We collaborate with a range of professionals who either refer into our service as Professional Referral Partners or support us through associations.
Our Professional Referral Partners include the NHS, schools and colleges, other charities, community organisations and private healthcare businesses. To discuss becoming a referral partner please contact us by completing our contact form or phoning 01271 865285.
We are in the middle of a mental health crisis in the UK.
- 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 – 25 in England have a probable mental health condition.
- 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind this year in England.
- 1 in 5 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (like anxiety and depression) in any given week in England.
[Source: NHS]
Please note that a person’s diagnosis may change several times during their lifetime. And some complex conditions are measured by how many people will be given this diagnosis over the course of their life, or in any given year.
We know that children and young people are becoming digital dependent. They shut themselves away in the confines of their bedroom on computers and games consoles and this can have an adverse affect on family life. Communication and healthy engagement with parents and siblings deteriorate, face-to-face social interactions with friends become absent and isolation grows. We understand the need in an ever-changing world which is becoming increasingly driven by AI, social media and technology in general. However, we want to see children develop digital literacy, not digital dependency, where our activities encourage personal growth in natural surroundings.
Our charity operates in areas of deprivation in Devon and Somerset. More than 1 in 4 children aged 8 to 16 years with a probable mental disorder had a parent who could not afford for their child to take part in activities outside school or college and 17 to 25 year old’s with a probable mental disorder were 3 times more likely to not be able to afford to take part in activities, compared with those unlikely to have a mental disorder. Our activities bring young people together, through low cost or no cost sessions and help them to thrive.
Specific mental health diagnosis
In any given week in England:
- 8 in 100 people will be diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
- 6 in 100 people will be diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
- 4 in 100 people will experience depression.
A diagnosis may change several times during a persons’ their lifetime and some complex conditions are measured by how many people will be given this diagnosis over the course of their life, or in any given year:
- 2 in 100 people during their lifetime, will be diagnosed with Bipolar disorder.
- Fewer than 100 people during their lifetime, in any given year, will be diagnosed with Psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia).
These diagnosis can vary considerably and many people feel that labeling personality disorders and schizophrenia can be stigmatising and such terms shouldn’t be used.
The numbers provided give an indication but it is probable figures are much higher as they do not take into account people who are in hospitals, prisons, are in sheltered accommodation or are homeless.
[Source: Mind]
Adventure Therapy supports a range of conditions, in addition to mental health. These include physical disability, neurodevelopmental disorders, life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses and life-changing conditions. We offer a programme of 6 activity sessions initially, followed by our Adventure Academy for children and our Wilderness Project for young people and adults.
We also provide specific programmes for women’s mental health and wellbeing where activities are led by women at our HER Adventure project. Men lead our Elements Club which focuses on men’s mental health where activities such as hiking and archery provide shoulder to shoulder support and co-regulation. These are non-judgmental spaces where men can talk if they want to or just come along and take part in the activity and gain a network of support.
Our Founder and Chief Executive has completed the Applied Suicide and Intervention Skills (ASIST) course to support our Elements Club and our Project Coordinator, who leads HER Adventure, has completed Connect 5 , which is an evidence-based training programme designed to promote mental health by changing the way we have conversations about mental wellbeing.
Suicidal thoughts and self-harm aren’t mental health diagnoses. But they are related to mental health. Over the course of someone’s lifetime:
- 1 in 4 people have suicidal thoughts.
- 1 in 10 people self-harm.
- 1 in 13 people attempt suicide.
Our support is about more than the activity. Our sessions are grounded in therapeutic principles, are structured and provide opportunities for observation and reflection. Our holistic care provides a whole-person approach, where we recognise how wellbeing is shaped by interconnected factors including mental, physical, social and personal circumstances. We implement Trauma Informed Practice (TIP), focusing on physical, psychological and emotional safety and we introduce Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), where beneficial.
We are licensed to evaluate sessions using the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) and we can discuss and collaborate with our Professional Referral Partners with reference to the impact we are making, during and following our support.