South Essex is an area of great potential, with high quality, innovative services. In mental health the new Rochford Hospital, built by South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) is one of the best equipped and highest quality mental health facilities in the country. Jan Hutchinson reports on the Trust's initiative funded through IIC.

Whilst Rochford Hospital serves people with acute mental health needs, staff and patients in SEPT's Forensic Services also look forward to moving into a spacious modern forensic unit which will open at Runwell in 2009. As work continues on decisions and plans for updating the building, Vocational Services staff and Occupational Therapists are planning with service users to modernise the choice of vocational activities on offer for people who typically spend around three years in Forensic Services, before being discharged with support to live in the local community.

The focus on construction work taking shape across our area of the East of England and in the grounds of the new hospital unit might explain why, for a large number of our service users, the chance to learn and practice construction skills in preparation for future employment is highly attractive. Mark Stephens is the Trust's Forensic Employment Specialist. Mark brings to the role a wide experience, from employment in the armed services to running his own business. He had previously worked with the Employment Services and was aware of the links that needed to be made with employers, training providers and Jobcentre Plus.

Mark's idea to develop ‘ TASTE : Trade Skills Training and Enterprise' has resulted in an innovative training course which offers a taste of skilled work in bricklaying, carpentry, painting and decorating through training sessions for a day a week, leading to a City and Guilds qualification. It offers service users a short-term experience of learning and applying construction skills in a supportive environment.

The course was planned in response to a number of people having similar thoughts about their future employment options. Unfortunately a ‘chicken and egg' situation exists where construction training is normally available as part of employment, but without any skills or experience, that employment is difficult to obtain, especially for people over 25, with the double disadvantage in the eyes of some employers, of having a history of mental health problems and a criminal record. Training courses that are run locally are usually very oversubscribed and at a cost prohibitive to people who have been unable to earn anything for a number of months or years.

An opportunity for funding arose through the regeneration fund ‘Investing in Communities'. This is funding from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) administered through the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership. Together with Mark, we developed a training programme, run by professional trade skills trainers, located within the works yard of the old hospital building, but able to be moved to the new Forensic Unit in time. The course leads to a qualification and provides service users with some new skills and confidence to take on a job in the construction sector as part of the resettlement plans for discharge from the service. The project has created a great deal of interest in the unit and 15 service users have signed up for the training which began in April.

Participants have been very positive. One trainee said “Last time I was in hospital I got really bored as there was nothing to do. This time round I'm about to start woodwork and I've already had a crack at valeting and am actually enjoying doing stuff!”

For another service user, the people are what matter: “I don't like getting out of bed much but when I'm on the project its good because I like seeing what I can do. Mark and Stuart are really good at supporting us. It's really great we can do these things”

Open Arts – Positive Mental Health Through Art

Open Arts, another initiative funded through IIC, is a new community arts project for people who would like to engage into the community by making artwork within a group setting. Courses are pitched at a very basic level, offering an opportunity to learn new art skills and techniques within a safe and supportive environment. Groups are run in community based venues, and people can be referred by a support worker, or they can self refer. Open Arts aims to offer people opportunity to move forward as part of society, challenging the stigma of mental health, with people from all different backgrounds working together with a common interest in art.

The first course, taking place in Westcliff-on-Sea, has been running for just over a month, and is proving to be a big success. It is a group of 13 people, with 2 artists facilitating, a volunteer and a support worker. The course takes place for 2 hours once a week, is 15 weeks long, and has been split into 3 blocks of 5 weeks, working with different mediums in each block, including drawing and mark making, painting, mixed media, textiles and printing and then 3D work with clay and plaster. The artists show examples and give basic demonstrations to get people started with the technique, then participants can try their hand it themselves, working at their own pace. There is flexibility within the sessions for people to work for longer on one piece if they wish to, to develop their own style and interest, with support as required.

Participants are giving positive feedback and reporting to be enjoying all aspects of the course, from working within a group, meeting new people and working with the artists, to learning and developing their skills as artists. Some have experience of drawing or painting in their own time, and a knowledge of the satisfaction and therapeutic qualities that can be experienced through making artwork. Everyone on the course is given a sketchbook to take home with them, so they can work independently throughout the week, as well as in the group. This offers an opportunity for people to bring in work they have done in their own time, and share it with others if they wish. Many of the participants have expressed an aim of increasing their self confidence; both personally and artistically, and as the group are gelling and getting into the flow of making artwork, self confidence and motivation are increasing within the group. Some participants are working together on one method, for example, watercolour paints, others are working with the guidance of the artists to think about how to take their work further in terms of creating large scale paintings to be exhibited publicly. Open Arts aims to offer opportunities to participants over and above the structured courses, including gallery visits and the chance to exhibit artwork, to encourage participation in the widest sense.

Open Arts will be officially launched this summer, with an open day where people can drop in, take part in a taster workshop, and view displays of some of the artwork created. More news of the launch will be publicised nearer the time. As one of the participants said: “Open Arts has offered me the chance to be with other people, socialise and discover a creative side of my personality I barely knew existed. The group has made a real change to my week, and given me something to look forward to. The staff and volunteers have been friendly and supportive. I wouldn't have missed it for the world”.

Courses take place in various venues across South Essex. For enquiries about Open Arts, or if you would like to take part in one of our courses, please contact Kirsten Lyons, Arts Co-ordinator on 07949440326 or at kirsten.lyons@southessex-trust.nhs.uk