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"it's helped me think, yes, I am an ok person and that people value my opinion; it's good for your self esteem" Susan Rowlands

Open Minds Project

Open Minds is an innovative lottery funded programme to provide learning opportunities for community members with mental health issues and for people who are at risk of developing mental health issues, and the programme covers the whole of the Coleg Harlech WEA area.

If you would like to know more about Open Minds contact Sarah O'Connell Jones 01248 353254.

Since its launch in June 09 the team have been developing working partnerships with agencies who work with and support community members with mental health issues.

There are a number of elements that make Open Minds innovative. The curriculum model uses a thematic approach so learners have an opportunity to learn and explore through a range of subjects areas linked to an agreed theme. Additionally Open Minds can tailor the length and structure of courses to suit the needs of the group putting the learner central to the learning process.

Examples of courses currently being developed are

Learning and sharing through Welsh.

A group of learners with mental health issues identified a desire to learn welsh. The group is a mixture of skill levels – some have previously been welsh speaking but have lost their language skills and others are keen to learn but have never had the confidence to attend a welsh course.

Key issues identified were low confidence of the learners, many learners are fairly isolated, a need to build peer support skills into the course and an aim to have a self running peer support ‘Welsh coffee and chat mornings’ at some point in future.

The Open Minds course is focused around learning and sharing and will focus on conversational Welsh language skills delivered in a relaxed informal environment. The course will initially be non-accredited but learners will have the opportunity to progress onto accredited work in future.

The course will also bring in a range of activities all linked to the main theme – which will be decided in partnership with the learners and will aim to enhance and extend the learning opportunities. Suggestions so far have been a Welsh winter walk in Erddig to enhance confidence using descriptive language skills and an art session(s) which would enable learners to explore self expression through the medium of art and also be used as an opportunity to develop their expressive Welsh language skills.

Film Studies

A group of learners all with varying mental health issues have been engaged in a film studies course which focuses on building key skills in using camcorders and film making whilst also focusing on group work, confidence building, self expression and finding your voice.

The group have worked very well and have become passionate about film and the opportunities it can provide for people to share their views and thoughts. The group went on a visit to the film museum in Bradford where they were inspired by different techniques and are keen to progress onto the next level – accredited work.

Mastering the key techniques has given the group confidence to take their camcorders with them to events linked to their support services and their day to day lives – including filming their day to day activities within the support services they access and also filming at a multi-agency conference. They are now looking at putting together a group film which will bring in a range of additional elements such as enhanced production skills, script writing, editing etc.