Projects
Below you'll find details of our latest projects here at the Hub!
This project aims to gather collective voice in Moray around mental health and drug and alcohol recovery supports and services, placing Moray Wellbeing Hub as a ‘critical friend’ to statutory services and aiding evaluation of delivery.
Here you will find our most up to date collective voice reports. These have been reviewed by Moray Health and Social Care Moray as being suitable to share publicly.
If you would like to contribute please complete this form to share your views or contact us for a chat with one of our Champions here.
Background:
Since 2022 Moray Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCM) and the Moray Drug and Alcohol Partnership (MADP) have resourced Moray Wellbeing Hub (MWH) to support the vital role of lived and living experience in the ongoing delivery and development of local services. This resource is used in parallel with direct funding MWH has leveraged for active citizenship, self-management and peer-research, with the ambition of making lived and living experience core to delivery of improving the mental health of Moray.
Since February 2023 this information is then shared directly through HSCM and MADP to delivery partners via a bi-monthly collective voice report and verbally in strategic groups. The ambition was to also create a version for use by the public via the MWH website. In February 2024 the public report was created and this webpage followed soon after.
Mental Wealth in Moray: Building a Community Research Network
The ‘Mental Wealth in Moray Community Research Network’ (CRN) is a collection of partners from the community of Moray (and immediate surrounding areas) who are researching what works well in creating mental wealth in Moray through the co-creation of solutions and community-driven action.
By catalysing this spirit of collaboration, the Community Research Network aims to increase learning about the local challenges and formalising structures that may help transform mental health and wellbeing in the community.
Moray Wellbeing Hub, alongside our fellow founding partner the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre, invite community organisations and residents of Moray and neighbouring areas to contribute to the CRN. Statutory partners are also encouraged to connect and explore their potential role in supporting the network.
Watch our film about the Community Research Network by clicking on the image below.
The network’s focus areas are being co-produced aligning with the needs of community and civil society. To date the CRN has:
- hosted workshops and exhibitions to inform public understanding and gain insights from the community
- fed into development processes underway for improving mental heath and wellbeing in Moray
- engaged with organisations in Moray and neighbouring areas to develop the network and stimulate collaboration with the network as it grows.
Thanks to all who joined us on 28th November at the Challenges and Ideas: Learning and Knowledge Exchange Event.
It was great to dive deeper into the exploration of Mental Wealth in Moray and to share findings from our work to date.
We wanted to thank you all for your feedback on the Challenges & Ideas paper. Our vision is for active, meaningful engagement of a broad and diverse range of partners, community members and statutory organisations with the aim of creating and embedding mental wealth in Moray. Therefore we are now delighted to share the initial paper here and invite further feedback on the interim findings.
You can read the Challenges, Ideas and Where We Go From Here Paper by clicking on the image below.
You can feedback on the paper here. Please note this consultation phase will close on the 18th March 2024.
We look forward to receiving your feedback.
For queries or requests please email hello@moraywellbeinghub.org.uk or phone (answerphone) 01343 576219
Funded by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the work is led by Moray Wellbeing Hub and the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre.
- Drop-in peer-support: Forres and Elgin Mondays, Elgin and Buckie Tuesdays
- 1-2-1 support and digital wellbeing reviews
- Devices and connectivityFor local organisations and supporters:
- Bespoke training
- materials
- support to increase their confidence as Digital Champions around wellbeing.First event for supporters – October 2023!
- Mondays: Forres Medical Centre 10-12noon
Exploring what works well to support mums and dads from pregnancy through the first few years of their child’s life, this project aimed to boost the mental health of those involved, and create learning to help improve the services of the future in Moray.
Focusing on the support parents can give one another, this year-long project has seen events, groups and surveys hosted by Moray Wellbeing Hub CIC with partners Children 1st and Moray College UHI. Fronting the activity has been a group of parents supported with training and mentoring to lead the project as peer-researchers. They have heard the voices of experience including some of those seldom heard.
Parents initiated the project as part of a group of Champions, members of the social movement for change hosted by Moray Wellbeing Hub, “When I had mental illness, I felt fearful that I was letting my child down when they were born. I wanted to know things would be ok, I was terrified, and professionals could not do everything to reassure me. I wish I had the right peer-support then as I have now through being a Champion and parents groups. It can be better, and I think we can do it together.”
Mental health challenges in pregnancy and while caring for infants can be stigmatised, both for mothers and fathers, which can stop people getting the help they need to get better. This not only affects parents but their infants and their wider family. Peer-support, where those who have experienced similar challenges support others, has been shown to be successful for many people in improving their sense of connection, hope and empowerment.
Peer-Support: What's that?
Great well-being is best described as having CHIME:
Connection, Hope, Identity, Meaning, Empowerment.
The key to creating CHIME are others. Humans are social beings and we need each other. This looks like a network of support; people giving and receiving.
This is also known as peer support, where people, connect with each other through shared similar experiences (and support each other).
To understand more watch this short animation:
How can I get involved in growing peer support in Moray?
Join us through Peer Support in Moray! Moray Wellbeing Hub is just one of a group of partners keen to help alongside SAMH and Scottish Recovery Network .
Together, since 2022, we have hosted network events to help empower and connect those offering peer-support directly. In 2023 this expanded to those who help make peer-support possible such as managers, leaders and employers. For future events check out the Moray Wellness College pages.
The events were made possible with funding support from the Moray Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.
After 2022's success with the first ever Walk of Hope in Moray, we hope you can join us in the lead up to this year's Suicide Prevention Awareness Week 2023 at one or more of our four walks. We will walk in the early hours seeing in the dawn together and finding hope around suicide. The aim of the events is to bring people of all ages from across Moray together (under 16 accompanied by an adult) to walk into the light.
Join us for a Walk of Hope, September 2023, from 5.40am-7.10am - all welcome.
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2nd Sept Elgin
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3rd Sept Forres
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9th Sept Fochabers
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10th Sept Lossiemouth
Register for the event here and keep up to date with location meeting points
This will be a walk to remember those people we have lost to suicide. A walk to support those living with suicidal thoughts and stand in solidarity with them. A walk of companionship and consolidation, of compassion and awareness raising.
We will gather in each of the locations (meet up point will be confirmed post booking) at 5:40am in the morning and make our way for a commemorative and reflective walk, combining the power of silence and the power of sharing.
As hosts to the gathering, Moray Wellbeing Hub will provide walk facilitators who are mental health first aid trained who will help to guide the walk and support any sharing, as well as signpost to local supports. We will also be joined by a variety of partners from the North East Suicide Prevention Working group. Together we also hope to provide refreshments post walk - TBC.
A Walk of Hope is free to attend, however the final details for those wishing to join will be made available by email to those registering online to ensure that sufficient planning can be in place.
These events have been made possible with funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, made possible by National Lottery players.
What is the Making Recover Real Partnership and why was it established?
Translating the Moray Mental Health and Wellbeing strategy (Good Mental Health for all in Moray 2016 - 2026) into action, the Making Recovery Real Partnership is designed to be a meaningful and mutual balance of lived experience and professional expertise.
The group was established in 2014/15 to co-produce the Moray Mental Health and Wellbeing strategy (Good Mental Health for all in Moray 2016 – 2026: Download Document) into action. In 2018 the Making Recovery Real Partnership and the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leadership Group made the decision to merge in recognition of the extent to which the MRRP was driving delivery of the strategy.
You can read more about how the partnership is run and it’s values in the Terms of Reference. Download Document.
Moray Wellbeing Hub have been leading a campaign around Neurodiversity in a bid to explore how we are all wired differently and the impact of the language we use around this on stigma. Autism, dyslexia and ADHD are just some of the diagnosis labels included under the term ‘Neurodiversity’, but there are many more. A neurodiverse community approach harnesses the potential to raise positive and inclusive awareness and celebrate uniqueness of people with different brain wirings.
The project began in November 2019 and has seen a number of events including walks, focus sessions, creative sessions and our very own ‘We are all Wired Differently’ t-shirt.
The neurodivergent action group has designed a strength-based leaflet to challenge misconceptions and encourage an open mind to celebrate unique qualities and strengths. Download the Leaflet
Have a look at the Neurodiversity Pathway tool that has been designed to enable people to find the support that is right for them at that time: https://discoverpathwaysmoray.org.uk/
To celebrate different brain wirings, raise awareness and give it the positive attention neurodiversity deserves, we have also produced a short film, this can be viewed on our YouTube channel: Neurodiversity Film
In its two-year run the project had already made a difference to those involved. One member of the Neurodiversity action group was happy to share their story:
“My journey in Neurodiversity (ND) started earlier this year, when I was trying to find information and support for my newly diagnosed Autistic Son. Within this journey I have discovered that my family and myself are Neurodivergent too, as like so many other families before me.
My stereotypical views prior to this year had clouded my understanding and I want to be part of breaking the stigma. It is tiring navigating the ND journey with so little people and professionals understanding and being aware of what Neurodiversity is.
Being part of the ND action group through MWH has been uplifting. Being able to give my input, hearing and learning from the other ND's in the group is enlightening. Learning about the other's and their challenges and what helps them cope has helped me understand their struggles and that we can do positive things to make ND lives easier.
Helping to produce and promote an informative and positive ND leaflet that can be shared instead of the pathological view of doom and gloom in a diagnosis. We need to celebrate our differences, not fear our futures. I am excited to have a "Leaflet" in my hand to give to others so they too can celebrate. To be able to enlighten others, who want some answers, who want to understand, who want some support, who want to be heard. I am looking forward to being a part of more Neurodiversity actions."
Families Outside in partnership with Moray Wellbeing Hub CIC conducted a piece of peer-research to explore the key question; what keeps people out of prison / prevents reoffending?
Seeking to gather information through a series of engagement methods with offenders, family members, partner organisations and the wider community, we captured the voices of those with lived experience, alongside professional and public opinion. The output of this would then be used to improve access to services and support needed for individuals at risk of offending / re-offending in Moray.
Activity:
- Online survey open to the public
- Outreach in community
- Hosting a specific focus group
- 1-2-1 interviews with prisoners and family members
- Creative output to increase awareness of the issues
Summary of project success and learning:
Community justice has proven to be a sensitive subject for people with lived experience, however despite this, and the challenges of conducting research whilst the COVID pandemic continued to impact our activity, we did get data useful for ourselves as partners working to support community justice and the Community Justice Partnership in Moray who asked us to undertake this.
The survey provided a wide range of perspectives and emerging needs, the outreach increased the discussions in the community on this subject and the 1-2-1 interview process has provided meaningful in-depth insight into challenges people with lived experience face.
The learning from this project is to continue to explore mechanisms to attract and engage lived experience from this perspective, seeking a format that best suits the sensitivities of the subject to enable further engagement. The opportunity has arisen to explore providing peer support for family members of ex-offenders, which has been a very positive outcome.
Watch our short video here
View Report
