Help us break down the wall - Autumn 2008 appeal
For many people, getting up, dressed and going about a daily routine is driven by their having things to do and places to be each day. Pastimes can give life meaning and structure and make people feel that they are contributing.
People with severe mental illness can often find waking up and facing the day is extremely difficult. Dealing with the illness and medication, not being able to work, or even volunteer to develop skills, can be incredibly isolating, and can often result in a severe lack of purpose and plummeting self esteem.
By giving us whatever you can today you will be helping us to make the changes needed to give people with severe mental illness the opportunities they deserve. Any amount you give to Rethink will make a vast difference to what we can achieve.
Michael's story
Michael Owen experienced severe mental illness for several years. He stopped talking to people and eventually started drinking to suppress what was going on inside his head. Michael shared something of his experience with us. “I lost my job, I convinced myself I was absolutely worthless. I couldn’t share what was going on with anyone and in the end just tried to lose myself with drink.”
Things started to turn around for Michael when he sought help and managed to stop drinking. During his recovery he came across Rethink’s employment services. Michael explained:
“I was able to be totally open about what I had gone through. Rethink supported me on a training course to become a mentor for others with mental illness trying to work out what to do. Working as a mentor really taught me a lot about myself and what I could do. After just over a year a job came up in the service as an employment support worker and I applied. I was lucky enough to get it. Rethink helped me get back my self respect and showed me what I had to offer. I was able to feel like I was contributing again.”
Breaking down the wall - How Rethink is trying to change things
Offering support and skills to people who are recovering from severe mental illness is one thing. Dealing with the prejudices and stigma rife in the workplace, in the benefits system and in the recruitment processes are quite another. Did you know people with mental illness are the disabled group who want to work the most and yet are least likely to? Much of this is due
to confi dence and being given a chance. 41% of people with a mental health condition said they had not put in an application for a job because they believed they would be discriminated against.
With your support Rethink can help people with mental illness get fairer treatment .
Just as it was for Michael, Rethink view access to work and volunteering as a vital component of many people’s recovery from mental illness.
Our campaign ‘Breaking down the wall’ is aimed at tackling the issues preventing people with mental illness, or with a history of it, from finding fulfilling and meaningful occupations.
- We are lobbying government to change the law so that people don’t have to tell employers about their mental illness until they’ve met at interview. They’ve done this in the U.S, we’re meeting MPs, ministers and civil servants to make it fair here.
- Too many people with mental illness are unaware of what their rights are in employment-all
the law says is that employers should make a reasonable adjustment’. We’re starting a 3 year project to identify what has worked for people in the past and then we aim to tell local government and people affected what to do. - Many people with mental illness want to work part-time or do volunteering. This is good for people’s mental health and prevents people becoming isolated. However the benefits system can stop people ever being able to take these steps. We’ve already got the government to allow people to get paid for charity involvement without risking benefits. But we could do so much more with your help.
These are tall orders, we know, but we are committed to helping improve the lives of people like Michael.
We can only do this work with your help.
