Community hub’s year of people and progress
Trips out and workshops atTullochNet
Volunteer Jade Jennings made summer holidays lots of fun only involved in providing everyone with free packed lunches.
The rest - a trip to South Inch, another day out at the North Inch and a return visit to Broughty Ferry with about 46 children and mums involved - all sprouted out of Jade’s get up and go.
It led to friendships between mothers and an enhanced sense of connection which continues.
Grant added: “Then Jade found out that Letham4All was looking for someone to do 10 hours work a week and she successfully took that on and became employed by them. She’s now back at college. We’re glad she still pops in to see us.
“For me that’s a story of a local person becoming empowered and enabled. Our aim at TullochNET is not to do things for people or to people, it’s for things to be done by people.”
Grant explained how another highlight of 2018 was the development and deepening of the TullochNET ‘listening service’.
“We are not offering counselling or therapy, we just provide a place for people in Tulloch to talk about what’s going on. We’ve been encountering individuals with concerns over parenting, their finances, people going through bereavement, or a family fallout.
“There was a number of people in their 30s and 40s reporting anxiety. But we are just a listening service, I can only signpost them to services. But the waiting time can be anything from six to 12 months.
“So we decided to bring in two mental health counsellors and we offered a seven-week course for managing anxiety.
“The result was great: the seven who participated not only came to realise they suffered from this problem and found ways to combat it, but they realised they were not alone.
“In week one many said ‘I see you about, but I would never have known you suffered from anxiety. You always seemed so confident, so strong.’
“The workshops created a network of understanding and these people continue to support each other.”
Grant explained there is funding from the NHS Community Innovation Fund to allow TullochNET to run another series of workshops on mental health issues.
“Another thing we’ve picked up on is distress among parents. Some are struggling with a child that doesn’t sleep, they’ve got teenagers beginning to selfharm, or with eating disorders. In reality we only have around eight spaces we can offer for workshops with the counsellors, but it is a start.”
As community development worker, Grant has been heartened that TullochNET has attracted financial help to build on its activities:
“This past year, we’ve been lucky to get very helpful funding. We obtained £10,000 from the Forteviot Trust, and the Soutar Foundation gave us £7000 to support our ongoing work.
“Perth North Church gave TullochNET another £10,000 and they underwrite us which is very comforting, should we ever have a shortfall.”
A bonus for 2019 is the arrival of a new member of staff, John Halvorsen, who will be joining the TullochNET team at the beginning of January, someone the PA will be speaking to once he has got settled in.