Able Minds

Able Minds aim is to provide effective interventions for families/whānau dealing with mental illness and addiction.

This includes:

Education/Information
Able Minds provide resources and information that may help you and the wider community better understand mental illness or addiction. Able Minds also provide education on different types of mental illness with a key role of assisting family/whānau with problem solving and coping strategies.

Support
Able Minds works with you to support your family member/whānau with a mental distress or addiction. We're here to listen, offer hope and encouragement, help you develop strategies for dealing with difficulties, and to create support networks so you and your family/whānau can cope with the impact of mental illness or addiction.

Advocacy
Able Minds acknowledges the importance of the family voice and will support you to feel empowered to ensure that your concerns and your opinions are heard. Able Minds can provide practical support in your contact with other service providers if needed.

Able Minds facilitates Activity Centres and Peer Support Groups for Tangata Whaiora in a community-based environment. 

These are formalised group sessions where those with mental distress and addiction issues can come for peer support as well as actively focus on their recovery by learning new skills to build self-esteem and confidence both on and off site.

These groups are proven to get results and are led by our Coordinators and Peer Support Workers to reconnect people back into the community.

Dunedin Activity Centre can help by:

• exploring opportunities for community participation
• developing goals that focus on community integration
• providing on-going support and motivation

Operating five days a week, times subject to change depending on activities. Contact Activity Centre co-ordinator to get an up-to-date schedule.

Some of our current activities/groups may include:

• cooking skills
• computer skills
• keep fit - mind and body
• carpentry skills
• community outings
• art and craft activities
• gardening

The Activities Centre operates at the Able Minds  28 Ashworth Street, Alexandra. Some activities also take place in Roxburgh. Phone 027 369 5845 to find out about activities, dates and times, or check out the www.able.org.nz to find out more. 

Able Minds facilitates Activity Centres and Peer Support Groups for Tangata Whaiora in a community-based environment.

These are formalised group sessions where those with mental distress and addiction issues can come for peer support as well as actively focus on their recovery by learning new skills to build self-esteem and confidence both on and off site.

These groups are proven to get results and are led by our Coordinators and Peer Support Workers to reconnect people back into the community.

There are opportunities to:

• share 
• problem solve 
• chill out 
• play table tennis or pool 
• listen to or play music 
• watch DVDs/TV on Demand  
• work on own projects 
• art and craft 
• writing – journaling, poetry 
• develop own strengths 
• do community/volunteer work 

Able Minds facilitates Activity Centres and Peer Support Groups for Tangata Whaiora in a community-based environment.

These are formalised group sessions where those with mental distress and addiction issues can come for peer support as well as actively focus on their recovery by learning new skills to build self-esteem and confidence both on and off site.

These groups are proven to get results and are led by our Coordinators and Peer Support Workers to reconnect people back into the community.

See our website for groups currently running. Current groups include:

• walking groups,
• art/craft groups,
• cooking groups.
• peer support groups
• community outings

Strengthening Akonga (student) resilience and wellbeing, encouraging engagement in education, training or employment, and achieving better pathways to success.

Our RAW youth workers aim to support our Rangatahi to achieve the following outcomes:

• Support in working on mental distress and barriers; empowerment to overcome these.
• An increased level of engagement in learning and aspiration for the future; transition to training or employment.
• Stronger connections with whanau, iwi, community, and other support services schools, health and youth services.
• Increased confidence in learning environments for akonga aged 12 – 15 years.
• A clear plan for the future of akonga aged 16 – 21 years.
• Support to identify and create clear goal plans, short and long term.

To participate in the RAW program, akonga will have one or more of the following risk factors:

• Disengaging or disengaged from education.
• Lack of a pathway into training and or employment.
• Affected by mental distress.
• Struggling with acceptance or isolation from peers.
• Limited family support and or connection to a positive role model or community.

CUMIA is designed for school aged children who have a family member affected by mental distress or addiction. This programme can be undertaken in a peer support group or with 1:1 support. It is designed to impart tools, tactics and strategies to accept the challenges associated with mental distress and live well.  

With respect to the CUMIA programme, one child reported in a recent evaluation that “the thing he learnt the most was that his mother’s illness was not his fault”.  There is often blame associated with mental distress and addiction.

Able Minds’ intervention allows children to be children. CUMIA is an age related group and/or individual programme that educates children about mental illness/addiction. The programme supports children to develop skills that enable them to understand the impact in their family/whanau environment (CUMIA is not intended for children suffering from mental illness themselves).

Able Minds provides various support groups, located throughout Otago, Southland, Central Otago and Waitaki. Support Groups give families and whanau the opportunity to make friends, share information, share stories, listen, have fun, and to be just you.

Currently, the following groups are running:

• Families/Friends Understanding Disordered Eating - Dunedin
• Education and Support Group - Dunedin
• Weekly Peer Support Group - Dunedin
• Grief and Loss Support - Alexandra
• Peer Support group for parents & caregivers of Neurodivergent children - Oamaru
• Resilient whanau against Meth - Invercargill

We are focused on providing support and information to people with a loved one suffering from an eating disorder. Coming together to discuss experiences, share ideas and develop strategies for coping, the Eating Disorder Group offers a way to connect with those dealing with similar issues.

Able Minds holds the Supporting Parents Healthy Children contract which is the primary link between Te Whatu Ora and community. With a focus on achieving better health outcomes for children, parents and family as a whole. This comes from a family/whānau centred health viewpoint and is about analysing trends in the community and feeding this back into the system so that it evolves and produces equitable outcomes. 

The co-ordinator will assist to strengthen family/whānau centered "best practice" at the personal, service practice and organisational levels. This will include identifying and supporting the professional development of the workforce to recognise and respond to the needs of the children and their family/whānau.

Able Minds runs groups for those affected by suicide.

The programme aims to give:

• A better understanding of the complexities of suicide
• An understanding of the grief processes when a suicide occurs
• Understandng suicide prevention strategies
• A confidential, safe and friendly environment to share experiences

Contact 0800 494 262 for further information about this service.

Able Minds works with communities to promote mental health and wellbeing and support families/whānau, friends and others affected by suicide or suicidal behaviours.

Timeout Contact (TOC) Supervisors take pride in working alongside children and their significant whānau members who are exposed to challenges associated with separation. TOC provides a neutrally based supervised contact service which establishes and maintains whānau bonds, it creates positive memories through the facilitation of safe and meaningful contact.