Mon-Fri
East Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau
Providing advice on a range of topics, including financial, legal and healthcare issues. East Dunbartonshire CAB also has a dedicated service to help with understanding and applying for disability benefits.
Visit the East Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau website
East Dunbartonshire Recovery Café – Facilitated by East Dunbartonshire alcohol & drugs peer recovery workers
Whether you are new to recovery or in long-term recovery, experiencing a crisis or struggling with a relapse, in a mental health transition or going through a difficult life change, the Café is a place of support and stability for all individuals seeking to break the cycle of destruction and despair.
Hillhead Parish Church
Every Tuesday 12-4pm
Lunch 12pm
ORT GROUP 1pm
Recovery meeting 2pm
Holistic therapies 3pm
Peer recovery workers:
Gayle wiliamson 07855196916
John Dobbin 07855196758
EDVA (East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action)
Assisting people within East Dunbartonshire to find positive volunteering opportunities and providing ongoing support throughout.
East Dunbartonshire Womens Aid
Women‘s Aid support women, children and young people who are experiencing domestic abuse.
Visit the East Dunbartonshire Womens Aid website
Family Addiction Support Service (FASS)
FASS is a confidential support service for parents and adult family members affected by, or concerned about, a loved one’s drug or alcohol use.
The service offers support, counselling, advice and information to parents, spouses, partners and adult family members who, due to their loved one’s alcohol or drug problems, are being negatively impacted.
Visit the Family Addiction Support Service (FASS)
FRANK
Honest information about drugs.
GAMH - Glasgow Association for Mental Health
GAMH has specific projects including: Young Carers; Adult Carers; Later Life Project; and CALM project – access to complementary therapies for people 60+ living with long-term conditions. To discuss a referral, please get in touch.
GAMH offers a range of services for people experiencing, or recovering, from mental ill health. Services aim to promote recovery, life and self-care skills, and community connections, and to increase personal networks,. Support may include: one-to-one support; group activities; befriending; and peer support opportunities.
Referrals for all services can be made by: PCMH Teams; Social Care Direct, Housing; Community Addiction Teams; and Homelessness Services.
Visit the Glasgow Association for Mental Health
GAMH Head Office: 0141 552 5592
Get Informed (Young Scot)
Free and confidential information line. Provides details on health information services available to young people in the local area.
Mon – Fri 10am – 6pm
GRACE
A local charity that manages and operate’s peer-led recovery aftercare groups in the towns of
Kirkintilloch and Auchinairn, serving the whole of East Dunbartonshire.
Heads Up
Heads Up provides advice and information on mental health conditions – about how you can support yourself or the people you care for, the services available and the range of interventions you may participate in. Heads Up has mental health information described in British Sign Language (BSL).
Visit the Heads Up page on the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde website
Help for Heroes
If you are a veteran, a serving member of the Armed Forces community, if you worked alongside the UK military or are a relative of any of the above, Help for Heroes is here for you.
Visit the Help for Heroes website
Know The Score
Whether you’ve taken drugs, are thinking of taking them or are just curious and want to know more, it’s important to know the real facts about drugs.
Local Area Co-ordinators (LACs)
Supporting people with an autism and/or mild learning disability diagnosis (over 14 years old) to fulfil their ambitions, such as finding employment, preparing for further study, increasing social networks and building independence.
The Local Area Co-ordinators will be able to share a document with all services available for the neurodivergent community.
Men Matter Scotland
Promote wellbeing and prevent suicide in men.
Mental Health Network
MHNGG are a ‘user-led’ mental health collective advocacy organisation. People can access free and impartial information about mental health support and services through the website or they can call during office hours
Mon – Fri 9am – 5pm.
Visit the Mental Health Network website
Mental Health Online Support Services
Living Life (NHS24) offers support to people in Scotland through self-guided help and cognitive behavioural therapy. Self-refer for an assessment by calling (Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm).
National Self-Harm Network
Offers support to individuals who self-harm to reduce emotional distress and to improve their quality of life. Closely monitored, available 24/7.
Visit the National Self-Harm Network
NHS 24
NHS 24 is one of Scotland’s seven special health boards. It is Scotland’s provider of digital health and care services. These are delivered by phone and through a range of digital channels, including online platforms.
NHS Inform
Advice on dealing with low mood, anxiety, phobias, stress and where you can get help.
PAPYRUS HOPELINE UK
PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide advisers work to understand why thoughts of suicide might be present. They also provide a safe space to talk through anything happening that could be impacting on someone’s ability to stay safe.
For children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, and anyone who is concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide.
Free phone 0800 068 41 41 (charges from mobiles will apply)
Email pat@papyrus-uk.org
Text: 077860 039 967
You do not have to give your name or whereabouts.
Parent Line
Mon-Fri, 9am to 9pm Sat-Sun, 9am to noon
Visit the Children First website
Petal
PETAL Support is a specific bereavement grief and loss charity, primarily for immediate family members of people who have been affected. It supports people who are experiencing bereavement grief, trauma and loss (affected by murder, culpable homicide and suicide). PETAL may provide therapy (counselling) services within a limited psychotherapeutic skill set, for those bereaved family members who are appropriate to attend. PETAL Support has offices in Glasgow, Hamilton, and Edinburgh.
Visit the Petal Support website
01698 324502 (nationwide)
Police
999 emergency
101 incident report
Project 101
Supporting people to identify housing options, manage existing tenancies and learn independent living skills.
Project101@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Railway Mission
The Railway Mission is a group of specially trained people who offer friendship and a listening ear to anyone connected with our nation’s railways. That includes in-person/face-to-face services (telephone service during normal office hours) and responding to out-of-hours emergencies. It is an independent organisation, acting impartially and with the utmost discretion (see website for more details)
Visit the Railway Mission website
SACRO
SACRO is a community justice organisation in Scotland that aims to deliver life-changing services that empower communities. Veterans mentoring service available for those that have been in or on the periphery of the justice system.
Samaritans
They provide confidential emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide.
116 123 (24hrs/day). Calls are free.
SAMH: Scottish Action for Mental Health
Whether you’re seeking support, are looking for more information for you or someone you love, or if you just want to have chat about mental health, SAMH are here to help. You can also speak to an advisor via Live Web Chat which will pop up when an advisor is available.
Available: 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday
Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF)
Research and Peer Engagement
The service recruits volunteers who have living or lived experience to be peer researchers with SDF. They receive extensive training and support from the team and will be involved in evaluation/research projects in East Dunbartonshire.
These projects focus on the experience of individuals using local services, with peer researchers encouraging people to feel comfortable in sharing these openly and honestly without judgement. Peer research volunteers receive access to other opportunities within SDF and beyond, and will be supported to access these as they wish to.
Opening days/hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
Contact:
Samantha Stewart
1/1 91 Mitchell Street, Glasgow, G1 3LN
Scottish Families Affected by Drugs & Alcohol (SFAD)
SFAD Adult Services East Dunbartonshire Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD) is a national charity which supports anyone concerned about someone else’s alcohol or drug use in Scotland. They give listening support and information to many people and help them with confidence, communication and general wellbeing, and link them into local support. They also help people recognise and understand the importance of looking after themselves.
Support comes in a range of different sizes. In East Dunbartonshire, SFAD offers:
- One-to-one support
- Group support
- CRAFT (Community Reinforcement Approach & Family Training)
- Support to access bereavement counselling
- Access to Naloxone.
Opening days/hours: Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm
Contact:
Ellis Reddick
ellis@sfad.org.uk
Shelter
Housing support services, housing costs, your rights, repairs to your home, eviction, repossession, homeless, sofa surfing or nowhere to stay.
SHOUT
The UK’s free, confidential and 24/7 mental health text service for crisis support.
Free confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. They support people who are anxious, stressed, depressed, suicidal or overwhelmed and in immediate need of support.
Text ‘shout’ to 85258
SSAFA
Practical housing advice and support to veterans and their dependents
Staying Safe
If you’re struggling and you’re not sure if you want to live or die, can you, just for now hold off making this decision and keep reading and watching the videos for some ideas about how to get through. There may be things that you – and other people – can do to make things better.
Visit the Staying Safe website
Support from GP
GPs can support their patients and discuss whether medication or referral to other more specialist support services might be helpful.
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
They offer a range of support services for adults over 18 – run by volunteers, the majority of whom have been bereaved by suicide themselves. They also provide information via the website and publications.
Visit the Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide website
The Mix
The website offers key information on a whole range of health and wellbeing issues including self-harm for young people. They also use Crisis Messenger - a 24/7 service delivered in partnership with:
Crisis Text Line – text HOME to 741741, visit the Crisis Text Line website
Shout – text ‘Shout’ to 85258, visit the Shout website.
4pm to 11pm every day
The Pandas Foundation Helpline
For parents and their networks who need support with perinatal mental illness.
(Open Monday-Sunday, 9am-8pm)
The Spark
Providing relationship counselling and support services for individuals, couples and families, as well as relationship education and counselling for young people.
Counselling enquiry 0808 802 2088
Relationship helpline 0808 802 2088 (over 18)
General enquiries 0141 222 2166
Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm
Touched by Suicide
A self -help organisation for those who have been ‘Touched by Suicide’, to meet the needs and break the isolation of those bereaved by the suicide of a close relative or friend
Visit the Touched by Suicide website
touchedbysuicidescotland@hotmail.co.uk
Veterans Scotland
Covers all Scotland – providing a focal point for all matters concerning the ex-service community
Visit the Veterans Scotland website
Victim Support Scotland Glasgow
Support for people affected by crime, including one-to-one emotional and practical support, as well as information and support for those attending court as witnesses
Granite House, Fourth Floor, 31-33 Stockwell Street, Glasgow, G1 4RZ
Our support suite can be accessed via the following address: Support Suite, Fourth Floor, 177 Trongate, Glasgow, G1 5HF
VictimSupportGlasgow@victimsupportsco.org.uk
National Helpline 0800 917 7650
Monday 9am-5pm
Tuesday 9am-5pm
Wednesday 9am-5pm
Thursday 9am-5pm
Friday9am-5pm
Saturday 9am-1pm.
If you need support outwith these hours, our helpline is open 8am-8pm, Mon-Fri: 0800 160 1985
Who Dares Cares
A dedicated united kingdom armed forces and blue light services charity.
Who Dares Cares’ mission is to support our Armed Forces and Blue Light Services personnel, including their families, who are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Visit the Who Dares Cares website
WITH YOU
Available to work with you on your own goals, whether that’s making small changes, stopping drugs or alcohol completely or just getting some advice if you’re worried about your own or someone else’s drinking or drug use, or your mental health.
Learning Resources
A Manual For Me
Surviving and thriving as an LGBTQ+ person, a toolkit to help plan for times when coping is hard including when you might be thinking about suicide.
Visit the LGBT Health and Wellbeing website
A guide to the mental health experiences and needs of autistic teenagers
The aim of this e-learning module is to increase understanding of autistic young people’s mental health experiences and explore strategies to support them – visit the National Autistic Society website
Ask, Tell Animations - Adult
Three animations that inform individuals working with adults about: mental health, how to maintain this; the factors that can lead to mental distress or mental ill-health; and how to have compassionate conversations which set out how to support people who are experiencing mental distress or may be feeling suicidal and help them seek help.
Although these can be viewed on their own, it is recommended that these are viewed as part of a wider learning activity (see eLearning Module via TURAS Learn).
Ask, Tell, Look After Your Mental Health
Understanding mental health and keeping mentally healthy - (open access: https://vimeo.com/338176495)
Ask, Tell, Have a Healthy Conversation
Supporting compassionate conversations with people who may be experiencing mental ill-health or distress or at risk of suicide -
(open access: Watch the Ask, Tell, Have a Healthy Conversation video)
Ask, Tell, Save a Life
Every Life Matters suicide prevention and keeping people safe (open access: Watch the Ask, Tell, Save a Life video)
eLearning module
A standalone eLearning module which explores what is mental health, provides awareness on how to have a compassionate conversation with people who may
be experiencing mental distress and looks at exploring the issue of suicide, including statistics and facts about suicide in Scotland. Access the eLearning module.
Ask, Tell Animations - Children and Young People
Ask, Tell, what is mental health?
Identify ways in which you can support good mental health in children and young people, and recognise the signs of mental ill health. Positive experiences, relationships and a sense of belonging are all important in building resilience and good mental health in children and young people. It is important to look behind behaviours, be curious and ask why. Watch the Ask, Tell, what is mental health video.
Ask, Tell, how to talk about Mental Health
It is important to talk with young people about their mental health. This animation identifies the importance of finding time and creating a safe environment to talk. Watch the how to talk about Mental Health video.
Ask, Tell, Self-harm and Suicide Prevention
Learn about: self-harm and suicide risk in children and young people; the importance of talking and asking about suicidal thoughts and self-harm; and getting immediate help when you are worried about a child or young person’s safety. Prevention of suicide and self-harm is everyone’s business. Watch the self-harm and suicide prevention video.
Being there for someone at risk of suicide
A resource for people who care about someone who has tried to take their own life or are worried that they might.
Visit the Glasgow Association for Mental Health website
Distress brief intervention
New module to support organisations in Scotland to recognise and respond to distress, designed by the University of Glasgow.
Visit the Distress Brief Intervention website.
Enhanced and Specialised Level
Enhanced Level’ focuses on the knowledge and skills required by staff working in health and social care, and wider public services, who have regular and intense contact with people experiencing mental distress and mental ill health, and people who may be at risk of self-harm or suicide – whose job role means they can provide direct interventions.
The ‘Specialist Level’ focuses on the knowledge and skills required for staff, who because of their role and/ or practice setting, play a specialist role in mental health improvement and the prevention of self-harm or suicide, and includes specialist mental health/public health professionals.
Masterclasses
A range of recorded masterclass sessions are available for people whose work role requires them to further develop skills and knowledge at the enhanced and specialist level of the mental health improvement and prevention of self-harm and suicide framework.
Topics include:
- Scottish Data and Statistics - National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Self-Harm - Presented By Professor Louis Appleby
- Understanding the transition from suicidal thoughts to suicidal act - Presented By Professor Rory O’Connor
- Time to address ‘the causes of the causes’: effective suicide prevention also requires sound policy interventions - Presented By Professor Steve Platt
- Recovery in Mental Health - Presented By Louise Christie
- What can we do to prevent suicide within our roles? - Presented By Professor Rory O’Connor and Professor Steve Platt
- Exploring the impact of mental health stigma on access to and experience of healthcare - Presented by ‘See Me’ – Scotland’s national programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination.
Access the Masterclass recordings
For further information on these resources or to explore ways to be more involved, please contact the PHS/NES Team:
Audrey Taylor, Head of Programme Maria Dale, Principal Educator Gillian Davies, Principal Educator Morag Ferguson, Senior Educator
Email: mentalhealth@nes.scot.nhs.uk
Healthy Minds Pocket Guide
Details a mental health support in each of the 6 HSCP’s, helpful tips for looking after your mental health and wellbeing. Order free from Public Health Resource Directory.
Visit the Health Promotion Access Guide.
Inequalities in Mental Health in Scotland
‘Inequalities in Mental Health in Scotland’ is now available to access on TURAS.
Mental health & wellbeing
Visit the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing website
The Mental Health Foundation Scotland, Digital Bricks Learning and Children’s Health Scotland have created a Professional Learning Resource for Scottish Government in Mental Health and Wellbeing. It has been designed for all staff working in schools across Scotland. It is open access and available to anyone who may find it of benefit
Mental health improvement, and prevention of self-harm and suicide
Aimed at those working across health and social care settings, and beyond, this framework is designed to enable individuals, their teams and managers to identify and understand the values, knowledge and skills expected of them in mental health improvement and the prevention of self-harm or suicide.
It will also help identify gaps or strengths in staff knowledge and skills. The framework articulates the knowledge and skills required across four levels of practice: informed, skilled, enhanced and specialist.
Knowledge and Skills Framework
Visit the Mental Health Improvement, and Prevention of Self-Harm and Suicide section of the TURAS website
So far, the topics covered include:
- Scottish Data and Statistics - National Confidential Inquiry
- Understanding the transition from suicidal thoughts to suicidal acts and the role of safety planning
- Recovery in mental health
- What can we do to prevent suicide in our roles?
- Time to address ‘the causes of the causes’: effective suicide prevention requires sound policy interventions.
- Turning the tide on mental health stigma.
If you have suggestions for other masterclasses that you would find useful around mental health improvement, self-harm and suicide prevention, please email Mentalhealth@nes.scot.nhs.uk
Any suggestions will be used to inform thinking and planning for future events/sessions.
Mental Health Resources For Schools And Youth
Organisations
Package of information, resources and organisations, which are freely available to support primary and secondary school staff to support mental wellbeing
It is hoped that it will be a useful and practical resource for practitioners working with children and young people, ensuring the focus on their wellbeing is equal to that of other curricular areas. The majority of these resources are universal support.
Visit the Education Scotland website
Public mental health
This module helps you to reflect on public mental health and a move towards more upstream, prevention-focused work to complement work around improving mental health services and wider crisis support.
Samaritans Training and Engagement
Programmes supports organisations to train their people and teams to spot and support anyone struggling to cope.
Scottish drugs forum
SDF training is for people working and living in Scotland. Bespoke training can be supplied for people outside Scotland, email enquiries@sdf.org.uk
Visit the Scottish Drugs Forum website
See Me
‘See me’ is Scotland’s national campaign to end the stigma and discrimination of mental ill-health. Provides information on a range of mental health issues including self-harm. Please note we are not able to provide any direct support to individuals in mental distress. If you need support please visit our ‘Urgent Help’ section.
Glasgow Office
Brunswick House, 51 Wilson Street, Glasgow, G1 1UZ Office hours- 9.00am - 5.00pm, Monday - Friday
Skilled Level Resources
The knowledge and skills required by ‘non-specialist’ frontline staff working in health, social care and wider public and other services, who are likely to have direct and/or substantial contact with people who may be at risk of mental ill health, self-harm or suicide.
These resources will support the skills development of the workforce. Each Learning Byte includes a range of case studies that help build knowledge and skills on the following areas:
Learning Byte 1: Promoting Mental Health and Tackling Inequalities
Includes understanding what mental health is, features of positive mental health, determinants of mental health, trauma and inequalities that can lead to mental ill health, what works to improve mental health and how you can apply this knowledge in your own workplace. Access Learning Byte 1.
Learning Byte 2: Supporting People in Distress and Crisis
Includes understanding distress, crisis and related risk or protective factors, recognising when someone may be experiencing distress or crisis, providing a compassionate and helpful response, supporting self-help, problem-solving, and knowing how and when to access more urgent support for someone. Access Learning Byte 2.
Facilitation Package available.
Learning Byte 3: Supporting People at Risk of Suicide
Includes the factors that may lead people to think about suicide, working with people to assess their risk of suicide, conversations that enable people to talk about their thoughts of suicide, when to seek
emergency support and intervention for people at risk of suicide, and practical and emotional approaches to supporting people at risk of suicide. Part B includes additional information about children and young people who may be at risk of suicide. Access Learning Byte 3
Facilitation Package available.
Learning Byte 4: Supporting People at Risk of Self-Harm
Includes the different reasons why people self-harm, understanding self-harm as communication of distress, some common misconceptions surrounding self-harm, impact of thoughts, feelings and emotions on self-harm, adopting a sensitive, compassionate and non-judgemental approach when talking about self-harm, risk and protective factors associated with self-harm, and ways you can positively respond to, and talk about, self-harm. Access Learning Byte 4 Facilitation Package available.
Learning Byte 5: Supporting Recovery and Quality of Life for People Living with Mental Ill Health
Includes understanding the concept of recovery and how to work in a way that promotes this, supporting people to engage with wider community resources that promote social and peer support, meaningful purpose and positive relationships, understanding the physical health problems and barriers to treatment and lifestyle change that can be experienced by people living with mental ill health, recognising the impact of stigma and discrimination on mental health recovery, and promoting inclusion, health and quality of life.
Access Learning Byte 5
Suicide ALERT Resources
These support staff talking with someone who may be at risk of suicide. They explain the ‘ALERT’ model and provide some ideas for putting it into practice, as well as useful information about support services and suicide prevention resources.
Resources include a briefing note and prompt sheet
Supporting a mentally healthy workplace: a guide for managers
A presentation for managers, team leaders and people in similar roles. It is designed to help you to better support the mental health of employees and to encourage good practice in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Supporting new and expectant parents mental health
Helps staff have conversations with parents about their mental health during the perinatal period and signpost support appropriate to their needs to prevent a mental health crisis from developing.
Order free from Public Health Resource Directory.
The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Mental Health Improvement , Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Training Pathway (This is only accessible for NHS employees)
The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Mental Health Improvement, Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Training Pathway is a tool to encourage the public health workforce to progressively build their knowledge and skills, relevant to their role and responsibilities in the area of mental health.
The resource is not a training calendar, but rather a reference and guidance document to help individuals, teams and organisations explore potential training opportunities that are available and, whilst not exhaustive, it can support navigation through the relevant and appropriate levels according to roles. Visit the NHSGGC website.
Time space compassion podcast
Listen to the space compassion podcast
Trauma
Visit the Trauma Transformation website
Developing your trauma skilled practice
Trauma training
Trauma is ‘everyone’s business’ and every member of the Scottish Workforce has a role to play in understanding and responding to people affected by trauma. This doesn’t mean that everyone needs to be a trauma expert —we know that different expertise and skills are required to support people’s recovery — but it does mean that all workers, in the context of their own role and work remit, have a unique and essential trauma informed role to play in responding to people who are affected by trauma. Visit the TURAS website.
Reading Materials
- Creating Hope Together - suicide prevention strategy and action plan: outcomes framework
- Scotland’s Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027
- Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan – Every Life Matters
- The University of Glasgow Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory is a good place where you can find out more the development of the IMV model to understand suicidal behaviour
- The University of Edinburgh hosts a number of research projects around suicide and self-harm, and a regular webinar series on specific topics relating to social and cultural factors and work around inequalities and suicidal behaviour
- Researchers at the University of Strathclyde are also looking to further understand how self-harm and suicidal thoughts and behaviour begin, in particular around the experiences for high-risk groups such as adolescents, older adults and LGBTQ+ people
- GIRFEC provides Scotland with a consistent framework and shared language for promoting, supporting, and safeguarding the wellbeing of children and young people. It is locally embedded and positively embraced by organisations, services and practitioners across Children’s Services Planning Partnerships, with a focus on changing culture, systems and practice for the benefit of babies, infants, children, young people and their families.
- Taking into account the changing needs of our communities, the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Joint Delivery Board oversees reform across relevant areas of education, health, community and children’s services, and wider areas that impact on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. The board focuses on prevention and early support, as well as the promotion of good mental health and theservices children, young people and their families access. The voices and experiences of children, young people and their families will remain central to decision making and service design
- Children and young people - community mental health and wellbeing: supports and services framework. This framework sets out a clear, broad approach for the support that children and young people should be able to access for their mental health and emotional wellbeing within their community
- The Promise Scotland supports Scotland’s promise to care experienced people. It does this by leading projects to drive change across Scotland and supporting other organisations to make the changes they need to #KeepThePromise. Watch a video about The Promise on YouTube
- Rights, respect and recovery: alcohol and drug treatment strategy Scotland’s strategy to improve health by preventing and reducing alcohol and drug use, harm and related deaths
- The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults was established in October 2021 and has distributed around £36 million to community initiatives supporting mental health and wellbeing across Scotland. Funding for a third year of funding (£15 million) was announced in April 2023. The fund has a strong focus on prevention and early intervention, and
aims to support grassroots community groups in tackling mental health inequalities and challenges such as social isolation and loneliness, suicide prevention, poverty and inequality. Year 3 will see a continued focus on responding to the cost of-living crisis. The fund is distributed to local groups via Third Sector Interfaces - Scotland’s first dedicated self-harm strategy and action plan aims for anyone affected by self-harm, to receive compassionate support, without fear of stigma or discrimination. It is jointly owned by the Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
- Introductory guide to the Time Space Compassion principles and approach – a relationship and person-centred approach to improving suicidal crisis. It has been developed for use by people and services who regularly come into contact and support people experiencing suicidal crisis.
Apps
- Daylight - For people who are feeling worried or anxious. You can learn proven tools and techniques to help you cope, face difficult emotions and be more present. Free for anyone aged 18+ who lives in Scotland. First part of postcode required when you sign up.
- NHSGGC MyApp - My Mental Health helps you to find trustworthy and reliable resources, offering not only info about common mental health symptoms and conditions, but also materials to help manage them
- Stay Alive - Provides useful information and tools to help you stay safe in a crisis.
Training
SAND (Supporting Autism and Neurodiversity) training
A free six-week block of training run by neurodiverse Occupational Therapist Heather Wright on the subjects: ‘Understanding Autism and Neurodiversity’, ‘Communication’, ‘Processing Differences’, ‘Sensory Issues’, ‘Arousal and Behaviour issues’ and ‘Getting it right’. Once you have completed the six-week block then you can attend additional add-on sessions on various topics.
Visit the Carers Link website.
Trauma-Informed Parenting Training
Training for parents and carers on how to support yourself and your child to cope with challenging behaviours (open to anyone with a child with additional support considerations).
More information
For additional training in East Dunbartonshire, please contact Alcohol & Drug Partnership Development officer Yvonne.lambie@ggc.scot.nhs.uk