​Adult learning courses helping people recover from mental health problems

Bury Adult Learning Service has been offering courses to help residents manage and recover from anxiety, depression and low mood.

Bury took part in a national research project to see whether community learning could benefit those with mild to moderate mental health problems.

Learners took part in a range of short part-time courses which incorporated budgeting, IT, baking, art and creative writing with keeping calm, reducing anxiety and stress and promoting mindfulness.

The results have just been published, and are extremely positive – some 46% of learners who started their course with clinically significant symptoms of anxiety and/or depression no longer reported significant symptoms at the end of their course.

One learner, Stephen Hall, said: “Attending the art course at Bury Adult Learning Service has given me more confidence and has made an unbelievable difference in my life. I forget all my problems when I attend the art class. It has been a challenge but a good challenge.”

Sue Scott, who managed the project, said: “Working on the Community Learning Mental Health research project I have seen the positive impact it has had on many individuals.

“People have told me that it has been such a positive experience for them take to time out for themselves to concentrate on their mental health and wellbeing and as a result they now feel they can go on to achieve more in life. Some are considering a change in career or entering into employment after a long absence and others are wanting to complete more adult learning courses.”

The spring/summer course guide will be available in December which gives details on wellbeing courses starting in January 2019. Courses include Get to Know Your Tablet & Apps for Wellbeing, Improve Your Mood through Food, Bake Yourself Happy, Art to Reduce Anxiety & Stress and Mindfulness.

For more information, call Sue Scott on 0161 253 6830 or email s.scott@bury.gov.uk

For more information on other courses provided by Bury Adult Learning Service, go to www.bury.gov.uk/adultlearning

A link to the full published research report and an animated video of project findings can be found on the Ipsos MORI website: www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/evaluation-community-learning-mental-health-research-project

ENDS

Press release issued: 28 November 2018.