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Posted on 10 Oct 2016

Nottinghamshire Healthcare is supporting this year’s Nottingham Mental Health Awareness Weeks by hosting a number of events taking place between 10 – 21 October. The awareness weeks coincide with World Mental Health Day on Monday 10 October.

Running for the 24th year, Nottinghamshire Healthcare proudly supports Nottingham’s unique annual awareness weeks that aim to reduce stigma and promote greater understanding of mental health and wellbeing. The Trust will be joining local organisations to host a variety of events including spirituality and wellbeing workshops, and information sessions. The Trust will also be sharing stories and advice throughout the awareness weeks from people who have experiences of mental health.

On Friday 21 October, service users are invited to attend a volunteering and employment fair hosted by the Trust’s Social Inclusion and Wellbeing Service. After the success of the event last year, the service has extended the fair to include organisations offering job opportunities as well as volunteering roles for people affected by mental health issues. Over 20 organisations are expected to attend the fair, which represent a wide range of services in the public and voluntary sector, including private businesses.

 

Sangita Dhawan, Co-ordinator of Community Volunteering said:
“The fair is aimed at promoting mainstream volunteering and paid work opportunities for people who may struggle to access these opportunities, not due to lack of any skills but mainly due to lack of confidence and the stigma attached to mental health.”

“It provides a great opportunity for service users to learn how valuable employment and volunteering can be as a form of therapy that can increase confidence and self-esteem.  It is an excellent opportunity for mental health service users to have direct contact with a variety of employers and to discuss how their skills and experience can link in with the employer’s expectations and requirements. The increasing number of participants at the fair since 2013 is fantastic and confirms that organisations recognise the value of recruiting a diverse workforce.”

The volunteering and employment fair will be held at Nottingham CVS, 7 Mansfield Road, NG1 3FB from 10.30am – 3.30pm.
The awareness weeks aim to be informative and friendly, so why not ‘take time for your mind’ and join some of the events and activities. For the full list of events, visit www.mhaw.org.uk