Life Opportunities
The Life Opportunities umbrella of Imagine offers a selection of services to promote social inclusion and increase the overall opportunities offered to individuals receiving the services.
The Life Opportunities umbrella offers a diverse interlocking jigsaw of services known as: Supporting Choice, Befriending & Volunteering, Training and the Chinese Support Service.
This jigsaw of services has been established over a number of years and their major aim is to improve the quality of life and social inclusion of individuals by offering an excellent support network and appropriate intervention according to individual’s needs and requests.
Life Opportunities aim to focus on identifying individuals life goals whilst supporting individuals to achieve at their own pace, in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Supporting Choice:
Supporting Choice was established over 3 years ago after a restructure of Imagines day services. The restructure ensured that optimum support was received by service users from a highly experienced motivated team which worked across three areas in Liverpool, this ensured an excellent support network which was delivered by the same team working across the 3 areas.
Supporting Choice aims to offer an excellent support network to individuals experiencing mental distress by offering sessions which support, engage and create independence whilst working towards the social inclusion model.
Therapeutic sessions are offered whilst also including individual support and adult education sessions.
Sessions are updated on a regular basis and feedback from individuals is encouraged.
Supporting Choice aims to increase awareness and for individuals to grow from the knowledge gained by expanding individual’s horizons, this is achieved by offering an excellent supportive environment, which supports the growth of each individual.
From step one individual’s are supported in achieving their aspirations by the service offering flexible support over weekends, bank holidays and a late night. All individuals receive an assessment of need on entry to the service and this is updated on a regular basis, which ensures that individual’s needs are updated and catered for.
Some individuals attending the service continue in employment, colleges and university whilst attending the service. Attendance at the service supports their ability to remain in continuing their ambitions .
Individual’s quotes on the service include:
‘Attending the service sets me up for the week’
‘I don’t know what I would have done without you, thank you’
‘This service has given me back my confidence; I can face the world again now ’
Supporting Choice offers a service in three sites in different areas of Liverpool. Service user consultations ensure that we offer a service, which caters for all tastes and interests.
Befriending & Volunteering Service:
Imagines Befriending & Volunteering service provides an ongoing befriending service for individuals who experience mental distress. The service aims towards the recruitment of volunteers by offering monthly supervision, with the volunteer being fully briefed on confidentiality/ duty of care policy and procedure. All volunteers receive training and on going support by an experienced supportive team.
The service is geared towards the 1 on 1 match up of a ‘fifty-fifty partnership whereby the onus is as much on the service user as it is the befriender to move forward in arranging meetings/activity/keeping the momentum going forward to the action plan devised at the beginning.
The service work towards peoples potential, facilitating the service user needs and goals. The aim is to reach peoples potential for development rather than focussing on how their mental distress may restrict their lives.
The nature of the service is based around the matching up of a volunteer/befriender with a service user/ befriendee and it is extremely important that a support structure is in place for protection/well being of both parties. The volunteering befriending service offers individuals to receive quality training, support whilst offering volunteers experience and a feeling of achievement.
Training:
“Imagine Training has given me the confidence to go back into mainstream education and mix with a diverse range of people. Now I’m doing a 2 year Access course at college and hopefully looking at university in the future” - Tony, Maths student at Imagine
Imagine training is geared towards helping people overcome the barriers to learning often experienced by people with mental health needs.
We provide courses, support and advice for people who have an interest in learning but feel unable to take the first step to college as a result of depression, anxiety or other mental health problem.
Learning can boost confidence and self-esteem, and for many learners, Imagine has provided a stepping-stone onto college or community education.
We are:
We can accommodate periods of ill-health through modular learning.
Courses are roll-on/ roll-off – people can enrol at any time.
Experienced mental health workers qualified in learning support are always available to provide
emotional or educational support.
We work in small groups and encourage peer support.
We provide advice and suidance on further learning opportunities.
- an individualised service
Work at your own pace and level.
One to one support provided where required.
Courses currently on offer:
English and Maths – from beginner to GCSE level
Computers – word processing, using the internet and email, desk-top publishing
Local History & Family History
Chinese Support Service:
Imagines Chinese Support Service is a well established service offering support to people of Chinese origin and their carers who are experiencing mental distress or supporting an individual experiencing mental distress.
The service is unique in nature and we offer a bilingual service to meet the needs of our service users.
The service aims to provide a safe and supportive environment that supports individuals in making choices about their lives whilst promoting their independence.
Service users and carers can receive support in their homes and in the community with the emphasis on social inclusion and integration. To support this we offer the service on Sunday, bank holidays and on a late night.
We support our service users in liaising with other agencies by offering translation support.
The support offered can be on a number of topics and we aim to increase the awareness of Chinese mental health to other agencies and individuals.
Feedback from service users:
‘Thank you for helping me live a better life’
‘Thank you for supporting my husband and son, your support was so appreciated and there when I needed it’
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