`Education at the heart of important boost to mental health services/Addysg wrth wraidd hwb pwysig ar gyfer gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl

Swansea University is playing a key role in a new initiative aimed at using the power of education to improve mental health services in the city.

It is involved in a partnership to launch a Recovery College in Swansea offering a wide range of new learning opportunities for people with mental illnesses and their families.

Based at Community Recovery Education and Skills Training (CREST) in Cwmbwrla, the college aims to build up participants’ self-esteem and confidence at the same time as their skills.

Mark Jones, from the Department of Adult Continuing Education, CREST manager  Steve Williams, Lord Mayor David Phillips, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Martin Stringer,  James Thomas, service provision manager for mental health services, Vanessa Knighton, occupational health and Nick Andrews,of the Wales School for Social Care Research at the launch.

Mark Jones, academic lead for the University’s Department of Adult Continuing Education (DACE), explained that people experiencing mental health can often be excluded from mainstream opportunities such as employment, education and training. This, in turn can lead to loneliness and worsening mental health and wellbeing.

He said: “Day centres and day opportunities have helped reduce some of these difficulties but are not enough to fully support these on their own.”

Recovery colleges, which are increasingly being developed across the UK, are learning establishments which offer the possibility of change and transformation for people who want to rebuild their lives.

The aim of the new college is to support individuals to live the life they want to lead and for them to become experts in their own self-care.

Manager of CREST Steve Williams, who opened the launch event, said: “This recovery college will provide the opportunity to transform people’s lives in a positive and empowering way working with educators in partnership.”

The University has collaborated on the project with Gower College Swansea and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to offer further education engagement and learning opportunities designed to help not only with personal goals but also to act as a potential step to further education, higher education or employment.

DACE will look to develop a reading group, offer taster lectures and experiences of higher education, as well as a short module experience that meets the needs of students within the recovery college.

Mark Jones added: “We want to use an educational approach to improve health and to complement support already offered by Swansea Council and Swansea Bay University Health Board.”

To mark the college’s development, stakeholders attended a special launch event at Taliesin Arts Centre at the University’s Singleton campus.

Guests at the Recovery College launch event held at Taliesin Arts Centre.

Endorsing the project, Lord Mayor of Swansea David Phillips said:  “This will create an environment where people who have experienced mental health issues can feel safe, welcomed, accepted and able to reach their full potential – it is a much-needed and excellent project for Swansea.”

Nick Andrews, of the Wales School for Social Care Research based at the University, described the development of the college as being in the true spirit of education as defined by Brazilian educator Paulo Freire – “the primary aim of which is to create a world in which it is easier to love”.

Swansea University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Martin Stringer added that the University was proud to be involved in such an exciting and innovative project: “This is an important development for supporting those people experiencing mental health and removing the barriers to education.”

The Swansea Recovery College will be opening its doors for an open day in the summer. To find out more about this exciting project

Addysg wrth wraidd hwb pwysig ar gyfer gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl

Mae gan Brifysgol Abertawe rôl allweddol mewn menter newydd sy’n ceisio defnyddio gallu addysg i wella gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl yn y ddinas.

Mae’n rhan o bartneriaeth i lansio Coleg Adfer yn Abertawe sy’n cynnig ystod eang o gyfleoedd dysgu newydd i bobl â salwch meddwl a’u teuluoedd.

Lleolir y Coleg yn y Ganolfan Gymunedol ar gyfer Adfer, Addysg a Hyfforddiant Sgiliau (CREST) yng Nghwmbwrla a’i nod yw codi hunan-barch a hyder cyfranogwyr ynghyd â’u sgiliau.

 Mark Jones, o’r Adran Addysg Barhaus Oedolion, Rheolwr CREST Steve Williams, Yr Arglwydd Faer David Philips, y Dirprwy Is-ganghellor Martin Stringer, James Thomas, Rheolwr Cyflenwi Gwasanaethau ar gyfer Gwasanaethau Iechyd Meddwl, VanessaKnighton, Iechyd Galwedigaethol a Nick Andrews o Ysgol Ymchwil Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru, yn y lansiad.

Esboniodd Mark Jones, Arweinydd Academaidd Adran Addysg Barhaus Oedolion (AABO) y Brifysgol, fod pobl sy’n profi iechyd meddwl yn aml yn cael eu heithrio rhag cyfleoedd prif ffrwd megis cyflogaeth, addysg a hyfforddiant.  Yn ei dro, gall hyn arwain at unigrwydd a lles ac iechyd meddwl gwaeth.

Meddai: “Mae canolfannau dydd a chyfleoedd dydd wedi helpu i leihau rhai o’r anawsterau hyn ond nid ydynt yn ddigon i’w cefnogi’n llawn ar eu pennau eu hunain.”

Mae Colegau Adfer, sy’n cael eu datblygu’n fwyfwy ar draws y DU, yn sefydliadau dysgu sy’n cynnig y posibilrwydd o newid a thrawsnewid i bobl sydd eisiau ailadeiladu eu bywydau.

Nod y Coleg newydd yw cefnogi unigolion i fyw’r bywyd y maent ei eisiau a chaniatáu iddynt ddod yn arbenigwyr yn eu hunan-ofal eu hunain.

Meddai Rheolwr CREST, Steve Williams, a agorodd y digwyddiad lansio: “Bydd y coleg adfer hwn yn cynnig cyfle i drawsnewid bywydau pobl mewn ffordd gadarnhaol a grymusol gan weithio ar y cyd ag addysgwyr.”

Mae’r Brifysgol wedi cydweithio ar y prosiect gyda Choleg Gŵyr Abertawe a Phrifysgol Cymru’r Drindod Dewi Sant i gynnig cyfleoedd ymgysylltu a dysgu mewn addysg bellach a ddyluniwyd i gynorthwyo gydag amcanion personol a hefyd i weithredu fel cam posibl tuag at addysg bellach, addysg uwch neu gyflogaeth.

Bydd AABO yn anelu at ddatblygu grŵp darllen, cynnig darlithoedd blas a phrofiadau o addysg uwch, yn ogystal â phrofiad o fodiwl byr sy’n diwallu anghenion myfyrwyr o fewn y coleg adfer.

Ychwanegodd Mark Jones: “Rydym am ddefnyddio ymagwedd addysgol at wella iechyd a chefnogi cymorth a gynigir eisoes gan Gyngor Abertawe a Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe.”

I ddathlu datblygiad y coleg, aeth rhanddeiliaid i ddigwyddiad lansio arbennig yng Nghanolfan Celfyddydau Taliesin yng nghampws Singleton y Brifysgol.

Gwesteion yn nigwyddiad lansio’r Coleg Adfer a gynhaliwyd yng Nghanolfan Celfyddydau Taliesin.

Wrth gefnogi’r prosiect, meddai Arglwydd Faer Abertawe David Phillips: “Bydd hyn yn creu amgylchedd lle mae pobl sydd wedi cael problemau iechyd meddwl yn gallu teimlo’n ddiogel, yn gartrefol a’u bod wedi cael eu derbyn ac yn gallu cyrraedd eu potensial llawn – mae’n brosiect ardderchog a hanfodol i Abertawe.

 Nododd Nick Andrews, o Ysgol Ymchwil Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru a leolir yn y Brifysgol, fod datblygu’r Coleg yng ngwir ysbryd addysg yn ôl diffiniad yr addysgwr o Frasil, Paulo Freire – “a phrif nod hynny yw creu byd lle mae’n haws caru”.  

 Ychwanegodd Dirprwy Is-ganghellor Prifysgol Abertawe Martin Stringer fod y Brifysgol yn falch o fod yn rhan o brosiect mor gyffrous ac arloesol: “Dyma ddatblygiad pwysig i gefnogi’r bobl hynny sy’n profi problemau iechyd meddwl a chwalu’r rhwystrau i addysg.”

Bydd Coleg Adfer Abertawe’n agor ei ddrysau ar gyfer diwrnod agored yn yr haf. I ganfod mwy am y prosiect cyffrous hwn