What is Changes?

Changes is a registered charity based in the heart of Stoke on Trent providing mental health support services throughout Staffordshire. We run wellbeing and recovery workshops, plus peer-support group meetings for adults, children and young people. In addition we also provide accredited training programmes, volunteer placement opportunities and social inclusion events for better mental health.

Changes Mission Statement
CHANGES aims to promote recovery, wellness and social inclusion.

Changes specific aims:

· Promoting recovery and
  mental wellbeing

· Enabling user involvement

· Influencing local and national
  policy and practise

· Promoting a more positive
  and accurate view of mental
  distress

Changes core activities:

· Providing weekly mutual-help
  groups for those in mental
  distress

· Providing regular ‘Wellbeing
  Workshops’

· Providing users with
  opportunities for training
  and volunteering

· Providing a menu of
  supported social activities
  and ‘Changes In2 Work’

· Providing a comprehensive
  information service

· Partnership & networking
  with local and national
  mental health organisations

· Providing recovery training
  to health & social care
  professionals

· Representation/input via
  national and local
  commissioning bodies/
  forums etc

· Providing regular press
  releases and involvement
  in mental health promotion
  initiatives

Description of  Changes Service

CHANGES is a user-led mental health charity providing a unique recovery service to those in mental distress, based on users attending weekly mutual help groups and following CHANGES 12 step recovery programme, (developed from users own experience in recovering from mental distress).  

Access to CHANGES service is open and open-ended.  Groups work on the principle of mutual help, i.e. where people in mental distress can join together to help each other.  To facilitate this process, groups are co-ordinated by 2 trained volunteers, (known as Co-ordinators) and follow a Group Method, (i.e. set agenda and protocol).

For a greater understanding of what Changes is about, please see our Changes Philosophy page.

Other aspects of Changes service provision include:

Opportunities for training and volunteering – Full support and accredited training is given to users wishing to carry out volunteer work for the organisation.  Changes Training Officer delivers a range of accredited training programmes related to volunteering and user of Changes service.  Changes Volunteer Liaison Officer provides ongoing support and supervision to users wishing to perform volunteer work in various areas of the organisation, i.e. as part of Changes Executive Committee, (the charity’s management body); an Office Worker, (involved in administration, fundraising, PR work etc); a Group Co-ordinator, (involved in service delivery). 

A menu of social activities – People experiencing mental distress often feel isolated and lack confidence in social situations.  To help overcome this, Changes Social Secretary organises and oversees regular social events, where users can feel safe and secure in practising their social skills.

An information service – Changes Information Officer has a substantial database covering all aspects of mental wellbeing, providing users with information regarding their condition, medication and other avenues of help and treatment.
Email: stoke@changes.org.uk