World Mental Health Day takes place on 10th October every year, with the aim to raise awareness and start conversations about mental health.
This year’s theme is ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’, which looks at how people from different backgrounds, facing varying forms of discrimination and inequality were impacted by the ongoing struggles of lockdown and dealing with navigating through a global pandemic.
The World Health Organisation says: “From the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve been tracking its impact on people’s mental health. Our research has shown that some of the people struggling the most are those who were already facing considerable challenges – people with long term health conditions, or facing discrimination, or parenting on their own. That is why we are launching a £2 million Covid Response Programme to work with partners to help some of the people who have been hardest hit.
Here at Getaway Girls, we run two mental health-focused groups, where our girls are able to have a safe space to discuss their experiences, and utilise creative resources as an outlet.
She Writes
She Writes, which takes place on Wednesdays at 1 – 2.30pm, is a poetry and creative writing group where the girls write about their experiences with mental health. The group is open to any young women aged 18-25.
Leader of the She Writes group, Paulette Morris, says: “Creativity is the tool we use at Getaway Girls to help the women relax, explore, communicate feelings and emotions, be those positive or negative. Creative Arts are effective in reducing stress and anxiety, for example, being able to escape into a painting, song or poem helps to ease the mind”
Tyra, who is part of the She Writes Group, comments: “I love attending She Writes because other people can support you, and it’s great meeting like minded people. You can put your anxiety fears worries away and immerse yourself in another world, a safe place.”
Side by Side
Side by Side is a group for young women with lived experience of mental health, offering peer support and a safe space to discuss issues openly.
If you, or a young woman you know, would like any more information about our groups, please contact Paulette on 07535877090 or Flavia on 07535877093.
