Your Space Leeds is a project run by Mindwell in Holbeck to offer social groups, walking groups, workshops and healthy living activities.
15 people joined us for this Big Leeds Chat. What did people say at Your Space?
One of the key things people at Your Space felt would help their health and wellbeing was community groups. Some people told us they felt there needed to be more for young children and their parents in particular, while others explained how important opportunities to socialise and get out of the house were to their mental health. Some people had managed to stay in touch with friends and loved ones online during the pandemic, but others pointed out that they preferred face-to-face conversations or couldn’t use the internet at all.
There was also interest in activities that would help people improve their English and other skills.
We heard about worries about crime in the area discouraged people – especially women – from going out at night, with some pointing out it was important activities felt safe to go to. Sex work and drug crime were the two worries people cited the most.
The challenges of looking after children at home during lockdowns while also balancing work and other commitments came up in a number of our conversations at Your Space.
Work – both the positives it offered during lockdowns but also worries about finding it – came up particularly often during our chats at Your Space. People sometimes talked about ongoing money worries, as well as how much they had valued the help they had had from their community during lockdowns.
What next steps did this chat inspire in our decision-makers?
“Access to MH support services, especially for young children/child. Need face to face support for young people/post natal mums. Listening to first-time mums and taking on board their concerns and anxieties.”
“Significant concerns about access to mental health services and support, and safety in the local area – they feel vulnerable as lone women (with a young child) when outdoors, even in daylight.”
