Recovery Pathways supports you to build futures through art, people and places – 2020 highlights
As we all know, 2020 was a tough year for everyone and required a lot of adapting to ensure we continue to provide the best support for our service users and community. Recovery Pathways, a service that aims to enable and support recovery by offering a unique and creative range of opportunities for positive mental health and wellbeing, had managed to do just that.
Throughout the year, the service engaged directly with more than 8,500 people across the city of Manchester with work throughout lockdown being greatly appreciated by service users. You can read some feedback below, taken from the Recovery Pathways 2020 Annual Report, which you can find in full via the link below.
RP Annual Report 2020 final.pdf
Creative Wellbeing arts sessions
Before the lockdown, Recovery Pathways offered creative wellbeing art sessions in person, based at Start and Studio One. Since then, the service has continued to support service users through phone calls, emails, doorstep deliveries and online courses.
Tutors have delivered their courses remotely with service users on individual caseloads and referrals have continued to be received throughout the year. The teams have also expanded their DIY art project pack series, Why Not Try. These packs are free to download by anyone and provide instructions to try a range of creative projects at home.
“Before lockdown I was doing a second rotation of photography and had started gardening.
I’ve had weekly phone calls and have kept in touch via email and had creative activities and cards through the post. I like getting the activities. They tend to go in my head on a subconscious level and I don’t always realise my photos have been influenced by them. I don’t always have it in front of me, but then I notice there’s a strong focus on pattern, or whatever else has been sent as an activity.
The restrictions for some people have been a downward spiral. For me it has been a boost as this course has gone on much longer than it would have done. It’s nice to have a prolonged contact. I think all the staff should give themselves a pat on the back. I don’t know how to thank them enough.” - Start service user
Tutors turned session workbooks into printable formats to either post or email on a weekly basis. This began to keep people connected with art and creativity at home.
“You have been so brilliant through this time. It would have been so easy to isolate but the weekly contact and art projects have helped so much to keep the feeling of connection.”
“Despite ‘Lockdown’, I have continued to work independently on creating artwork on an almost daily basis. I hope to apply to do an Art Foundation or Printmaking course next year and voluntary work assisting in leading sessions at Studio One if possible.
I would just like to add how grateful I am to the service for all the help, support and encouragement I have received. It truly is a life-saving service and I would not be here today if it were not for me engaging and appreciating all that you have done and continue to do for me. Each of the tutors, in their own unique ways, meet service users where they are, support us without judgement, really ‘hear’ us and acknowledge our needs and find ways best-suited to each individual to ‘come back to life’ in a gentle, beautiful way. I cannot find words to express my heartfelt thanks for all you do.” - Studio One service users
Benchmark
The Benchmark team completed a large commission for the GMMH Chaplaincy of 18 Spiritual Care Trolleys to enable service users to access and practise their spiritual beliefs at sites across the Trust.
IPS Employment Service
IPS Employment Specialists supported 26 people into work, 28 people into education/training and 14 people into work related volunteering/training as part of their journey to reaching their employment goals
Other highlights of the report detail No. 93’s continued support to the community through their partnership with Healthy Me Healthy Communities, helping isolated people through lockdown. The Manchester Wellbeing Fund (MWF) continued to support local projects throughout the pandemic. Between October 2019 to September 2020, MWF have funded over 300 projects with grants totalling almost £345,000. And Recovery Pathways have also continued to support their volunteers remotely throughout the lockdown.
