Free mental health and wellbeing courses and peer support groups for people across Devon

Devon-based mental health charity, Step One, has announced the launch of its spring programme of free mental health and wellbeing courses, workshops and peer support groups.

Step One Charity’s BeWell@StepOne service provides free online and in-person support to people over the age of 18 across Devon. The latest programme offers a range of topics, including anxiety, depression, resilience and managing anger and OCD, all delivered in small, secure groups led by qualified course leaders with lived experience of mental health issues.

Step One Charity has been supporting people in Devon with mental health and learning disabilities for over 85 years, and the BeWell@StepOne project aims to support over 500 people per year with free online learning opportunities and support groups. By providing early support and guidance for mental health concerns, Step One hopes to prevent people from falling into a crisis and reduce some of the burden on NHS services.

In addition to free courses and support groups for individuals, Step One offers a support and training programme for businesses across Devon. ‘BeWell for Business’ provides accredited Mental Health First Aid Training (NUCO Accredited) to help employers and employees understand the signs and symptoms of different mental health problems and start conversations around mental health in the workplace. For course and pricing information and to book on to a course, visit steponecharity.co.uk/bewell-for-businessor contact Amy Erith at amy.erith@steponecharity.co.uk.

BeWell@StepOne Project Lead, Sharon Nott, said “By providing free and accessible mental health courses, workshops and peer support groups, our aim is to empower individuals and communities in Devon to manage their own wellbeing and to build a supportive network for those who need it. Our hope is that this initiative will not only prevent individuals from reaching crisis point, but also relieve some of the burden on our local NHS services”.

The BeWell@StepOne project is funded entirely by voluntary donations, such as community fundraising efforts, grants, and gifts in wills. To support the charity's mission to provide mental health support to people in Devon, one-off donations or regular monthly payments can be made via steponecharity.co.uk/donate, or fundraising challenges can be set by contacting the Step One Fundraising team at fundraising@steponecharity.co.uk.

For more information about the latest BeWell@StepOne courses, workshops and peer support groups and to sign up, visit steponecharity.co.uk/bewell.