New activity centre for adults with serious mental illness opens in Oxford
Charity unveils its communal hub in Headington during Mental Health Awareness Week
A new activity centre designed to support adults living with serious mental illness and complex mental health needs is opening in Oxford today.
The communal hub has been created by local charity Response at its Scrutton Close supported housing site in Headington.
It aims to provide residents with a safe and welcoming space where they can connect with others, build confidence and develop practical life skills as they progress towards more independent living.
Scrutton Close currently provides supported accommodation for 15 adults with clinically diagnosed serious mental illnesses, including conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and clinical depression.
Residents live in self-contained flats with their own kitchenettes and en-suite bathrooms, while receiving ongoing support with recovery planning, medication management and daily living skills.
Until now, the site had no dedicated communal area for residents to meet together.
Response raised more than £40,000 to create the new centre, which staff member Emma Murphy said would give residents “somewhere communal that they can gather together as a group and do meaningful activities and access various support”.
The centre will host a range of activities including arts and crafts sessions, music workshops, gardening projects, cooking and meal planning classes, budgeting support and movie nights.
Staff will also help residents learn to use online tools, which can often be challenging for people transitioning from long periods in psychiatric care.
“We want to make sure that there's digital inclusion for our residents, so they have access to SIM cards and services for their appointments, because more and more things are accessible via apps nowadays,” Emma said.
Response says residents have played a key role in shaping the new centre, helping to decide everything from the activities on offer to the decoration and furnishings inside the space.
Emma said: “We like to co-produce our services with the people that we support, so they have been very much part of the development of the centre from the start.
“Ultimately the space is for them, so we want it to be as useful and with them at the heart of it.”
The charity is confident that the facility will make a significant difference to the people they help care for.
Emma said: “We know that the more access to meaningful activities that our residents can have, the better progress we see in their mental health.
“It gives them a purpose, which helps them progress positively.”
She added: “Having safe, stable housing is incredibly important for mental health, but people also need opportunities to connect, build confidence and regain independence and this centre gives residents a space where they can do that.”