Survival Stories is a service provision within Adult Social Action, offered to individuals affected by Serious Mental Illnesses (SMIs).
The project supports individuals who face barriers to engaging with statutory mental health services with specific focus on individuals from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and People aged 65 years-old and over.
We are currently supporting asylum seeker hotel residents and other individuals belonging to other vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds through use of non-traditional, place-based and therapeutic pathways.
Our objective is to share relatable stories of adults who have struggled to access support via traditional pathways, which helps them to feel that they are not alone, and to see their experiences in a broader context.
We offer an opportunity to recognise their own resilience and post-traumatic growth at the same time a chance to build skills, confidence and self-esteem. We focus to improve wellbeing of those who suffered trauma and severe mental illnesses and support to develop an increase in optimism, trust in others, self-worth, positive sense of identity and increase in sociability and engagement.
We are making a huge positive impact on the communities by creating opportunities for social action, community engagement and volunteering opportunities. The service strengthens a sense of validation and belief in the power of sharing relatable stories where participants find a way to feel at peace with themselves and feel positive about who they are, which is enormously empowering and important.
