Mind Jersey hopes to expand drop-in provision to other parts of the Island

MIND Jersey has ambitions to build on the success of its drop-in centre in St Helier – potentially working with other providers to expand support to other parts of the Island – according to the mental-health charity’s chief executive.

Dr Patricia Tumelty said that the drop-in centre, which is located in Seale Street behind the Town Hall, has been open for around three years.

Described as a “welcoming safe space with free refreshments and support”, the provision helps enable access to a range of services including one-to-one support.

“One of the things that people who use mental-health services across the Island said was that they needed a place to go where people could just feel comfortable and connected and less isolated,” Dr Tumelty said.

She said that the drop-in centre was one of the reasons that Mind Jersey was recently recognised during the Mind Excellence Awards.

“The assessors from the UK visited and they met a lot of people who come to the drop-in centre who have complex mental illness and cannot access the coffee shops and the cafes that we just take for granted.

“If we had our wish we would have one out west, we would have these hubs, because we know that they are spaces where people do feel they can get that connection.

“In the 80s and 90s, huge institutions were closed down with the promise of an extension of community care, but that didn’t happen – so we are filling the gap with providing community space for people.

“People are welcomed in a way that they feel respected and cared for, but they are not challenged to produce or to speak or to do things that they don’t want to do.”

Dr Tumelty said Mind Jersey would be “delighted to speak to other providers to consider how we could extend” the provision.