World Mental Health Day: Touchstone’s Mental Health Support Services

If you are struggling with your mental health, there are a lot of places and people that can help. This World Mental Health Day, we are sharing info about the support Touchstone’s mental health services offer and how you can access them.

Take a look below to find out more about our Crisis Services, Group Support, Community-Based Support, Clinical Support, and Co-production and Peer Support:

Crisis Services

Touchstone offers support for people who are in crisis. Crisis can look like a lot of different things and we are here to support you in ways that work for you. Here are some of our services that can support you if you feel you are in crisis: 

Evening Crisis Support – These evening spaces are open to anyone aged 18+ for support in a mental health crisis. These spaces offer 1-to-1 support and chats, as well as a group social space, where visitors can play games, do activities and eat together. They are open on different evenings from 6pm-midnight in locations across West and South Yorkshire. If the cafe isn’t able to support you that evening, they will do their best to help signpost you to somewhere else that can

If you would like to refer yourself, here’s what to do:

Leeds – To self-refer to Leeds Crisis Cafe, you can call 07760 173476 from 6pm on the night you would like to join the cafe. They are open every evening. You can also ask any professional you’re working with (like a social worker or support worker) to refer you to the Leeds Cafe on the following number 07760 173505.

Kirklees – To self refer to a Kirklees Crisis Cafe, you can call 0774 1900 395 from 6pm on the night you would like to join the cafe. They are open every evening.

Wakefield–  To self refer to Wakefield Safe Space, you can call  07776 962815 from 6pm on the night you’d like to join the cafe. They are open every evening.

Rotherham – Rotherham Safe Space is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 6pm-midnight, to anyone aged 18+ who is in a mental health crisis and is eligible for a Rotherham GP. You can refer yourself by calling 07760 173504 from 6pm on the evening you would like to join. You can also ask any professional you are working with to refer you by sending a completed referral form over, which can be found on the webpage here.

For other crisis services in your local area across West and South Yorkshire, please see our World Suicide Prevention day blog, which lists local and national crisis services, within Touchstone and beyond. 

Group Support

Some Touchstone services run groups, projects and workshops for individuals and communities across Leeds and Yorkshire, designed to support people with their wellbeing and mental health. 

Being You Leeds  – Being You Leeds provides groups, activities and training and awareness sessions for community wellbeing across Leeds. Groups run 7 days a week, including weekends and evenings, and are based around activities chosen by group members. They support people and communities to stay well for longer by getting connected, active and engaged. To find out more about the service and group timetables, please visit their social media (@BeingYouLeeds) or their MindWell webpage.

Live Well Leeds – This service offers a huge range of groups, some focused on mental wellbeing and others on creative outlet or general conversation and connection. They support people with mild to moderate mental health needs. If you would like to find out more about how to get involved, see the referral page on the LWL website or get in touch by calling 0113 219 2727 or emailing info@livewellleeds.org.uk.

Better Together – Better Together works in Lincoln Green to support the local community to address health inequalities, reduce isolation and improve wellbeing. They run community groups and activities developed with people in that area. These include free swim and gym sessions, evening cafes, breakfast clubs, and walking groups. To find out more about their work, please get in touch with Sarah at SarahS@TouchstoneSupport.org.uk.

Community-Based Support

Clinical Support, including Talking Therapies, for Common Mental Health Issues

If you are struggling with low mood, worry, stress, anxiety or another common mental health issue, Touchstone can help you to access support through talking therapies, online classes and more.

Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service (LMWS) – LMWS is an NHS-led service that is made up of a partnership of organisations, including Touchstone. They provide support and guidance for people experiencing common mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, grief and stress. Their support comes in a range of forms: including self-help videos, talking therapies, online groups on practical methods for coping, and more. To find out more and refer yourself, you can visit their website here. See below for more on how to get involved with Touchstone’s Inclusion Team at LMWS, which offer coproduction and peer support opportunities where you can connect with other people with similar experiences and get involved with shaping LMWS.

SUAVE – SUAVE stands for Service User Authentic Voice of Experience. This is a regular group at Touchstone set up to create space for people using Touchstone’s services to connect with each other, ask questions and make suggestions about Touchstone’s services. While it is not a mental health support group, it’s a way to meet peers who have been accessing Touchstone services and have a say in how those services can be improved. To get involved with SUAVE, please contact our Coproduction and Service User Involvement Coordinator: RoryW@TouchstoneSupport.org.uk.

LMWS Peer Support – LMWS Peer Support is a short-term service that offers peer support to people accessing LMWS, either by supporting them to navigate LMWS therapies or by helping them to explore other Peer Support options across the city. You can access this support if you are already referred into LMWS. If you have your own lived experiences of living with mental health difficulties, you can also volunteer as a Peer Supporter by emailing: LMWSPeersupport@touchstonesupport.org.uk.

LMWS Coproduction Network – The LMWS Coproduction network also creates space for service users to feed back and shape LMWS services so that they work better for the people who use them. They currently run two specific projects: Leeds LGBT+ Minds and LS9 Lives, through which people in those communities can feed into LMWS and create improvements in mental health provision in Leeds. To find out how you can get involved, please email: LMWScoproduction@touchstonesupport.org.uk.

Volunteering at Touchstone – Our services offer lots of opportunities to get involved and volunteer. Volunteering can help you to meet new like-minded people, grow in confidence, and develop your skills, knowledge, and interests. Many of our volunteers have lived experience of mental health and some may have accessed services as a service user and now want to volunteer to give back and help others. We provide training to help you feel confident to volunteer. To find out more about volunteering, please visit our volunteering webpages.

Support for BME Communities

BME Dementia Service –  The BME Dementia service supports people living with dementia, memory loss, and Alzheimers’ and their carers from BME communities. They offer support through group and 1-to-1 means, tailored to meet the language, religious, and cultural needs of people living with dementia from BME communities and their carers. They also raise awareness of dementia in BME communities to reduce stigma and break down the barriers surrounding it. Through this varied work, they provide vital support to the physical and mental wellbeing of the people they work with.

Sikh Elders Service -Sikh Elders Service aims to improve the health and well-being of older Sikh people by supporting them to live independently and to live fulfilling lives. They do this by offering a combination of specialised 1-to-1 support and group activities, led by a dedicated Punjabi-speaking team.

Support for LGTBQ+ Communities

Two of our biggest services, Being You Leeds and Live Well Leeds, regularly provide a range of changing LGBTQ+-specific groups, including their LGBTQ+ Welcome Cafes and LGBTQ+ Peer Support groups. Click on the following links to find out their updated group calendars:

• Being You Leeds Groups and Activities
• Live Well Leeds Group and Events calendar 

LMWS Coproduction Network also currently run a project called  Leeds LGBT+ Minds, through which people in the LGBTQ+ community can feed into LMWS and create improvements in mental health provision in Leeds. To find out how you can get involved, please email: LMWScoproduction@touchstonesupport.org.uk.