It’s Saturday night and you’re ‘out out’ for a good time. You arrive at The Yard ready for a boogie and spot the last thing you expect to see next to the dancefloor – someone offering mental health support.
That’s what Dee, Peer Support Team Leader, was doing on Saturday 6 July at The Yard, Coventry. The Yard is one of Coventry’s top LGBTQ+ entertainment venues. It prides itself in creating inclusive and dynamic experiences for everyone, every day. As part of this, they work with staff at Coventry and Warwickshire Mind to offer signposting and mental health support to its customers.
One of the barriers many people face is not knowing where to go for support and advice. By being visible in unexpected places such as late-night entertainment venues, we can help reduce these barriers to accessibility.
About the project, Dee said
“Many conversations took place. We are discovering that, as we return to venues, we are building trusting relationships. Our visibility is bringing trust, enabling people to reach out and get valuable support.”
Thank you to The Yard for thinking outside the normalised box and involving us in this important project.