People with learning disabilities bring Mindfulness to life

Mindfulness is known to help people cope with anxiety, stress, unhappiness or exhaustion. 

A group of people with learning disabilities from Tyne and Wear has worked with local health services to come up with a way to bring the benefits of mindfulness to people with learning disabilities. The group based at Skills for People, in Newcastle upon Tyne, has worked with the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust to create a new course to teach mindfulness. 

A film has been made documenting the project.  A short clip will be shown on 11th May at a conference in London:   ‘Westminster Health Forum Keynote Seminar: Improving care for people with learning disabilities - commissioning, regulation and reducing hospital admissions’  #WHFEvents

‘We know that life can get tough for people with learning disabilities, and they can feel isolated.  We wanted to find a way that they can use mindfulness to improve their lives, whilst helping them to make friends and support each other’ 

Liz Wright, Chief Executive, Skills for People

‘ The impact on the lives of those who attended the course has been impressive.  Now the group members will be champions working alongside our health colleagues to further develop the project, and bring the benefits to more people with learning disabilities and autism.  The potential is huge’. 

Dr Steve Noone

Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Mindfulness means paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you.  It is known to improve mental wellbeing. People bring mindfulness into their lives by using some simple meditation techniques regularly. 

For more information contact:

Skills for People:

Kathy Steele (project manager) 0191 281 873   kathy.steele@skillsforpeople.org.uk

 Liz Wright (Chief Executive) 0191 281 8737   liz.wright@skillsforpeople.org.uk