MindWise celebrates on the 1^st April the first anniversary of its formation as an independent charity operating solely in Northern Ireland.

 

MindWise which was formerly a region on the national charity, Rethink (also previously known as the National Schizophrenia Fellowship) has been offering services and support to local people affected by severe mental illness and other mental health difficulties for over 30 years.

 

However in 2008 the region took the decision to de-merge from its former parent organisation, Rethink, to become fully independent and autonomous as of the 1^st of April 2009.

 

The charity which offers a range of services to support those affected by mental illness including; supported housing, community resource centres, carer programmes, training and employment schemes and volunteer programmes decided to become independent in order to allow for the improved development of locally relevant services and programmes that would be to the best benefit of mental health service needs in the Northern Irish context.

 

Speaking at the charity’s 1^st Birthday party celebrations, MindWise’s Chief Executive, Bill Halliday confirmed that since the change, not only has the charity achieved its objective of starting to develop new locally tailored services, but also in terms of awareness of the organisation and the issue of mental illness, MindWise has never been in a better position. He said “Since our launch as MindWise on 1^st April 2009, we have already introduced new services such as the Northern Ireland Appropriate Adult Scheme (NIAAS) which aims to protect the rights of children and vulnerable adults taken into police custody. We have also just recently received funding from BBC Children in Need to fund a new staff post which will develop children’s and young people’s services within MindWise. I am also delighted to say that awareness of our charity has never been higher, which we hope will place firmly in the public consciousness an awareness of their own mental health and the need to protect it in the same way a person would look after their physical wellbeing”.

 

 

 

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