In April 2021 Durham County Council decided to commission a new collaborative approach to a range of support services including prevention, early identification and recovery support for people who are experiencing mental health issues. This collaborative approach is known as an ‘Alliance’ where a number of providers pool together their skills, knowledge and resources for the benefit of people in County Durham and aim to provide an improved streamlined service.
Aim, vision, mission and values.
Our aim: to build resilience, supporting people to thrive.
Our vision: to connect communities, drive innovation and empower people.
Our mission: to work together to improve mental health and wellbeing across County Durham.
Our values:
Empowerment – we will help people to be more confident and resilient.
Accountability – together we share responsibility for delivering the best possible mental health services in Durham.
Connection – we’re connected with each other, service users and with local communities.
Innovation – we’ll change the way we work and transform our services.
The Alliance is a free service for people to access and will provide mental health, wellbeing and recovery services to those needing support. The type of support available will include:
Supported Accommodation
Supporting people to reach their full potential and take control over their own lives to enable them in their recovery, lessening the impact of mental health issues to live independently.
Physical Activities
Promoting health and wellbeing through participation in physical activity. This can be walking, gardening, swimming and bike riding. All activities are devised in coproduction with our service users.
Support with Employment
Employment support to enable retention of employment for people struggling with their mental health, support to look into volunteering opportunities and finding vocational training, delivered on a 1-1 basis or in small groups.
Befriending
One-to-one and peer support to reduce isolation and support links to activities within the community. To increase confidence and build self-esteem.
Vocational & Educational Activities
Training and Educational Programmes: A variety of courses provided in community venues or provider subcontractor buildings. Courses range from leisure, vocational, credited and non-accredited.
Mental Health Hospital Discharge Service
To reduce hospital readmission whilst enabling tenancy sustainment alongside good mental health, this service is available to all patients who have a housing related support need and are an inpatient on the Acute Mental Health wards in County Durham.
Suicide Postvention Support
Person centred, practical and emotional one-to-one support for those bereaved or affected by suicide (face to face in community venues and home visits/ virtual, dependent on needs).
Peer Support
Group based support services for service users, using their own experiences to help each other.
Drop-in Service
Group support offered across County Durham in a variety of local community venues or provider buildings. Groups offer courses and activities that reduce social isolation, promote wellbeing and encourage participation.
Relationship Support
Counselling for adult relationships (couples), adult individual Service Users, families, children, and young people. Support including but not limited to, Psychosexual Therapy Reducing Parental Conflict interventions, Mentalisation, Parenting When Separated.
Bereavement
Bereavement support via specialist trained bereavement volunteers. The Service includes, but is not limited to advice, support, information and leaflets as well as telephone/zoom support, face-to-face support and drop in dependent on Service User’s needs.
Women Only Activities
Welcoming safe space to learn, socialise and gain confidence. Courses, support and wellbeing services both online and from a women-only centre.
Floating support (support in your own home or in the community)
Housing Related Support/Floating Support: Providing structured and outcome focused support, with person centred goals developed with each individual on a one-to-one basis. Including help to manage mental health conditions and develop techniques to support recovery, and support to attend appointments. Providing guidance and emotional support, promoting confidence and improved self-esteem.
The Alliance does not provide support with personal care, dressing, bathing or administration of medication.
Alliance Members
Home Group
Home Group is a social enterprise that supports some of the most vulnerable in society, including people with mental and physical health issues.
Creative Support
Creative Support is a not-for-profit organisation promoting the independence, inclusion and wellbeing of people with care and support needs.
Richmond Fellowship
Richmond Fellowship is a national mental health charity Making Recovery Reality for thousands of people every year.
If U Care Share
If U Care Share Foundation provide bespoke practical and emotional support to those impacted by suicide in County Durham.
Mental Health Matters
Mental Health Matters (MHM) is a national charity with over 35 years of experience in delivering high-quality mental health and social care services.
St. Margaret’s Centre
St Margaret’s Centre is an activity, support and training hub for adults in County Durham who need support with their mental health.
Waddington Street Centre
Waddington Street Centre (WSC) is a mental health charity based in Durham City.
Subcontractors
Aspire
Personal Development Service (Women) – offering women a range of educational, vocational, social and preventative services including counselling, advocacy, befriending and drop in facilities (Drop in – venue based group/peer support no appointment required open door policy).
Cruse
Bereavement Support Service – providing support to those that have suffered bereavement. Through the provision of advice, information counselling delivered by trained volunteers. To also raise the awareness of the needs of bereaved people and promote their interests.
ManHealth
ManHealth are the only voluntary sector organisation using a proactive approach to address the issue of male suicide. ManHealth provide free peer support groups across for men with depression and other mental health conditions.
PACT House
Drop-in – (venue based group/peer support no appointment required) providing Group Based support services for service users, to support and promote their recovery and positive emotional wellbeing. This service is available to people with mental health difficulties. Counselling sessions available to individuals referred by a social worker/care coordinator.
Relate
Relationship Support – providing a service across County Durham which aims to improve relationship skills and support individuals and groups to improve their relationships across a range of topic areas including psycho-sexual therapy.
The Hub of Wishes
Drop-in – (venue based group/peer support no appointment required) delivering a range of support including courses, therapeutic activities, advice and social interaction supporting those with needs around their mental wellbeing.
Welfare Rights
Delivering a specialist and client-centred welfare rights advice service to service users whose access to benefits or specific welfare benefit problems are having an adverse effect on their mental health.
In partnership with
