The Community Care Trust provides a wide range of community network activities across Torbay and Teignbridge. These activities have developed in response to individual needs and preferences of people who have contacted us for support.

The Support, Time and Recovery (STR ) relationship is central to all the services we provide and activities we facilitate.  This means that each person who contacts us is introduced to a STR worker (sometimes a volunteer or another person who has experience of their own recovery) who will spend time exploring individual goals, how these can be achieved and how particular difficulties can be overcome.  It is not our role to resolve difficulties for people but to help each individual to to strengthen their overall skills and resilience in order to lead a successful life as they choose to live it.

"It starts with you!"

We believe it is essential to look at all aspects of our lives and the changes we wish to make if we are to lead a successful and satisfying life.  We will help each person to establish what they want to achieve, how this can be done and what support they need to do so.

Recovery is different for everyone, and we support people to improve their wellbeing in many different ways.  For some this will mean improving frendships or family relationships, for some it will mean returning to work or education and for others it might be developing strategies for managing their health and wellbeing.

Some of the activities we provide are facilitated by staff or volunteers whilst others are run entirely by the people who use them.  We welcome ideas for new ways of supporting people and encourage individuals and groups to follow up ideas and try something new.

We welcome enquiries from people experiencing difficulties or from family members or other supporters.  The services and activities we currently facilitate include:

• Support, Time and Recovery (STR).  The aim of STR is to support each person to manage their mental health, to live a life that is satisfying and has personal meaning and to be a part of their local community. STR workers encourage the development of strategies for staying well, provide practical support where needed, support access to the opportunities available in local communities for education, employment, sports, arts and other important areas of life. They spend time getting to know each person and supporting them to define and achieve their goals.
• Women's and men's networks.  The networks offer opportunities for the creation of new friendships and mutual support through informal contact and a range of facilitated activities and social events. Network members decide what activities they wish to take part in. Some of these they arrange themselves whilst others are facilitated by a development worker. Regular 'welcoming groups' are held in hotels and cafes and a newsletter keeps members informed about forthcoming events.
• Community social groups.  These groups meet in a range of locations and cater to various interests. They include informal coffee groups, sports activities and outdoor pursuits, and the exploration of local amenities and attractions.
• Centre based activities.  Some activities take place in our own premises. These include self management groups, tutor-led educational groups (including numeracy, literacy and computer courses) and art groups.  The groups support people to regain and improve upon their confidence and skills.
• Life coaching (Torbay only).  The life coach works with people to identify clear goals and develop key skills to enable mental health and wellbeing and the achievement of a satisfying and personally meaningful quality of life. This service is particularly for younger people who have had no previous contact with any service and may be reluctant to seek help to improve their lives.

If you are a mental health worker and would like to find out how to introduce someone you are working with to one of the Community Care Trust's Community Networks please click here.  If you would like to download an introduction form to introduce yourself to the Community Networks please click here.