Argyll and Bute Council on behalf of Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership are seeking to appoint 4 workers to meet the following:

• To respond to young people’s health queries posted on the cool2talk website enabling easy access to personalised information or onward referral to appropriate services.
• Maintain and develop a robust network of partners to contact for advice regarding the questions asked by young people.
• Work as part of a team of four Cool2Talk Support Workers who will provide this service and supply relevant information and support to colleagues who are on the rota about services in your nominated locality.
• Have a thorough knowledge of services for support and support pathways which young people can access in Argyll and Bute and Nationally.
• To consult young people in order to develop the service and to evaluate the provision appropriately.
• To work with colleagues in NHS, Local Authority Education and other statutory and voluntary agencies to promote and develop the service
• Contribute to the promotion of the One2One on line counselling service.

Closing date 10/04/2017 @ 12:00

For further information and to apply go to:

http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAR278217

Good mental health helps us flourish and positive relationships can play a part in this with research highlighting that positive relationships can help us to stay well and recover from illness. With mental health problems being one of the main causes of the overall disease burden worldwide it suggests we should be taking steps to improve our mental wellbeing.

Mental Health Awareness week this year is focusing upon relationships. Good relationships help us live longer and happier lives with fewer physical and mental health problems. Fewer relationships can contribute to loneliness. Research suggests that 31% of people feel lonely sometimes and the negative effect of loneliness has health consequences such as higher blood pressure, depression and higher rates of mortality.

The Mental Health Foundation believes that we cannot flourish as individuals or communities without strong relationships. Action we can take is to invest in our relationships – make time to spend with family and friends, really listen and engage with things they talk about. Helensburgh and Lomond Young Carers produced a short video for Scotlands Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 2015 which highlights the importance of talking and listening. The film, Talking is Power can be viewed along with two other films developed by young people and the Choose Life Project, on NHS Highlands Facebook page.

Notes to Editors: Mental Health Awareness Week runs from the 16th May to the 22nd May and focuses on relationships. The Mental Health Foundation leads on this event: for more information about the event go to: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week.

There will be various awareness raising activities happening around Argyll and Bute such as promotion of some recent work developed by Choose Life (the suicide prevention project in Argyll and Bute), and young people in Oban and Tarbet High Schools. These short films discuss feelings which can precede common mental health issues, http://www.tigershark.tv/tarbert and talking about self harm http://www.tigershark.tv/selfharming or on the NHS Highland Facebook page. In addition, the Helensburgh and Lomond Young Carers have also developed a short film which promotes the value of talking in building and maintaining relationships. It can be viewed at: http://www.tigershark.tv/talking.

Argyll and Bute CHP is delighted to announce that it is continuing to fund local health and wellbeing initiatives.Despite ongoing pressure on health budgets a total of £66,700 will be distributed as follows:

Bute:  £5,843, Cowal: £12,569, Helensburgh: £16,347, Islay & Jura: £3,019,  Kintyre: £6,650, Mid Argyll: £7,069, Mull, Coll & Tiree: £3,159, Oban Lorn and Inner Isles: £12,044

This funding is for activities to improve the health of the population such as increasing participation in physical activity opportunities, creating opportunities for older people to socialise with each and health fairs in local communities. Priority will be given to initiatives that can demonstrate they are reducing health inequalities, that means focusing on the people who are most in need, for example deprived communities likely to experience poor health.

Funding is accessed via the Local Health and Wellbeing Network by completing an application form

HWF Application Form 2016-2017

HWF Application Pack 2016-2017

For more information please contact your local Health and Wellbeing Network coordinator.

• Bute – Dee James, bhwn@homestartmajik.eclipse.co.uk
• Cowal – Dee James, chwn@homestartmajik.eclipse.co.uk (Interim Coordinator)
• Helensburgh – Morevain Martin, morevain@argylltsi.org.uk
• Islay and Jura – Gill Chasemore, Gill@argylltsi.org.uk
• Kintyre – Dee James, khwn@homestartmajik.eclipse.co.uk (Interim Coordinator)
• Mid Argyll – Antonia Baird, Antonia.Baird@argyll-bute.gov.uk
• Mull, Coll & Tiree – Carol Flett, tcmhwn@gmail.com
• Oban, Lorn & Inner Isles – Eleanor McKinnon, olihwn@gmail.com

Argyll and Bute Social Enterprise Network previously gathered feedback and undertook survey analysis with members over the past 8 years.  This year, it was possible to build on this work by making links with the national social enterprise census.  The Social Value Lab were engaged to undertake further research and analysis to produce a report mapping social enterprise in Argyll and Bute showing that 45% of the local social enterprises address health and wellbeing. The report provides robust information to assist the newly merged TSI, partner organisations and agencies to support the growth and development of social enterprise in Argyll and Bute and to work with enterprises to continue to develop and deliver innovative solutions to issues and aspirations in the communities of Argyll.

To see the full report click here: ABSEN Social Enterprise Mapping Report