Penumbra’s Supported Living services offer personal support to meet people’s needs in their own home. Our support workers offer practical and emotional support, tailored to the individual and designed to help them lead an ordinary life in the community. The time, length and areas covered is different for everyone, but can include help with budgeting, household maintenance and social inclusion. All Supported Living service users are encouraged to identify personal recovery goals.
We provide individual care for 900 people in 12 locations around Scotland, helping them with emotional and physical wellbeing, day to day obstacles and in creating recovery-focused goals.
For information on Supported Living services in your area see the menu on the left.
Supported Accommodation Penumbra’s Supported Accommodation projects operate as small care homes in four local authority areas, providing accommodation, care and support in both shared houses and self-contained flats. These offer an important opportunity for people with long-term mental ill health to live independently in our houses and access daily support, both practical and emotional from Penumbra staff.
For details on referrals to this service please contact your local Penumbra office.
For information on Supported Accommodation services in your area see the menu on the left.
Self-Harm Projects
About Self-Harm
Penumbra provides essential projects for young people and young adults who self harm, offering a safe, non-judgemental space in which to explore feelings and worries. Service users are offered one-to-one and group support for as long and as often as is desired.
Self-harm is generally a response to profound and overwhelming emotional pain that hasn't been resolved, relief from feelings such as anxiety, depression, stress, emotional numbness, a sense of failure or self loathing. It is a way of coping and managing these feelings, and it is not done for attention seeking or for manipulation.
Self-Harm Projects
Our Self Harm Projects continue to be community-based services that work with young people and young adults who self harm and are at risk of suicide. The projects provide a safe, non-judgemental, person centred environment in which young people and young adults can explore their self harm issues and look at ways to manage and identify coping strategies. We provide informal emotional support for young people and young adults who self-harm as well as their families and carers.
Each project offers:
One to one support with a trained project worker
Support groups to develop individual skills and confidence, and to share experiences with peers
Drop in Services providing a safe and non-judgemental atmosphere offering confidential support and advice
Information and support for parents, professionals, carers and friends
Social activities to promote recovery and wellbeing
Contact with the service is completely voluntary. We offer support to enable young people and young adults to cope with crises and develop the skills and confidence to help them manage their lives better. The service will try to provide ongoing support and respond to any crisis that may come up.
For information on Self Harm projects in your area see the menu on the left.
Crisis Centre
The Edinburgh Crisis Centre is Scotland’s first crisis centre providing a 24 hour helpline for people aged 16 or over who use or have used mental health services and their carers.
Service users receive sensitive, one to one support and information. The centre also provides a safe private space for people in distress to receive support.
Short Breaks
Penumbra provides short breaks at our unique houses in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. These provide a sensitive support environment for guests to focus upon their recovery, whilst giving carers a break. Guests can pursue social and individual recreational activities, and outline a plan of what they’d like to achieve from their time with a Penumbra support worker. Both houses provided respite for 550 people in 2008-09, with 95% of guests feeling more positive after their stay.
A short break can be described as an interval of rest. We provide guest house style accommodation with an emphasis on comfort, privacy and friendly, skilled support from staff and volunteers. Home cooked meals are provided and all dietary requirements catered for.
Short breaks in Edinburgh are available to anyone throughout the UK, who is experiencing or recovering from mental health problems and requires a supported break. Our service in Aberdeen is provided to the Grampian Region, covering the Local Authority areas of Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire.
We are happy to accept self referrals as well as referrals from carers, friends, social workers, community psychiatric nurses, care managers, GP’s, psychiatrists, voluntary organisations and any other relevant personnel.
For more information on short breaks in our Edinburgh and Aberdeen guest houses please see the menu on the left.
Alcohol Related Brain Damage Services
Penumbra provides services to support people with Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD) to live in the community.
ARBD Supported Accommodation
We provide an alcohol free environment which aims to assist in all aspects of an individual's recovery programme and rehabilitation. Service users live independently in Penumbra flats, with 24 hour support from live-in staff. There are opportunities for group activities and ongoing one to one support from staff.
Supported Living
We support individuals with ARBD to live in their own homes. Support is individually based, flexible and tailored to individual needs. We provide support with daily living skills, health issues, social activities, education and employment.
For information on Alcohol Related Brain Damage services in your area see the menu on the left.
About ARBD
Alcohol related brain damage, (also widely referred to as alcohol related brain injuries, or disorders), describes physical damage to the brain as a result of sustained long-term alcohol consumption. The damage incurred results in some degree of permanent neurological disturbance or impaired short-term memory. Symptoms and residual deficits vary from mild to very severe. Although referred to as dementias, alcohol related dementias are not true dementias in that they are not degenerative; the level of impairment will not worsen given abstinence from alcohol, a balanced diet and appropriate intervention and support for the individual. People with ARBD will still retain the same level of intellectual functioning; therefore ARBD is not the same as an intellectual or learning disability.
Effects of Alcohol
Long-term excessive alcohol consumption, coupled with a poor diet, and crucially the inability for the body to absorb thiamine (vitamin B1), leads to specific neurological and physical damage described under the umbrella term ARBD. Alcohol damages the gut and heavy drinkers tend to have a very poor diet, as a result sources of thiamine are scarce and the ability of the gut to absorb this important brain nutrient is impeded. Alcohol also has an effect on the central nervous system and produces changes in metabolic rate, heart functioning and blood supply. As we all know, alcohol causes dehydration, which over a long period of time can lead to shrinkage of the brain and wastage of brain cells. Intoxication is also responsible for traffic accidents, falls and other head injuries.
Nova Project
Penumbra’s groundbreaking Nova Projects seek to integrate people experiencing mental ill health more fully into their community by helping them to access mainstream activities and groups such as further education, sports, clubs and work, whether voluntary or employment.
Support is provided on a one to one basis for a fixed period of time, looking at an individual’s hopes and aspirations in moving out of social isolation towards meaningful opportunities and relationships.
Homelessness Services
Penumbra’s Homelessness Services aim to engage effectively with long-term homeless people who have mental health issues. The Service provides a person-centred approach to support, designed to meet each individual’s needs and goals, and staff are available 24 hours a day for practical and emotional support.
We provide care within the National Care Standards, and the Service promotes hope and recovery for each individual through a personal care plan. The Service aims to link people into their local community and offers support with maintenance, retaining a tenancy and social inclusion. We work in partnership with other involved professionals and agencies.
Referrals to the Service may be made through the social works commissioning team or care managers.
For information on Homelessness services in your area see the menu on the left.
Plan 2 Change
A pioneering peer support project, Plan 2 Change employs people with a personal experience of mental ill health to act as ‘recovery guides’ for others.
This unique and distinctive service was developed by Penumbra, NHS Lothian and the Scottish Recovery Network with funding from the Scottish Executive’s Social Inclusion Division as part of a new initiative designed to improve services for people experiencing multiple and complex needs.
The service involves the employment of peer support specialists on the basis of their own personal lived experience of recovery. This approach, in allowing peer workers to contribute or ‘give back’, not only helps promote the recovery of people engaging with the service but also promotes the recovery and inclusion of the peer support workers who, like the majority of people who experience long-term mental health problems may experience problems in securing employment and the exclusion that can often entail.
Research has shown that identifying with others like them creates an environment in which individuals can share suggestions and tips for recovery with each other, allowing them to try out different strategies with the support of their peers.
This service is available in Edinburgh and we hope to expand throughout Scotland soon. For more information on the project in Edinburgh see the menu on the left.
Youth Projects
Penumbra works across Scotland to raise awareness of and support young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Penumbra offers one to one support, drop-ins, issue based sessions and mental health awareness raising sessions in the community.
For more information about our youth projects around Scotland please see the menu on the left.
Educational Outreach
Penumbra works with schools and educational organisations across Scotland to raise awareness of mental wellbeing.
Our project workers can visit schools and other organisations to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing issues including exam stress, looking after your mental health, identifying helpful coping strategies and making positive choices.
Penumbra can also offer mental health and/or self harm awareness raising training for teachers. For more information see Innovation.
To fundraise for Penumbra in your school or university see Support Us.
Borders Youth Project
Penumbra Borders Youth Project is a community based mental health project for young people aged 16-21 who live in the Scottish Borders.
At Penumbra Borders Youth Project we encourage you to talk about your problems on your terms in a friendly non-judgemental way. We will treat you with respect, and encourage you to become involved in decision making and have an influence over the service you receive.
We offer emotional support and advice to young people experiencing any difficulties relating to their mental health and wellbeing.
Fife Youth Project
The aim of the service is to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in Fife aged from 12 to 21 years.
Youth Project - Borders
Penumbra Borders Youth Project is a community based mental health project for young people aged 16-21 who live in the Scottish Borders.
At Penumbra Borders Youth Project we encourage you to talk about your problems on your terms in a friendly non-judgemental way. We will treat you with respect, and encourage you to become involved in decision making and have an influence over the service you receive.
We offer emotional support and advice to young people experiencing any difficulties relating to their mental health and wellbeing.
Penumbra’s Borders Youth Project offers the following services:
One to One Support
This allows you to talk confidentially about anything that’s bothering you. We will support you to develop a person-centred recovery plan which can give you an opportunity to identify what you want from life and plan, step by step, how to get there. One-to-One support can be arranged with a Project Worker in your area. We can arrange to meet you at a Penumbra centre or another suitable place of your choice.
Drop-ins
These provide a safe, supportive place where you can meet other young people with similar experiences and build a trusting relationship with Project Workers. Specific individual needs can be identified through issues raised at Drop-ins and young people can access one-to-one support to focus on those needs.
Awareness Raising, Mental Health Promotion and Anti Stigma Work
Project Workers will provide on request, awareness raising sessions in schools or in Youth Centres on issues such as stress and how to look after your own mental wellbeing.
Support Groups
Groups are offered on various issues and interests responding to the needs of the young people who are using the Project.
Confidentiality is guaranteed to all service users and none of your information will be passed on to any other organisation without your express permission, with the exception of three distinct circumstances – if you pose a serious risk to yourself, to others, or if you are involved in illegal activities.
Referrals can be made by any agency, parent, friend or by the young person themselves. The young people decide how often and how long they use the Project.
Arts Projects
Penumbra provides several artsprojects which recognise the strong link between the arts and mental wellbeing. Our arts projects are developed with specific programmes to look at areas such as self confidence, expressing ideas, and interaction with others. Penumbra service users have the opportunity to take part in programmes to produce visual art, poetry and other creative writing, dance, photography, music and any other creative interest they may identify as a part of their recovery.
If you would like to take part in or set up an arts group in your local Penumbra service email [email protected] for more information.
In Glasgow Penumbra has just agreed a placement for a third year student from Nordoff-Robbins School of Music to work alongside our service users and would like to see this relationship stretch beyond the year’s placement. Alongside this we are in early discussions with other organisations to look at the possibility of adding a drama part to this work.
Penumbra’s Youth Projects support young people who would like to take part in informal and formal arts programmes. Recently a young person from the Fife Youth Project won the public choice award in the ‘see me’ national photography competition for her photograph ‘Nature.