PICTURES: Mental heath initiative in Inverness ‘making massive difference’ to lives, says Highland MSP as new mural unveiled in Eastgate Centre
A mental health recovery initiative in Inverness is “making a massive difference” to people’s lives in the Highlands.
That’s the view of a local MSP after she visited the recently opened Discovery College and saw its positive effect on some of its service users first hand.
The college, which is based inside Eastgate Shopping Centre, recently unveiled a mural that was painted by its service users to both reflect the initiative’s positive messaging while also providing a creative outlet.
The mural was designed by Eve Nairn, who works for the mental health charity Centred which runs the Discovery College. Eve worked with service users and peer supporters at Centred to creatively express the mental health charity’s values of connection, hope and belonging through art - with the result being an eye-catching and uplifting mural in the community lounge at the Discovery College.
Eve described the process: “We were looking for a piece of art to brighten up the wall that reflected our values of connection, hope and belonging. Discussing the experiences of service users and peer supporters, who now work at the Discovery College having overcome mental health issues themselves, I was able to interpret these into an overall design.
“Each element reflects these experiences. For example, the lily was very meaningful to one of our peer supporters who shared an inspirational quote that relates to the lily and how that helped her. We also wanted to showcase people helping one another and this is reflected by the helicopter which shows three people supporting each other. All the other elements in the mural reflect inclusivity, strength and perseverance, which resonate with anyone trying to overcome mental health issues.”
Painting the mural was a community effort and Eve was joined by people who have been coming to the Discovery College since it opened in July.
And Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick was impressed with the facility’s work to provide a place where people can go for support, socialisation, and help with recovery.
During a recent visit to the site, she met representatives from Centred and learned about the Discovery College’s regular workshops. It also supports other local organisations and plans to open as a warm space over winter.
She said: “It was so lovely to get down to the Discovery College, which is going from strength to strength since opening earlier this year.
“Being at the Discovery College was so uplifting, hearing from members of the team about the support they are providing and the ideas they have to tackle social isolation, as well as seeing other local organisations making use of the space, too.
“It was clear from being there for even a short time that people are getting so much out of being there and the space is already making a massive difference to the lives of those in the Highlands.
“Plans for this space have been in the works for so long thanks to Centred's dedicated team who have always tried to support folk in the Highlands with their mental health, and I look forward to seeing how the space continues to evolve.”
Art like the new mural features prominently at the Discovery College, with a dedicated art room for service users and a growing collection of pieces that have been created over the last few months. This is because art can play a significant role in mental health recovery as Sue Lyons, Manager at the Discovery College, explains:
Eve explained: “Art can be a powerful tool for mental health recovery. It is like a form of meditation, that has a calming effect and allows people to focus on the art and escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life. Art in the community for mental health recovery can also be a great conversation starter. We sincerely hope that our mural at the Discovery College will inspire and uplift people with its bright colours and bold imagery.”
The Discovery College is a community led concept, based on a rural Canadian model which has proven to be successful in other countries around the world including Scandinavia, Australia and England. It is designed to aid mental health recovery through the creation of a relaxed meeting point in the community with opportunities to learn and increase understanding of wellbeing and mental health.
The Discovery College is located in the unit previously occupied by Argos on the first floor of the Eastgate Shopping Centre, and is open to the community every Wednesday from 10am to 4pm, with a view to opening three days a week by the end of the year. It is open to everyone with no diagnosis or referral necessary.
