Welcome to our Case Study section
This page has a list of our case studies, detailing clients problems, and our solutions to them.
- Joan When Joan first arrived at the Centre she was very quiet - she would attend women's group, but kept her head down, never made eye contact and hardly ever spoke. She has severe mental health problems. She was paralysed by decision making, if you offered her two different things, she simply could not decide. She would always ask permission from staff before doing anything and was very compliant. Our project worker would gently ask and encourage Joan to take part in activities and to talk, but it has been a long, slow process. A big step forward for Joan was on one occasion when she was asked if she would like to join in an activity, she looked up and very politely said, 'No thank you'. This was the first time that Joan had made a decision for herself, instead of just going along with what she thought other people wanted her to do. Now Joan is a keen member of women's group, she takes part in discussions and enjoys some exercises and stretching too. She has been up to the allotment and picked strawberries and put up a hanging basket. She is able to initiate conversation and will raise issues that she is concerned about with staff here. October last year saw a big achievement for Joan - she received an Open College Network award in numeracy. At the Awards Ceremony she looked beautiful, she had chosen a nice outfit, done her hair and her eyes were bright and sparkly. She even chose to say a few words with the microphone, thanking everyone at St Wilfrid's for what they've done for her and saying how much she enjoys coming.
- Sandra Sandra has suffered from chronic mental health problems for many years. In the past she has used alcohol and experimented with illegal durgs because she didn't know where to turn and couldn't control the way she was feeling. She is overweight and this leads to physical health problems. Sandra has had intense support from various agencies over the years. She finds life difficult and has a history of self harm, for many years she never smiled and didn't find conversation easy. Sandra has a long history of abusive relationships, which only made her more vulnerable. Since coming to the women's group Sandra has found a supportive network of friends with whom she can share her worries. She has developed specific strategies to help her to manage emotionally challenging situations. Her need to self harm is less frequent and as a result she feels better about herself. Through group activities she has been able to support others and doesn't see herself as a victim in the way she did before. She has spent her life thinking no one believes her but is seeing that here she is valued, can share concerns and be supported through her worries. Sandra used to take good care of her body, but her low self esteem means that she now needs support with this. Sandra benefits hugely from the gentle exercise session at the beginning of women's group - it increases her self-awareness and helps her to feel more active and positive about her body. When Sandra received a certificate fom the group to recognise her help and support when trying a new activity, her face lit up with a huge smile. She lives independently in the community.