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14 May, 2024

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week

Today's blog post is brought to you by Mat Eason at Redeeming Our Communities (ROC) for Mental Health Awareness Week.

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Mental health (that of ourselves, and others) is complicated. Our thinking can so easily become entangled, and feel impossible to unpick.

For people living in poverty the reality of persistent lack and uncertainty, adds pressure, often making mental health challenges all the more pernicious.

It’s possible to acknowledge that complexity, while also not being paralysed into inaction by it.

The hope of the gospel is the hope of shalom.

Shalom literally means completeness, soundness, wellbeing, and complete reconciliation. All of these are at the core of positive mental health, and this is so closely aligned with God's heart.

At ROC, we're fervently committed to fostering more shalom in people's lives through various avenues like collaboration (conversations), mentoring, activity projects (e.g., gardening), and creating spaces for connections (cafes and centres). Additionally, we address mental health by meeting people needs through providing essentials like winter coats or school uniforms for families with children.

One project we are passionate about is through a tech/AI survey that maps a community’s wellbeing and gives a local action group incredible insight in what are the deficits in the community. The findings report then makes recommendations that will make a meaningful impact in the resident’s lives. With self-harming and suicide costing the local public purse billions each year, this programme (Me Aware) is a game changer for millions of peoples lives.

But let’s not stop there, for every suicide, there are over 100 self-harming incidences and 1000 violent crimes. All of which are connected to mental health deterioration.

We've witnessed the transformative power of the Me Aware survey in action. In areas where it's implemented, instances of suicide come to a complete halt. Communities unite, and targeted interventions are swiftly deployed. Unlike relying on mere speculation about the impact of well-intended commissioned programs, our survey empowers commissioners and local groups with concrete data, enabling them to effectively address the significant underlying challenge of mental health.

Having had a member of my family pass away from suicide, mental health is not something that I and we can take lightly. If we are to consider revealing what our faith looks like, it looks like friendship. It brings courage to a person. It says, I understand your pain, but I am with you to help you get through this. Storms pass, but the sun will always keep shining. Let’s get through this together.

To find out more about ROC, our programmes and especially the Me Aware programme, get in touch with Mat Eason or visit our website.




14 May, 2024

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