RIVERSIDE COUNSELLING SERVICE

We would like to help the mental health and wellbeing of adults and young people by giving them a safe space to talk with a trained counsellor in their local community.

Riverside Counselling Service: Open Door project

Grant to Riverside Counselling Service

This project will expand online and telephone counselling for adults and young people to support mental health and wellbeing. The funding will improve IT infrastructure that will enable them to support older people those in rural communities and ....more

This project will expand online and telephone counselling for adults and young people to support mental health and wellbeing. The funding will improve IT infrastructure that will enable them to support older people those in rural communities and with mobility issues by having the online support in place.

Sustainability and Growth

The Open-Door project works in partnership with GPs from the Didcot Health Centre to improve community access to mental health and wellbeing support. Riverside has been operating in the town since 2017 and so we are very aware of the adverse impact ....more

The Open-Door project works in partnership with GPs from the Didcot Health Centre to improve community access to mental health and wellbeing support. Riverside has been operating in the town since 2017 and so we are very aware of the adverse impact the pandemic has had on the most vulnerable people, especially those living with socioeconomic challenges, with pre-existing mental health conditions or poor physical health. Post pandemic our data shows we are seeing more people with an array of mental health disorders, particularly those effected by isolation and loneliness which has led to high levels of anxiety, low mood and depression. We are treating people who are still fearful to leave their homes, mix with others and return to their pre-pandemic way of life. The current economic climate and general uncertainty is likely to have a further impact on people’s mental health. Despite these significant mental health needs there is sometimes a reluctance for people from Didcot to seek support. They are nervous or mistrustful or may not have considered counselling. We know that someone who's lonely often finds it hard to reach out. There's a stigma surrounding loneliness, and older people tend not to ask for help because they have too much pride (NHS 2022). We have already had discussions with the GPs at the Health Centre about how we can reach these people in Didcot and ways to improve access to our service, meet their mental health and wellbeing needs and help their post pandemic recovery. They support our idea to work together and develop this Open-Door project. GPs will directly refer those who are emotional vulnerable, anxious, or fearful of social engagement directly to Riverside. Our counsellor will then phone the patient directly to talk through their fears or concerns. They are offered up to two further phone calls of approximately 30 minutes. We can signpost them to other services or agencies or offer regular counselling with Riverside. A similar scheme has been operating in Berinsfield for the past 3 years and is reaching those most in need and is having a real impact. Feedback from both GPs and service users is positive: ‘Thank you for the conversation the other day it was really useful to talk to someone about how I am feeling that understands’ Client ‘I have had really positive feedback from patients who have used the drop-in service, and also more generally about Riverside.’ GP Last year 49 people used our Berinsfield Drop-In Service with 36 direct GP referrals. We had fifty-one telephone conversations having taken place. 11 individuals have registered for ongoing counselling support. We have approached the Didcot County Councillors for funding through their Priority Grants and will research trusts and foundations to continue with the project after this funding is spent. The Open-Door project in Didcot will directly target those most in need, help individuals with their post pandemic recovery and improve community health and wellbeing.

Grant to Riverside Counselling Service

The funding will provide 13 bursary places (160 counselling sessions) for adults and young people struggling with their mental health and wellbeing following the Covid pandemic. It will liaise with local GPs health professionals schools voluntary ....more

The funding will provide 13 bursary places (160 counselling sessions) for adults and young people struggling with their mental health and wellbeing following the Covid pandemic. It will liaise with local GPs health professionals schools voluntary and community groups for signposting and promote on social media.

Help to fund the mentoring and supervision costs of supporting our volunteer counsellors over the next four months.

The additional funds requested will provide specific enhancements to Counsel 360, the CBCMS used by Riverside Counselling Service (RCS) – www.counsel360.co.uk.

"The fund aims to:1) To reduce closures of essential charities that provide essential services to vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 crisis by ensuring they have the financial resources to operate, thereby reducing the burden on public ....more

"The fund aims to:1) To reduce closures of essential charities that provide essential services to vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 crisis by ensuring they have the financial resources to operate, thereby reducing the burden on public services.2) To ensure essential services are provided to vulnerable people, both in the short and long term through increased community support through the work of charitable organisations."

Funding towards the Volunteer Counsellor Support Programme.

Advice & support - counselling service to adults and young people who are affected with increased anxieties and the effects of self-isolation.

The project will be based in Didcot and Berinsfield; two of the most deprived areas in the county. We work with many women and girls living with challenging social & domestic circumstances. Some have experienced domestic violence, and suicide ....more

The project will be based in Didcot and Berinsfield; two of the most deprived areas in the county. We work with many women and girls living with challenging social & domestic circumstances. Some have experienced domestic violence, and suicide within the family which has a huge impact on their mental health and psychological and emotional well-being. We have a clear understanding of their needs and this project will be tailored very much to support those needs. A counsellor who has experience of working with disadvantaged women and girls with similar mental health needs will be availible in each location one day a week. They would be working from venues in the community offering local support to the women and girls. It would enable us to liaise with local GPs, schools, and other support agencies. Counselling will be flexible to meet the individuals needs. Some women and girls may need a shorter intervention lasting several months, while others will need longer term support. The parents/carer of the young person would have access to support. From our work with girls and young people we have found that parents preferred to received individual support with their child rather than in a group setting. We will provide this through face to face, telephone or email contact.

Open Door

This project focuses on using information technology to help Riverside deliver better services, generate more income, and build a stronger sense of community for our clients and supporters. key features of the project include: - suing a cloud based ....more

This project focuses on using information technology to help Riverside deliver better services, generate more income, and build a stronger sense of community for our clients and supporters. key features of the project include: - suing a cloud based Office 365 platform to bring together the main charity administration into a single GDPR compliant place -introducing a secure cloud based case management system (CBCMS) to store an analyse client data - website development to support clients, counsellors, new and existing donors - integration of all elements to provide a more efficient and effective us of skills and resources -a digital marketing plan to increase client and donor engagement and fundraising income.

Girls Talk gives girls and young women a safe, private space to share their thoughts and feelings before they strengthen and become overwhelming putting them at risk of anti-social behaviour, under achievement at school or addiction. Giving girls ....more

Girls Talk gives girls and young women a safe, private space to share their thoughts and feelings before they strengthen and become overwhelming putting them at risk of anti-social behaviour, under achievement at school or addiction. Giving girls and young women this time and space can make all the difference and can have a positive impact on their future and allows them to realise their full potential. Through meeting with a counsellor young people find a listening other, are supported to be curious about themselves, and find ways to better manage their emotions, to communicate their feelings and experiences, and to build their resilience which has a positive impact on their long-term future health. It gives them the skills and confidence they need to manage their issues so they can cope with their daily lives. My counsellor has been amazing. She has helped me though a very difficult time in my life. She has taught me how to become my own counsellor. I feel like I can face the unknown future remembering to have faith in myself. My counsellor has given me that confidence, restored my self-worth and helped me to turn a corner Parents are empowered to support their child and help them to maintain their mental health and well-being. This helps to sustain the long-term benefits for the young person as they have a better understanding of their daughters needs and how to help them. In our existing work with parents we have found that it is often the mother who participates, building their own confidence within the family. This project has an impact not only for the girls but also for others around them by improving family, school and community life.

This project targets girls and young women (12-20 years) with mental health issues giving them access to talking therapies through 1:1 counselling sessions that support their emotional development and wellbeing. Qualified counsellors provide a ....more

This project targets girls and young women (12-20 years) with mental health issues giving them access to talking therapies through 1:1 counselling sessions that support their emotional development and wellbeing. Qualified counsellors provide a confidential, non-judgemental environment allowing girls to explore and face their concerns. Sessions will use a range of talking therapies supporting issues such as family and relationship difficulties; self-esteem, depression or anxiety; self-harm; worries about body image or more complex mental health needs. We know it is essential to look at the young person’s difficulties in the context of the family. The project will therefore include support for parents helping them have to understanding of many of the issues supporting young girls and how they can continue provide the best support for their daughter at home. It is vital that all girls, whatever their circumstances, can access the help they need so the ‘Girl’s Talk’ project will target girls from low income families. Girls and young women can self-refer, or can be referred by another trusted person such as a parent, teacher or GP. The project aims to work closely with schools, surgeries and community groups to ensure that we reach those who need support. Project activities would include; • Weekly 1:1 counselling sessions for three months • Families initial consultation and termly review • Offer 6 sessions of 1:1 parental support • Training and supervision for counsellors There would be three rounds of support. Time is allowed between rounds for evaluations and counsellor training and supervision.

Funding will be used to train volunteer counsellors. This will increase the organisation's capacity enabling it to reach more clients at an earlier stage. This will reduce waiting lists, and improve the mental wellbeing of people using the service.