Story & photo: Julia Shergold
MAAN (the Somali mental health project) hosted an Employability Skills Event at Verdon Recreation Centre on Thursday 14th March.
Employers, support organisations, and voluntary groups provided stalls, all aimed at helping people into work, education or volunteering.
I spoke to Saeed Abdi from MAAN who told me that the event “aimed to give people employment opportunities which are vital for mental health service users and survivors, to help recovery and rehabilitation.” He went on to say:
“Employment is vital for the wellbeing of people in general. It builds self-esteem, confidence and the ability to engage in everyday life. The simple act of helping people realise they are employable and have skills is important. It’s about confidence and community cohesion.”