We’ve Got This has been created to support young people to feel more positive about themselves by providing them with fun, safe and purposeful environments to feel more empowered about their mental health and their lives. The project is delivered by Open Mental Health partner Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP) along with FUSE Performance, Young Somerset, 2BU, Minehead Eye and Conquest Centre.
The case study below outlines how this brilliant peer-to-peer project has empowered a young lady who had been struggling with finding ways of being active that suited her.
We’ve Got This | Grace’s Case Study
Background
Grace has spent a lot of time in inpatient care and for the last 6 months has been living in supported independent living. Grace wanted a space as a general outlet and time to relax as she doesn’t do this a lot.
What did Grace want to achieve?
Grace has been struggling with finding ways of being active that suit her as a person and expressed a love of the game of football and the want to reconnect with playing it.
Work that took place
What worked well?
“Week by week I came into our sessions more confident than the last and I always left sessions feeling that I had achieved something” Grace
“The reassurance that it wasn’t just six sessions and then the support would stop” Grace
Outcomes for Grace
Grace’s Outcomes
- Attended a community football club on own
- Joined the football club
- Played her first competitive match
- Went to a swimming pool
- Got changed at the pool
- Got in the pool
- Swam lengths of the pool
- Went out of her depth in the deep end
- Attended a family spa weekend
- Confidence to question things more
“More confidence and Self Esteem. A belief that I can do things and a reason to keep going”
“Before I met Bron I wouldn’t even step foot in a swimming pool”
“Bron helped me get back into football so much so that I am training every week and have signed onto the team, this was more of a long-term aim but I have managed it in 3 months”
-Grace
Evidence of joined up working
Linking in with the local football club and working with them to make sure it was the right environment for Grace.
Grace’s supported living placement worked with Bronwyn to come up with a graded exposure plan for the swimming.
The leisure centre where the pool is happily met with Bron and Grace and discussed with her her anxieties and showed her around the pool and changing rooms.
Key learning & points of note
- Being able to be led by Grace was key.
- Having the support be a ‘Peer’ mentor instantly made Grace feel at ease.
- Not being restricted to ‘number of sessions’ works really well.
Direct quotes from Grace
“I have achieved things that I never even imagined, and I have achieved things that my family probably never imagined too”
“Working with my mentor enabled me to enjoy a spa weekend away with my mum and sister without worrying what other people think”
– Grace