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Support Groups

Age Concern Northern Ireland’s vision is of a society where older people are valued, respected and participate as active and equal citizens.  For advice and information call 028 9032 5055.
Email: advice@ageconcernni.org

AMH Action Mental Health has developed to be one of Northern Ireland’s largest mental health and learning disability charities. AMH provides accredited vocational training, employment preparation, life skills training and other support services. Tel: 028 9040 3726

Aware Defeat Depression is a Northern Ireland based charity providing support and information to those affected by depressive illness.  Services include self-help support groups, a telephone helpline, depression awareness sessions for young people and adults, public talks and a range of information literature.

Carecall is a provider of Employee Assistance Programmes in the UK and Ireland, dealing with counselling, stress management and improving mental health in the workplace in Northern Ireland. It is owned by the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health.

www.carersni.org Carers Northern Ireland is the regional office of Carers UK.  It is a membership organisation run by carers, for carers across the whole of Northern Ireland. There are approximately 250,000 carers in Northern Ireland.

CAUSE is a local charity providing peer-led emotional and practical support to carers and families of people with serious mental illness.  Services include support groups, a helpline, carer advocacy, educational programmes and representation of carers’ views. Email: info@cause.org.uk

ChildLine Provides a 24 hour telephone helpline for children and young people who are in danger and distress. Please contact 0800 1111 if you need to speak to someone.

Contact Youth run a free confidential helpline for young people at risk from suicide. Tel: 0808 808 8000

Cruse Bereavement Care is a national organisation which exists to promote the well-being of bereaved people and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss.

EGSA - www.connect2learn.org.uk
Educational Guidance Service for Adults - is a local, independent, not-for-profit, frontline service that aims to connect adults with learning.

EGSA has a network of local offices based across Northern Ireland through which it provides services to adult learners, learning advisers, providers, employers and anyone interested in improving access to learning for adults.
If you would like to speak to an EGSA adviser, please call us on our Connect 2 Learn number:  0845 602 6632 (lo-call)

Heads Away Just Say offers mental health support to young people in Northern Ireland.

Help the Aged fights to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation, neglect and ageism. In Northern Ireland, the Help the Aged SeniorLine advice service can signpost older people worried about mental health and wellbeing issues to specialist organisations for help, advice and treatment.
Email: seniorline.belfast@helptheaged.org.uk 

MensSana, http://www.menssanaproject.org.uk/ meaning 'healthy mind', was established by Action Mental Health in December 2002. MensSana's aim is to research and develop an advice and information service for parents and professionals concerned about the mental health of a young person aged 16-25.Tel: 028 3839 2314 Email: info@menssanaproject.org.uk

MDF – The BiPolar Organisation is a user led charity working to enable people affected by bipolar disorder / manic depression to take control of their lives.

The Mental Health Foundation have produced an information factsheet on bipolar disorder.

MIND have produced this information booklet on understanding bipolar disorder.

NSPCC www.bethefullstop.com
The NSPCC is calling on people all over the UK to help end cruelty to children in our biggest ever mobilisation campaign. We want over a million people to Be the FULL STOP by becoming part of a mass movement who believe cruelty can be ended and are willing to act to make it stop. Every action counts: from donating to campaigning, and from fundraising to volunteering for ChildLine. Show your commitment by putting yourself on the map today.
Call the NSPCC's free, 24-hour Child Protection Helpline with any concerns about a child or young person on 0808 800 5000.  Children and young people can call ChildLine confidentially on 0800 1111.

The Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma & Transformation provides a trauma focused cognitive therapy treatment programme for people suffering from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related conditions.

Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health (NIAMH) provides local support and offers a range of services including housing schemes, home support, advocacy, information, public education and research.

Parents' Advice Center
Provides support and guidance to any caller with concerns about self harm. We help callers to talk about their feelings and together guide them to consider options. We can facilitate referals to other specialist help.

Parents Advice Centre provides a free confidential helpline and appointment service for family members experiencing relationship, behavioural or emotional problems. The service operates from 4 branches: Belfast, Derry, Dungannon and Ballymena, and is operated by volunteers trained to recognised standards to provide support and guidance to parents of children of any age.
The freephone number for anyone looking for help is 0808 8010 722 when the contact person will normally be a helpline volunteer on rota. Office hours 10.00- 4pm weekdays and 7-9pm Mon-Thurs. Answering machine at other times when callers can leave a message and we will get back to them
The helpline is available Monday to Thursday 10am to 4pm and 7pm to 9pm and on Friday from 10am to 4pm. An answering machine will kick in outside these times advising caller when the helpline is available and giving them the option to leave a message for someone to return their call.

The PIPS project is a public initiative for the prevention of suicide and self-harm, based in Northern Ireland.  It offers advice on symptoms and danger signs, understanding suicide, as well as advice on what to do if you know someone who is suicidal.

For young people, online access to information and support at www.rd4u.org.uk.

Rethink, the leading national membership charity, works to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life.  We provide hope and empowerment through effective services and support and to all those who need us, and campaign for change through greater awareness and understanding.
For further information on Rethink phone: 0845 456 0455 email: info@rethink.org

Samaritans is a registered charity based in the UK and the Republic of Ireland that provides confidential, emotional support to any person who is suicidal or despairing.  They operate a telephone helpline service 24 hours a day and also give email support. Tel: 08457 90 90 90 (for the price of a local call)

Zest offers individual counselling, listening ear, individual or group support to people who self-harm or are suicidal. Together, with support for parents/families and friends affected by the impact of self-harm/suicide. We offer education and training to professionals working with individuals who present with these issues.
Contacts:
Outreach Counsellor Tel No. 07723327701 Working in Belfast, Coleraine and Strabane. Available 9 am - 5 pm Mon-Fri. Answer machine out of office hours - messages checked and responded to next day.
Outreach Tel No is 07810791917 available 9am to 5 pm Monday to Friday - outside these times a message can be left and contact will be made the next day.
Derry Office, 15a Queen Street, Derry/LDerry Tel No. 028 71266999. Available 9 am - 5 pm Mon-Fri. Answer machine out of office hours - messages checked and responded to next day.

ZEST

Services offered - Zest offers individual counselling, listening ear, individual or group support to people who self-harm or are suicidal. Together, with support for parents/families and friends affected by the impact of self-harm/suicide. We offer education and training to professionals working with individuals who present with these issues.
Contacts:
Outreach Counsellor Tel No. 07723327701 Working in Belfast, Coleraine and Strabane. Available 9 am - 5 pm Mon-Fri. Answer machine out of office hours - messages checked and responded to next day.
Outreach Tel No is 07810791917 available 9am to 5 pm Monday to Friday - outside these times a message can be left and contact will be made the next day.
Derry Office, 15a Queen Street, Derry/LDerry Tel No. 028 71266999. Available 9 am - 5 pm Mon-Fri. Answer machine out of office hours - messages checked and responded to next day.

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