Thrive is delighted to report that 100 per cent of people enrolling on three projects at Battersea – Working it Out, Pathways and Forensic which help people living with mental ill health - have been motivated to move on.
Working it Out aims to improve employment prospects for unemployed disabled people. Two thirds of participants will gain an accredited vocational qualification, move on to become active job seekers or to further training, and 80 per cent will improve work skills.
Pathways is a supported volunteering programme offering people a stepping stone to independence and is designed to help those with mild mental health issues become independent volunteers in their community.
Pathways has been running for six years at different sites in London, during which time around 80 per cent of participants have moved on to become independent volunteers. Each Pathways site supports up to 16 people a year.
Forensic’s aim is to move participants on to become reintegrated in the community. This is the most complex programme Thrive runs. People who start the programme are still in a secure or semi secure psychiatric setting and it is a very long term journey to become reintegrated into the community. However, three of the current clients at Battersea have been forensic psychiatric inpatients, two of whom are on Working it Out and have come through our forensic gardening programme
But don’t just take our word for it, this is what some of the gardeners have said…
RF: "Nothing is too much for the staff at Thrive. They are willing to impart information and have a wealth of knowledge. I learn so much each session. I love every part of the course and have really improved my confidence."
A Working it Out participant said: "The chance to socialise and get out just 1 day a week has helped me get back into society. Learning about gardening gives a good sense of achievement and has made me want to learn more. Gardening is a good healer, this course has given me a reason to want to live life again."
Sue Stuart, Battersea Garden Project Manager, said: "These quotes have really touched me about the work we do with people living with mental ill health.
"It's about the 'lift' which people get from being given an opportunity to pursue their ambitions and aspirations and the positive impact on recovery which that can have.