REMOVING the stigma and isolation associated with severe mental illness is an issue that continues to be a challenge, but a project in Wrexham is campaigning successfully to bring about change.

Hafal, meaning "equal" helps people with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, achieve a better quality of life, to fulfil their ambitions for recovery and to fight discrimination.

It gives them a voice and helps them to lead independent lives within the community, and in this way it also campaigns against the stigma and isolation associated with mental health.

One service user, Ian, started using the service three years ago.

Living a fulfilling life within the community, he visits Luke O'Connor House in Hightown to see his friends and also gets support in his home from the charity.

He was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 19 and enjoys going to the centre to see his friends and take part in the varied activities that go on there.

He said: "I come in here for a cup of tea and to see my friends.

"It's brilliant, I can't fault it and the staff are lovely."

Ian has a job in Queen's Park and works two days a week.

He enjoys cooking and is hoping to get part-time or full-time work in the future.

Much has changed in people's attitudes in the last 20 years and medical research into the subject of mental illness and raising awareness is ongoing.

Mike Underwood, 37, said that when he was first diagnosed with schizophrenia at 21, he had no idea what it was and was sent away from his GP with a prescription.

He had to find out for himself through reading books on the subject. He said: "When I was 18 or 19, I couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong.

"When I was diagnosed I didn't know what schizophrenia was and had to get books out to find out for myself."

But it is clear that things have moved on and he now has access to a range of sources of support.

He said: "I think it has got better and better in the last 10 to 15 years."

Mike talks to students at a nursing school in Wrexham on the subject of mental illness and has another lecture planned for March.

He said: "It has given me a lot of confidence and it went down really well.

"I got my first pay packet since I was about 20."

He enjoys keeping an allotment, has had a girlfriend for a year, who he met through the service, and is hoping to take up voluntary work in the future.

Service users enjoy a lot of activities at the centre – a place for everybody in the community to use – such as karaoke, football, cookery and using the computer.

The charity is run by the people it supports and is founded on the belief that people who have direct experience of mental illness know the best way to deliver services.

In practice this means that at every project clients meet to make decisions about how the service will move forward.

The charity itself is led by a board of trustees, most of whom have either had severe mental illness themselves or are the carers of someone with a mental illness.

Hafal has services based on what it describes as a "unique recovery programme".

Recovery means regaining mental health and achieving a better quality
of life.

Many people with severe mental illness can make a full recovery; others can make far greater progress than has traditionally been thought possible.

Teresa Petrykowski, North Wales manager of Hafal, said: "I think that the stigma around mental health is a real issue in the sort of publicity that mental illness attracts – when it comes to the sensational headlines.

"People can lead an independent life in their community and that's not a story that is told often.

"If you think back 20 years on the idea of recovery, it would have been laughed out of court that someone could live a fulfilling life or enjoy life."

Service manager Karen Edwards said that the building in Hightown where she is based was chosen because it is used by other groups in the community as well.

She said: "We wanted to offer support to people in the community as well as providing mental health support so we rented a place that is used by the all people in Hightown to promote integration and avoid isolation.

"There were a lot of people living in isolation and it's about bringing them in so they can mix with the community.

"The idea has been that people couldn't work, couldn't do anything or hold down a job, and we encourage people to do things for themselves.

"We want to get the message out that mental illness is not a threat."

The support service has been running for six years, after starting as a pilot scheme with 10 clients, and there are now 20 people with the community support staff, working towards their recovery.

The recovery programme in Wrexham is delivered through two services – Wrexham Outreach Tenancy Support (WOTS) and a family support service for those who care for loved ones with severe mental illness.

WOTS offers support to about 20 individuals living in the community, and help with their tenancies and integration into the local and wider community.

The aim is to help people in becoming self-sufficient, to live independently and sto tay healthy.

The Hafal WOTS team works with in partnership with, and receives direct referrals from, all three Community mental health teams in Wrexham.

WOTS members enjoy a number of weekly group activities, including football, swimming, badminton, music, and the very popular "relax and pamper" group.

Hafal is in partnership with Wrexham Training, which is a part of Coleg Llysfasi.

Courses in computing and information technology skills, which last 10 weeks, are available to clients, with one-to-one support available to people who don't yet feel confident enough to join the class itself.

A badminton-coaching course is currently in development, with the aim of traning clients to run the weekly badminton groups themselves, without support from staff.

All these groups and training courses have been requested and developed by the clients themselves, mostly through the quarterly partnership meetings.

The family support service continues to provide advice, information and advocacy to about 50 carers in the Wrexham area.

The service is firmly established among the three community mental health teams and there is a healthy professional respect and inclusion.

By supporting families and being able to offer funding towards the cost of breaks, the emphasis of family support is on promoting respite and helping carers identify their own needs.

Hafal's family support staff in Wrexham is in the process of taking over responsibility for offering and providing assessments of the needs of mental health carers.

Carers have a legal entitlement to be assessed as to their own support needs and in practice – to date – few carers have made use of their entitlement.

By educating carers, Hafal believes it can dismiss most of the misconceptions around carers' assessments, allowing carers to identify their own needs and any possible gaps in services.

Hafal campaigns vigorously through research, publications and through direct contact with AMs and MPs, to improve services for clients and families and to remove the stigma and isolation associated with severe
mental illness.