Sheffield Mind, a mental health charity, is offering a free skills-building course to anyone over 18 “who wants to gain new skills they can take into the community or workplace”, starting 19 January. It is coordinated by Ieva Jaceviciute, Sheffield Mind’s mental health training coordinator.
The aims
The free course will focus on building professional skills, such as time management, problem-solving and interpersonal communication skills. Jaceviciute emphasised its aims to improve self-esteem and wellbeing of the participants, alongside building their confidence enough that they might go and apply those skills in the community or workplace.
Jaceviciute said: “There’s some people who might be struggling from mental health issues, learning disabilities, physical issues and may have been out of employment or voluntary work for so long that right now even though they can develop all of those skills or improve all of those skills or they already might have all of the skills they need to go out and about but they just, you know, might see a job ad and might think oh, I’m absolutely rubbish at this, I cannot do it, I don’t have the confidence to even apply.”
The course aims to give someone that push they need, Jaceviciute explained: “… this is why it’s called New Beginnings, because for somebody it might be that new beginning.”
Coffee breaks will take place during the sessions, and participants will share a light lunch afterward. Sheffield Mind aims to create a “relaxed space”.
Everything in the course is free of charge and will include group exercises to encourage people to collaborate.
Jaceviciute’s motivation
Jaceviciute spoke about her own experiences, including her move to the UK a few years ago as a student. It was a “new beginning” for her, and she realised after her education she needed to do something, yet held doubts about her ability to get a job and to work in her current field.
She said: “I just thought okay, I will search for the ways to improve, I will not give up and I will do this and so I just want to then create those opportunities to begin something new for other people too, because I know what it’s like to do that and it’s something I’m passionate about.”
How to get involved
The first group will run from the 19 January to 22 March every Friday from 10am to 1pm at their Wellbeing Centre.
Multiple skills-building courses are planned to run periodically throughout the following two years or so with changed timings and venues, opening the possibility for future opportunities.
To get involved people can complete a referral form on the website, or talk to a member of their team. More information, including information about future opportunities, can be found out by emailing training@sheffieldmind.co.uk, calling 0114 258 4489 or visiting their Wellbeing Centre.
