Now more than ever before, people need access to emotional support.
That’s why, as soon as the Coronavirus pandemic broke out, we got in touch with Wigan Borough Council to volunteer our counselling and advocacy services to those in need.
We’ve now entered into an agreement with the local authority to deliver additional support services across the Wigan borough during this difficult time. This includes making comfort calls to people who’ve registered as needing help, and those in self-isolation through illness, being high-risk or vulnerable.
Young or old, if you live on your own or don’t have anyone you can talk to at this time, we want you to know that Wigan Family Welfare is open, accessible and working as normal.
Committed to supporting our community
The Borough of Wigan is home to 316,000 people. It’s one of the biggest metropolitan boroughs outside of London. By law we are required to keep our statutory advocacy services available and we’re doing this by phone and using video conferencing software.
Now that the schools and colleges are closed, our school counselling and advocacy services obviously cannot continue as usual. During a normal working week our trained counsellors would visit up to 80 schools between them. Although we can’t see students in person we are still providing full counselling and support to young people over the telephone. In some cases we’ve also extended this offer to immediate and extended family too.
Care homes, hospitals and mental health wards continue to receive vital support via telephone and video conferencing.
Adapting to our new working conditions
Our team mobilised very quickly to adapt our services to the new situation we find ourselves in. Following consultation, we unanimously agreed to continue supporting our current users as well as taking new referrals via the Wigan Borough Council helpline. We are proud to offer free guidance, support and be a friendly and comforting voice at the end of the phone.
Our 28-strong team is now working virtually from home. Everyone is working full-time, even our cleaner is hard at work deep cleaning our two office locations.
All the technology is working and we’re determined to deliver a seamless service. Our office phones and personal extension numbers are working as usual, redirecting to our home offices.
We can’t thank our team enough for the flexibility, dedication and commitment they’ve shown. Without them we wouldn’t be able to continue supporting our community.
Of course, additional caseload leads to challenges for all of us. We recognise that our people might need some extra support during this uncertain time too. We’re making sure that everyone has more frequent contact with their manager and has the chance to share and talk in confidence just like our service users.
We’re open and here for you
Our team are key workers, here to provide free, independent emotional support to individuals and families in the Wigan area.
We’ve personally contacted all the organisations we work alongside to notify them of our key worker status. This list includes the emergency hubs, Service Development Footprints (SDFs) and every mental health ward in the borough.
If you need to talk to access our counselling or advocacy services, we’re accepting self-referrals as well as via our usual partner organisations.
It’s been wonderful to learn from parents that our phone calls to their children are making a difference.
“I just wanted to say how grateful I am for the continuing support for my child…I think it’s wonderful.”
How to access our services during the lockdown period
These are unusual times. Not everyone has someone they can talk to. So whether you’re feeling anxious about a parent working at the hospital, worried about someone who’s sick or struggling with being in self-isolation, you can talk to us. Now the schools are closed we know our young people’s counselling services are more important than ever.
All counselling and advocacy work is currently being carried out by telephone between 9am and 5pm on weekdays. If you need to self-refer for counselling or advocacy you can contact us directly on 01942 867 888 or complete the self-referral form on our website.
For all Coronavirus support please call 01942 489018 or complete the Self-Isolation Welfare Support form at www.wigan.co.uk/bekind. Once you register that you need help, if you live in the Wigan Borough your request will be redirected to us and we’ll get in touch.
As a community, we have faced, and recovered from, difficult situations in the past. In the borough we have a track record of pulling together to help each other. When our lives begin to return to normal (and they will), we want to be able to say that we were there for the people and families of Wigan.
Keep safe and well.