Innovation Fund Feedback from our friends at the Abbey Centre

The Abbey Centre was awarded the Innovation Fund to host a Healthy Minds Networking Event on the 11th April 2018.

Healthy Minds Networking Event enabled 34 partner organisations to come together and promote their services, offer taster sessions and engage with service users.

A total of 67 service users attended, where they were able to engage with service various organisations (voluntary and statutory sector organisations in Westminster), pick up useful information, enjoy the wellbeing therapies, have some food & refreshments, network and try out the taster sessions.

The taster sessions that were available included: singing, drama, hula hopping, dancing, a motivational speech by a life coach, and wellbeing therapy sessions. Feedback was collected from the service users about the services they would like to see delivered at the Abbey Centre.

The events also provided a space and opportunity for Partner organisations to network with each other and promote their services. As a result of the networking, the Abbey Centre were able to  delivered a taster session to promote wellbeing in one of the local hostels to encourage engagement as well as delivering joined wellbeing sessions with other organisations.

The Abbey Centre has seen an increase in referrals, including long-term non-engaging individuals. There was also an increase in signposting residents to other services and new positive connections were made with various professionals.

One example of this was where the Abbey Centre provided a series of 12 week Life Coaching sessions, which were attended by 29 service users. Participants were able to explore different topics each week including; confidence building, healing inner wounded child, clear communication, exploring personal boundaries, managing emotions, understanding effect of the belief on how we feel, why we behave the way we do etc.

The participants provided fantastic feedback and have requested for the session to continue. These were powerful confidence building sessions where arts and crafts and creativity were also used to help people express themselves and their personal issues that were discussed in the sessions.

The Abbey Centre provided feedback from the following:

Quotes form partner Organisations from the event

“Great event, great people, useful information and so much fun”

“It was very good. A good range of activities, which were engaging for residents.”

“Very informative, great opportunity to network. Greater selection of workshops. Well put together.”

“Thank you so much for inviting me!  It was a pleasure to meet you and see such an active, lively atmosphere; I spoke with most of the stand participants and learned a great deal”.  

Service User Feedback

“Just keep up the good work of providing a variety of free services. Thank you.”

“The best thing about the event was diversity and seeing that there is support for the vulnerable.”

“It was very well organised indeed.”

“It was good to come out of isolation and meet people and find out what is available in the area.”

“Helping someone could change their life.”

“The whole day was great. The people, food, music, all of the team.”

“I realised that we have a lovely community in this area.”

Quotes from service users attended sessions

 ‘’I loved being with people, sharing thoughts, ideas and plans’’

‘’I loved learning how to deal with inner feelings’’

‘’Enjoyed finding out about different methods and techniques for self-growth’’

‘’Talking and listening to others was very useful’’

‘’Amazing people’’

‘’Nisha’s (the coach) skills help understand self-growth’’

‘’Group mental health awareness exercise was thought provoking’’

‘’Please continue the  Life Coaching course on Mondays’’