Wellbeing Wednesday at Spark Community Space

October 24th, 2024 Posted in Blog
Spark partnership

Originally Rowans Living Well Services (LWS) provided a drop-in session on a Wellbeing Wednesday at Spark Community Space which led to conversations around having a regular session open to just Rowans Living Well Services at Spark. Offering a ‘Community Living Well Services Hub’ has been a new venture for us a team to work with. The support and enthusiasm from Becky and her team at Spark has made this possible and we feel we are making a real difference already. Here is a good example of the work so far.

We hold our regular drop-in session on a Monday with a LWS Nurse, a LWS Bereavement Support Volunteer and MacMillan Citizen Advice support. Our Staff Nurse Helen shares the experience of one person who attended the session:

One day we had a very distressed individual attending the LWS drop-in session, needing bereavement support. Through conversation, unpicking their particular situation, listening and providing validation, we normalised their grief and all the emotions they were experiencing.

With their agreement, we were then able to book them some Complementary Therapy which was very helpful to them. However, they did not have their own transport and therefore our volunteer drivers were asked to drive the individual to our Living Well Centre.

We have since continued the support at Spark, and referred to bereavement services for further assessment. This has created a bridge for this person and confidence to use our service. Had we not been there at Spark, this person would have never sought the support needed and had access to our services.

HelenWithout working at Spark Community Space, the LWS Nurse and team working there along with the LWS Manager feel really strongly, that people they are meeting would not reach out as far as the LWC due to transport, financial issues and not even wanting to venture away from their local communities. Its so important to be available in Southsea for this reason and to be inclusive to our whole catchment area. Being at Spark also helps to  signpost to all the brilliant activities at Spark Community Space throughout the week alleviating the feelings of isolation and aloneness.

We also work alongside CAB who compliment what we offer on a Monday for those with many questions around employment, benefits, housing and other concerns. This is a prefect example of charities and services working together and making  a huge difference rather than in isolation. ​

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