Mind Cymru is helping more Welsh speakers than ever before
This Cynnig Cymraeg Day, Mind Cymru is supporting more Welsh speakers than ever.
Not only are there more Welsh language information pages on Mind Cymru’s website, but services like the free guided self-help programme Active Monitoring now have more Welsh speaking link workers to help people improve their mental health in their preferred language.
Julia James, Head of Programmes at Mind Cymru, said: “It’s vitally important that people can get help with their mental health in the language they are most comfortable in.
“That’s why we’ve recruited more Welsh speaking link workers, in both south and north Wales. We know people can find it difficult to talk about their mental health and language should not be another barrier to that.”
Active Monitoring has already helped more than 11,500 people in Wales deal with problems including stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. The service, which is funded by Welsh Government, is free to everyone in Wales. To sign up, visit www.mind.org.uk/AMCymru
Mind Cymru also has more Welsh language information than ever on its website, as part of its ongoing commitment to Cynnig Cymraeg. New pages for adults include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Mindfulness. Data analysis shows that over 20,000 people have accessed Mind Cymru’s Welsh language pages in the first three months of 2022, more than 50% higher than the same time last year.
Julia James added: “Welsh language support is absolutely vital, and that’s why all of our most popular mental health information is available in Welsh.
“We know services in Welsh are hard to access, and this inequality can mean that Welsh speakers aren’t getting the support they need, when they need it. Welsh Government’s strategy to get one million people speaking Welsh by 2050 means that much more needs to be done to provide quality mental health services for people in the language of their choice.”
Alongside the information pages that Mind Cymru offers to people with mental health problems, there are also several blogs written in Welsh. These are personal experiences who give advice and support to make sure people don’t feel alone in their diagnoses.
The charity also promotes all of its campaigns and national services bilingually, and is committed to championing Welsh language support for people across Wales.
