“The
Next Step is a unique place that welcomes those who have
experience of mental health difficulties into an environment that provides creative and engaging
activities where individuals flourish.”
We provide a year round programme of creative and engaging activities & workshops to support and enhance mental health and well-being. These include Open Art Studio, Craft Cafe, Restorative Yoga, Woodcraft, Singing, Knitting & Crochet, 5 Rhythms Dance, Mindfulness, Creative Writing. We also run a youth programme, dedicated to the 18 to 25 age group. All our activities are on an open access basis and facilitated by people qualified in their field. See our programme / calendar of events on the top right of this page.
The Next Step supports people who may have experienced depression, mental health or emotional difficulties in their lives. Such experience can make life very difficult. Work can be hard to get and many have to live on state benefits.
We provide a year round programme of creative and engaging activities & workshops to support and enhance mental health and well-being. These include Open Art Studio, Craft Cafe, Restorative Yoga, Woodcraft, Singing, Knitting & Crochet, 5 Rhythms Dance, Mindfulness, Creative Writing. We also run a youth programme, dedicated to the 18 to 25 age group. All our activities are on an open access basis and facilitated by people qualified in their field. See our programme / calendar of events on the top right of this page.
Ethos
We
support participants by providing a variety of activities and workshops they
can attend as and when and for as long as they wish. We do not provide therapy
or counselling. We do not intrude or inquire into their personal experience,
rather we allow the person to decide what works for them. We hope that by
participating in our programme, they will gain self confidence and self esteem,
form friendships and in time feel better in and about themselves. In this way
we hope participants will be better able to engage with friends, family and the
wider community.
Origins
Declan
was our inspiration. A casual meeting over coffee sometime in the
Autumn of 2009, many more
meetings,
discussions of options, and a search for funds culminated on 27th April 2011 in a 2 hour art class,
one day a week for 10 weeks at the Camden Palace Hotel community art centre,
led by professional artist Charlotte Donovan and funded by City Hall.
It
went well, all 10 participants seemed to like it. Many said that it
became a focal point of their week, something to look forward to. The Next Step
was up and running.
Developing over the years
We have gradually increased the
scope of activities provided. By September 2012 we were operating 2 days a
week, including one ‘self managed’ day (less costly!). Over time we managed to
secure the necessary funding to add further activities including wood-craft,
creative writing, mindfulness, singing, dance, yoga, knitting and crafts to the
point where we now operate 5 days a week. In 2015 the Camden Palace Hotel arts
centre closed. We were fortunate to be able to relocate to the Unitarian Church
in the city centre.
On 1st of January 2020 The Next Step becomes part of Cork Mental Health Foundation, which gives us the back up of a larger organisation while allowing autonomy of operation to preserve our particular member centred ethos.
On 1st of January 2020 The Next Step becomes part of Cork Mental Health Foundation, which gives us the back up of a larger organisation while allowing autonomy of operation to preserve our particular member centred ethos.
We are a volunteer run
organisation, we have no paid staff. We do pay facilitators to run most activities but some are facilitated by volunteers, people who initially came as
participants. We believe in openness and transparency and regularly consult with participants.
We have been fortunate in receiving adequate funding over the years. We now get 50% from the HSE and a further 15% from small
weekly contributions from participants. The balance has come from a variety of sources.
Do participants benefit?
The Next Step provides an alternative approach for people with mental health difficulties. Our belief is that through attendance at our workshops and activities, in a safe and
welcoming environment they might improve self confidence and self esteem, the
better able thereby to engage with friends, family and the wider community. We make no judgement on what is the best approach. For some, The Next Step works very well. Others may seek something different. There is no simple one-size-fits-all solution.
We were aware from the outset that there was good evidence for the benefit of art in fostering good mental health.
We were aware from the outset that there was good evidence for the benefit of art in fostering good mental health.
Beyond
Diagnosis found that the arts in mental health are a tool to recognise people’s
resourcefulness and multiple
skills, which are often lost when they become ‘patients’ in a mental health service.
and
The
Arts + Minds Research Project provides clear evidence of the value of the arts
in mental health in promoting
individual wellbeing, recovery-oriented practice and social inclusion for
people experiencing mental health
difficulties.
We have sought feedback from participants on a number of occasions. The following is a sample of comments received:
“In a quiet space in the middle of
the city there exists The Next Step, a little bit of magic, a place where all
this happens:
...“expression, exploring,
acceptance”... ...“renaissance”... ...“exploring art + enjoying it”... ...“A place to enrich my spirit”... ...“It allows me to express myself in
colour”...
We are a collective of
individuals who come together and find a friendly welcome and a space to let
the creativity within find expression. In other words: we paint, we draw, we
print, we learn techniques; we chat, we sew, we make, we grow; we dabble, we
think, we laugh, we drink (tea + coffee!). We sing, we dance, we meditate; we
come and go, let ideas flow, we feel supported, enriched, safe, encouraged.
Sometimes we’re just messin’ - but that’s OK, ‘cos there’s no ‘right’ way!
We’re just free to explore once we walk in that door, and we can leave it all
behind, ease our troubled minds and enter a small piece of heaven. Let’s hope
it lasts for ever.”
and:
“I was referred to this service at a time
in my life when I was recovering from mental distress, and it proved invaluable
to me. Through it I made wonderful friends and developed my skills as an artist
and writer. I have learned so much along the way about the creative process,
about life and about myself. Just watching people flourish in the group has
been an incredible experience.”
some further individual comments:
Feel safe… Have something in common with
other participants… Gets me out of the house… Just enjoy being there… I’m
happier… Gained more control over my emotions… More confident… Made me feel
good about myself… Less nervous… Better self esteem… Motivated to get up out of
bed… It saved my life
Some participants have gone on to facilitate activities themselves, no small indication of a transformation in their lives.
All this is very heartening and makes us aware of what an important and worthwhile place in peoples’ lives is The Next Step.
All this is very heartening and makes us aware of what an important and worthwhile place in peoples’ lives is The Next Step.
We look forward to our continuing development in our new alliance with Cork Mental Health Foundation
