A Belfast suicide prevention charity has been helping men, women and children with their mental health through arts and crafts, counselling and befriending.
West Wellbeing was set up in the Colin area of West Belfast last year with the aim of reducing high suicide rates and helping to improve the mental health and wellbeing of others.
And through donations and community spirit, the team are able to offer free services to those who need it, from their hub in the Dairy Farm Shopping Centre.
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Set up to meet the needs of what they were seeing and hearing, Desy Jones and Gerard Mallon say they have been blown away by the numbers in the first few months.
Over 200 hours of support has been given in the first 16 days of March.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Desy said: "From the first week we opened, we had one counsellor. Now we have 24 counsellors and eight 'befrienders'. Within that we have several placement counsellors through Ulster University at Millfield, SERC in Lisburn, Derry, and Newtownards. We are now open six days a week to 8pm but that will soon change to 9pm with more support coming on board.
"The youngest person we support here is four and the oldest is 92. We do have a lot of young children in the 4-9 age group who would do one-to-one and play therapy. We have a few children who have sadly lost their parents and they are now being raised by another generation with it maybe being their grandparents.
"We have found that through expression using art and crafts, the children become more comfortable with us, and they can open up and ask questions. That has been one of our biggest joys, seeing the difference in our children and their wider family network.
"If someone presents as in crisis, if they are having suicidal thoughts, they are not ready to be put straight into counselling. Our approach is, we will put a wrap around service in place and keep them safe and work daily until we can strip as many difficulties as possible, they are experiencing. It’s only then, that we’ll move into the therapy side of things, when we feel they are ready. Some people don’t want counselling, they need more, we’ll be here for them through every path they may go on.
"Our 'befrienders' have a bit more freedom in that they can leave the premises here and go and meet the individual who may be going through something. They can co for a coffee, to the shops or go to their home for a chat – obviously everything we are aware of.
"Counselling is that bit stricter, that it happens in here. There is no time limit on counselling with us. If someone presents as suicidal, a lot of places will put them into a six-week program. That is nowhere near enough because some people only begin to open up after a few weeks. We’ll hold a review every eight weeks and if it takes three, four, five, six months – we will always be there.
"When it comes to the end of counselling, it isn’t a case of ‘well done see you later’ it’s ‘where are you going now? What’s your plan? Who are you going home to? Do you have a job or need help getting a job?’ We want to be keeping in touch with those who cross our doors.
"And everything with us is free. All services. If we ever had to start charging for things, we would close those doors."
Gerard Mallon told Belfast Live that they have recently launched an initiative to help their cause.
Alongside this fundraising effort, West Wellbeing are holding a breakfast morning at Urban Fire in the Dairy Farm - here they'll present a background into who they are, what they do and what they hope to continue to do in the future, with the aim of getting some local businesses to back them.
"We have launched an initiative which is called ‘Find the Five’, and what that is about is finding the funding for five members of care team," Gerard added.
"That will be three full-time additional counsellors and an administrator and a mental health community nurse. We need this funding; it would be a game changer for this community and beyond.
"We are holding an awareness breakfast on April 1 which is called ‘Empowered 50’ and we want to get 50 businesses to tie in with us to help us help others. We’ll do a presentation at the breakfast, at Urban Fire, and if the business likes what we are about and what we deliver, they can get involved with us throughout the year by means of donations and fundraising.
"What we would ask for is a £500 donation with the view of the business raising around £3,000 throughout the year. It won’t be put on the business ‘give us some money’ – we want to help them too, help their staff and their family circle. We want to work with 50 businesses as a partnership.
"We have been fortunate that when we put things out on social media, people get it and get what we are about. Glenwood Business Centre came forward and they are going to fund our art project for three years. That means we don’t have to find the money for that counsellor and the number of kids we are getting is unbelievable.
"We have delivered 200 hours of mental health support to children and adults in March alone, over 1,000 hours since we opened. It is constant."
West Wellbeing has had referrals for people in need of their services through schools, the Trusts and GPs.
Their friendly and honest approach on social media has also allowed for those who feel in crisis to reach out through direct messages to seek help.
The team pride themselves on having no waiting lists, a barrier which can see individuals with mental health issues waiting for weeks on an initial assessment, before more waiting time before further action.
"If someone contacts us, we will ascertain how badly they are struggling at that exact moment in time," Desy said.
"We’ll get them in within a day or so for an assessment and the ball starts rolling right away. If the individual is in crisis mode, having suicidal thoughts or intentions, we will bring them in straight away and we will take as long as it takes with them.
"We knew there was a need of this service, but we never expected the levels we are seeing, which is why we are appealing for support from businesses and the public. And we are not just a West Belfast charity, we will help anyone who reaches out for it."
You can help West Wellbeing by following them on social media here or by getting involved through fundraising here.
If you or someone you know is in distress or despair call the 24/7 freephone crisis helpline Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.
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