1. Community Learning Mental Health Research Project Manchester Webinar
20th October 2016

2. Tackling Symptoms of Mental Ill Health through Adult Community Learning

3. Who are we? Back on Track Manchester Adult Education Service
CLMHR Phase 1 - Heads Up
5 Ways to Wellbeing
Connect; Take Notice; Be Active; Give; Keep Learning

4. Structure of Webinar Previous Research Adapting Heads Up for Phase 2
Our methodology for linking Mental Health symptoms with an established ACL activity
We will focus on the Connect Pathway
How this can be adapted to the rest of the 5 Ways to Wellbeing and other ACL courses

5. Why the 5 Ways to Wellbeing?
How do general ACL courses improve wellbeing?

6. Previous Research
Title: Examining the Effect of a Community-based Adult Learning Program on Well-being
Completed by an external Masters student on Back on Track and MAES Adult Community Learning provision
Interviewed Back on Track Learners
Produced Case Studies

7. about their Mental Health
Learner Quotes
about their Mental Health

8. Our families don’t understand because they are not feeling it…
I came back to Manchester at the end of February, and I was depressed. My mental state was just not there. I was trying out different things and I got told about this place…
My problem is depression and anxiety: that’s what my illness was. I don’t want to go out and talk to people.
Our families don’t understand because they are not feeling it…
Having a hidden illness is worse than having an illness you can see, so it’s easy to push people away, because you feel by pushing them away you are saving them from seeing the real you.
I have mental health problems but coming here gets me out of the house.

9. at MAES and Back on Track
Learner Quotes
about Connection
at MAES and Back on Track

10. You get to be with people who are in the same situation as you – there’s no fear of being different
I feel safe here. They offer you friendship and it makes you feel safe.
My depression goes up and down, but I can deal with it better now. I can go out instead of isolating myself.
It’s like being in a small community where we are equal, like a family.

11. Our methodology for linking Mental Health symptoms with Connect

12. How can the Connect pathway address common symptoms of anxiety and depression?
What causes people to lose connection?
When people lose connection, how might it make them feel?
How can we support people to reconnect?

13. What are the symptoms of mild–moderate mental health problems?
NHS guidelines for symptoms of depression and anxiety
Mental Health Self Assessments

14. … and how do these symptoms link to the Connect Pathway?

19. Challenging circumstances
lack of connection
Challenging circumstances
Life transitions
Past experiences
No obvious reason

20. Challenging circumstances
lack of connection
Feeling low
Feeling anxious
Feeling self-conscious
Feeling pre-occupied
Feeling bad about yourself
Losing interest in things
Feeling numb
Challenging circumstances
Life transitions
Past experiences
No obvious reason

21. Challenging circumstances
lack of connection
Withdrawing from familiar people
Losing confidence about connecting with new people
Disconnecting from own feelings
Feeling out of touch with society
Getting out of the habit of connecting
Feeling low
Feeling anxious
Feeling self-conscious
Feeling pre-occupied
Feeling bad about yourself
Losing interest in things
Feeling numb
Challenging circumstances
Life transitions
Past experiences
No obvious reason

22. Challenging circumstances
lack of connection
Withdrawing from familiar people
Losing confidence about connecting with new people
Disconnecting from own feelings
Feeling out of touch with society
Getting out of the habit of connecting
Challenging circumstances
Life transitions
Past experiences
No obvious reason

23. Challenging circumstances
lack of connection
Withdrawing from familiar people
Losing confidence about connecting with new people
Disconnecting from own feelings
Feeling out of touch with society
Getting out of the habit of connecting
Feeling low
Feeling anxious
Feeling self-conscious
Feeling pre-occupied
Feeling bad about yourself
Losing interest in things
Feeling numb
Challenging circumstances
Life transitions
Past experiences
No obvious reason

24. Challenging circumstances
lack of connection
Withdrawing from familiar people
Losing confidence about connecting with new people
Disconnecting from own feelings
Feeling out of touch with society
Getting out of the habit of connecting
Feeling low
Feeling anxious
Feeling self-conscious
Feeling pre-occupied
Feeling bad about yourself
Losing interest in things
Feeling numb
Challenging circumstances
Life transitions
Past experiences
No obvious reason

25. How to tackle lack of connection in a learning
environment?

26. lack of connection Withdrawing from familiar people
Losing confidence about connecting with new people
Disconnecting from own feelings
Feeling out of touch with society
Getting out of the habit of connecting
Provide a framework for connection and encourage reconnecting through structured activities
Teach and practise skills to help with communication
Teach activities to be able to connect with oneself
Encourage learners to discover and share with others their own ideas and strategies for connecting
Encourage learners to practise outside of the classroom, setting their own goals for connection

27. How can our course help with lack of connection?
From the previous research we know that general ACL helped
More focus on self-managing symptoms can help learners develop their own strategies outside of the classroom
We can raise learner awareness about what it is that is helping and why and increase motivation to self-manage
In this way, we hope to provide even better results for improved mental health because learners can take their learning beyond the classroom

28. Heads Up For the other 4 pathways we will follow this methodology of:
Look at the symptoms that link with the pathway when it is absent or goes wrong
Consider why a person may ‘lose’ the ability to complete this pathway
Explore how re-engaging with the pathway can provide self-management strategies for a learner

29. Tackling symptoms of ill health through Adult Community Learning
Expand this methodology to any subject
Art
Drama
Music
Communication
Focus on how what symptoms link with the activity, and how by re-engaging with an activity can provide self-management techniques for learners with mild-moderate mental health problems.

30. Any Questions?