Dartford,
Gravesham & Swanley MIND is an independent local MIND
association affiliated to National MIND; it is a
registered charity and a company limited by guarantee.
DGS MIND serves residents of the Dartford, Gravesham
Borough (Gravesend and surrounding areas) and Swanley
areas of North West Kent; it works with people with
mental health problems to effect personal and social
change. It campaigns in response to local and national
concerns and provides mental health education.
Originally formed in 1967, DGS MIND now employs 17
full-time and part-time staff, and enjoys the support of
over 60 volunteers. It is committed to equality of
opportunity and employs people from all sections of the
community.
Our offices are located in the (Twisleton) Almshouses at
the bottom of West Hill in central Dartford. These
historic buildings, with their large period garden, are
named after local benefactor, John Twisleton, who had
them built in 1704. They have been modernised internally
to provide a pleasant working environment for staff and
volunteers.
Our work is funded from various sources: Joint funding
from KCC Social Services and Dartford, Gravesham &
Swanley Primary Care Trust; grants; donations; and our
own fundraising activities.
Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley
MIND is actively committed to being a high quality
organisation, both in the way we carry out our
business and in the way our services are delivered
to the local community. We continuously assess our
work and seek to improve by adopting the Quality
Management in Mind standard and are Investors in
People.
MIND Services: the Housing Scheme provides accommodation
for single people who have experienced mental health
problems, and need some degree of support in order to
live independently in the community. There are 27
individual flats on 5 different sites.
Drop-In Centres (located centrally in Dartford,
Gravesham and Swanley) offer a meeting place for those
experiencing or recovering from mental ill health, and
are ready for social interaction. Members have an
opportunity to make new friends, to join in and help
organize the many activities, and to get individual
support.
The Moving on Scheme aims to help people improve their
self-confidence and self-esteem by providing
time-limited support following a period of mental
distress. Befrienders meet clients on a one-to-one basis
and help them to regain confidence, develop coping
skills, and reduce their isolation.
The Carers
Support Project provides information and support for
those caring for people with a mental health
problem. It also provides a listening ear;
development of carers support groups; and carer's
breaks.
Our Garden Project, based at the Almshouses, allows
members to learn more about gardening as a therapeutic
hobby, and enjoy the outdoor activity and satisfaction
at seeing the MIND garden grow and develop during the
seasons. There is also an allotment.
The Helpline and Resources Project provides a
confidential, free-phone helpline and a resource room.
The helpline assists people in mental distress by using
listening skills, and by providing information on
treatments and conditions. There is a comprehensive
database of local and national mental health services.
The resource room has a wide range of mental health
publications and books, a lending library with many
self-help books, and access to the internet.
We organize group work in response to specific local
needs. Groups are facilitated by a professional.
Recently groups have run on: Depression; Post-natal
Depression; and Anger Management. More informal groups
have been run, for example: R U Ready for Change, a
course for people ready to look at themselves and make
positive changes.
We provide placements for police recruits,
social worker students and trainee
mental health nurses.
One-to-one counselling is available from our
counsellors.
Mental Health problems that we provide help and support
for include agoraphobia, anxiety, body dysphormic disorder (BDD),
depression, obsessive compulsive
disorder (OCD), Schizophrenia, and Bipolar (Manic
Depression).
Updated
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